Four members of the FAMU Volleyball Team have been named to the 2023 preseason All-SWAC team. The Rattlers have also been voted, by their peers, to repeat as SWAC champions again earning 160 points and nine first-place votes.
Brooke Lynn Watts, the SWAC's 2022 Newcomer of the Year, returns after having a dominating season in 2022, finishing with 321 kills, the second most on the team behind the back-to-back SWAC Player of the Year Dominique Washington. Watts also finished second on the team with 369 points. Watts had 14 10+ kill matches with a season-high 21 kills in the win at Alabama State. Watts also added 17 kills in the championship match versus Alabama State. Watts also recorded a career-high nine service aces versus Mississippi Valley (Nov. 13), a SWAC single-match high for the 2022 season. On top of being named the SWAC Newcomer of the Year and All-SWAC First Team, Watts earned five SWAC weekly honors in 2022. Watts is expected to step into Washington's spot as the primary attacker for the Rattlers in 2023. Watts also impacted the defensive side, finishing third on the team with 252 digs and sixth with 31 blocks.
Brooke Hudson | Preseason Libero of the Year, Preseason All-SWAC First Team (Libero)
Brooke Hudson was one of the best defensive players in the nation and the top defensive player in the SWAC, finishing with 487 digs (44th in nation, 1st in SWAC). During SWAC play, Hudson led the league in total digs (267) and digs per set (4.68). Hudson was consistent on the defensive end recording 10+ digs in 28 matches and 20+ in seven.
Hudson earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Week five times this season.
Emerald Jacobs | Preseason All-SWAC Second Team (
Emerald Jacobs proved to be a significant contributor for the champion Rattlers, finishing fourth in kills with 210 and points with 249.5. Jacobs looks to have her third straight season with 200+ kills and the first of 300+ with the departure of back-to-back SWAC Player of the Year Dominique Washington. Jacobs also impacted the defensive side, finishing fourth on the team with 46 blocks and fifth with 168 digs.
Isis Williams | Preseason All-SWAC Second Team (Middle Hitter)
Isis Williams returns after finishing fifth on the team in points with 121.5 and kills with 91 in 72 sets. Williams finished third on the team with 48 Outside Hitter) blocks and had 3+ blocks in eight matches. Williams had a season-high five blocks at Jackson State.
The volleyball team opens their 2023 season tomorrow with three matches in the University of Alabama Birmingham Invitational against Austin Peay, Buffalo, and Alabama at Birmingham.