TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M Volleyball travels to compete in the Dolphin Volleyball Classic presented by Hampton Inn East Regency this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida, as the Rattlers are set to take on teams from Connecticut, Coastal Carolina and Jacksonville, respectively. The event kicks off Friday, Sept. 4, taking place at Swisher Gymnasium on the campus of Jacksonville University.
 
MATCH #4: FAMU vs. UConn
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 4, at 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Swisher Gymnasium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
MATCH #5: FAMU vs. Coastal Carolina
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 5, at 5 p.m.
WHERE: Swisher Gymnasium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
MATCH #6: FAMU at Jacksonville
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Swisher Gymnasium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
LIVE STATS: Click Here
 
IN THE RANKINGS
? Florida A&M is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
? UConn is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
? Coastal Carolina is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
? Jacksonville is not ranked in this week's AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Top 25
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything FAMU Volleyball this year by following the Rattlers on all their social media platforms. You can follow @FAMUVB on Instagram and @FAMU_VB on Twitter.
 
NEWS & NOTES
? After the first weekend of collegiate volleyball around the nation, Sydney Whitfield is tied for 48th nationally in kills with 45 to her credit. She is averaging 4.09 kills per set thus far.
? Whitfield's kills per set average leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
? Rattlers setter Makenzie Taylor is atop the conference with 84 assists (7.64 per set), adding a team-high matching five service aces in the process.
? As a unit, the Rattlers have amassed 364 attacks with 129 kills in three matches.
? Tamia Coleman and Iyonnie Sanford have combined for 25 total blocks – Coleman leads the way with 15 (11 assisted).
? Sophomore libero Kelly Kelsick has brought in a team-high 33 digs (3.00 pr set).
? Whitfield, a senior outside hitter from Magnolia, Texas, also has a SWAC-best 4.18 points pe set ratio (46 total).
? The Rattlers started the year 1-2 last weekend in the Betty K. Austin Invitational hosted by Alabama A&M in Huntsville, Alabama. FAMU fell to N.C. Central and Delaware State, before bouncing back to take down Maryland Eastern Shore in the finale.
 
FAMU VS. UCONN SERIES
? FAMU and UConn have faced off just once previously, with that outing coming on September 13, 2008.
? The Huskies won that contest by a 3-0 count in East Lansing, Michigan.
 
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
? Connecticut enters the weekend sporting a 0-3 record, after losses in the Penn State Invitational to begin the new campaign last weekend.
? The Huskies suffered setbacks to High Point, Penn State and Hofstra, respectfully.
? The team is led offensively by Helena Einarsdottir with 25 kills, followed by teammates Sydney Borowy (24) and Courtney Grayson (23).
? The setter position is patrolled by Isabella Sohl with a team-high 76 assists.
? Blocks are supplied by the duo of Grayson and Borowy, each tallying eight on the season.
 
FAMU VS. COASTAL CAROLINA SERIES
? Coastal Carolina leads the all-time series against FAMU by a 2-0 advantage.
? The Chanticleers took the last meeting between the programs by a 3-0 decision on August 26, 2016, in Miami.
? The first matchup of the series took place in 2015, as CCU was victorious 3-0 in Tallahassee.
 
SCOUTING THE CHANTICLEERS
? Coastal Carolina began the campaign with a 1-1 record last weekend at home as part of the Coastal Carolina Invitational.
? The Chanticleers fell to Duke (L, 1-3), before bouncing back to defeat Queens (W, 3-2).
? Anzley Rinard is the team leader in kills with 31 (3.44 k/s), while teammate Natalie Highes owns 23 (2.56 k/s).
? Kaylee Musick is the primary setter with 53 assists. Bella Loeswick also sets up the offense with 32 assists under her belt.
? The libero is Jonna Spohn with 46 digs (5.11 dig/s).
 
FAMU VS. JACKSONVILLE SERIES
? JU leads the all-time series with FAMU by a slim 7-5 edge in records going back to 2010.
? In the series, the Rattlers have the longest winning streak by either side, garnering three consecutive (2014, '16, '21).
? The Dolphins won the last meeting courtesy a 3-2 decision on September 20, 2025, in Jacksonville.
? The last win for the Orange and Green was a 3-1 score line in Tallahassee on September 7, 2024.
 
SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS
? A traditionally well-respected program in the "Sunshine State", Jacksonville enters the weekend 2-1 after wins against Southern (La.) and Jacksonville State last weekend at the Gamecock Classic hosted by Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Alabama.
? The Dolphins' lone loss came at the hands of Southern Mississippi.
? Abbie Tuyo leads the team with 39 kills (3.55 k/s), hitting at a 42.7 percent clip on the campaign.
? Two other Dolphins have 20-plus kills – Jaylyn Tuiasosopo (25) and Claire Mrukowski (24).
? Emersen Strain quarterbacks the offense with 58 assists from her setter position on the court.
? A pair of players in the form of Haley Young (15 blocks) and Tuyo (10 blocks) have already accounted for double-digit blocks on the season.
 
A QUICK LOOK AT THE RATTLERS
2026 Record – 1-2 (.333) // 2026 SWAC Record – 0-0 (.000) // Last 5 Matches – 2-3 (.400) // Last 10 Matches – 7-3 (.700) // Last 15 Matches – 10-5 (.667) // Head Coach Gokhan Yilmaz has officially kicked off his ninth year at the helm in Tallahassee (eighth season coaching with the exclusion of the 2020 COVID-19 season in which FAMU did not compete).
 
UP NEXT
The Rattlers will host the Florida A&M Tournament taking place September 10-12, at the Lawson center in Tallahassee. FAMU looks to welcome teams from Louisiana, FIU and Hampton to the Capital City.
 
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