TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida A&M University athletics honored its top student-athletes, coaches and staff at the annual Fang Awards ceremony, recognizing standout performances across all intercollegiate sport programs during the 2025-26 season.
Softball and track and field led the way with multiple individual honorees, while the volleyball program earned three team awards, including Team of the Year for head coach Gokhan Yilmaz and his 2025-26 squad.
Senior softball standout Amari Brown took home Best Female Athlete of the Year after anchoring the Rattlers' lineup throughout the season. Brown's teammate Keeleigh Spooner earned Clutch Performer of the Year, while catcher Neriah Lee collected three awards — Leadership Excellence, Unsung Hero and the Orange and Green Standard Award — the most of any individual honoree. Samantha Smith rounded out softball's haul with the Iron Rattler Award.
Track and field's Kirk Dawkins was named Best Male Athlete of the Year and also earned the Play/Moment of the Year Award for his dramatic finish in the SWAC 1-mile race. Freshman Janaree Kinchen was named Rookie of the Year, while Diandrenique Gaines took home Breakout Athlete of the Year.
Women's basketball guard Tahnyjia Purifoy earned Comeback Athlete of the Year and the Snake Pit Energy Award for her ability to electrify the home crowd.
On the football side, Nay'Ron Jenkins received both the Strike Hard Award and the Legacy Impact Award.
The tennis program earned the Academic Excellence Award with a combined 3.73 team GPA, while 21 student-athletes across eight sport programs were recognized for maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. The group included representatives from women's tennis, women's basketball, softball, men's basketball, women's volleyball, women's bowling, men's golf and football.
The volleyball team added Best Dressed Team and the Community Impact Award to its Team of the Year honor. The softball program captured the Rattler Cup Award and the Best Celebration/Walkup Song/Intro Award.
Several staff-side awards were also presented. Trinity Sevier of the sports medicine department earned The Go-Getter Award,
Jala Williams from strength and conditioning was named The Ultimate Rattler Leader, and the sports medicine department as a whole was recognized as The Unsung Hero of the department.
Track and field's Katelynn Smith was named Student Athlete Advisory Committee E-Board Member of the Year, and Ty'yanah Adams, also of track and field, received The Biggest Personality Award.
Complete list of 2025-26 Fang Award winners:
Rookie of the Year: Janaree Kinchen, Track and Field
Breakout Athlete of the Year: Diandrenique Gaines, Track and Field
Comeback Athlete of the Year: Tahnyjia Purifoy, Women's Basketball
Clutch Performer of the Year: Keeleigh Spooner, Softball
Best Male Athlete of the Year: Kirk Dawkins, Track and Field
Best Female Athlete of the Year: Amari Brown, Softball
Leadership Excellence: Neriah Lee, Softball
SAAC E-Board Member of the Year: Katelynn Smith, Track and Field
Academic Excellence: Tennis (3.73 Team GPA)
Unsung Hero: Neriah Lee, Softball
Iron Rattler: Samantha Smith, Softball
Community Impact: Volleyball
The Go-Getter: Trinity Sevier, Sports Medicine
The Ultimate Rattler Leader: Jala Williams, Strength and Conditioning
The Unsung Hero (Department): Sports Medicine
The Biggest Personality: Ty'yanah Adams, Track and Field
Play/Moment of the Year: Kirk Dawkins, SWAC 1-Mile Finish
Best Celebration/Walkup Song/Intro: Softball
Team of the Year: Coach Gokhan Yilmaz and the 2025-26 Volleyball Team
Rattler Cup: Softball
Best Dressed Team: Volleyball
Strike Hard Award: Nay'Ron Jenkins, Football
Snake Pit Energy Award: Tahnyjia Purifoy, Women's Basketball
Orange and Green Standard Award: Neriah Lee, Softball
Legacy Impact: Nay'Ron Jenkins, Football
