Lady Rattlers begin practice under 1st year coach Gordon

Bridgett Gordon, who was selected as FAMU’s new women’s basketball coach July 29,   is ready to put her stamp on the Lady Rattlers basketball program.  The team, this week, officially begun practice in preparation for their season opener November 7, at the University of Tennessee.

Gordon has quickly assembled a staff hiring Andonte Gennie and Zenzele Vital as assistant coaches.
 
Gordon,  has spent her time bonding and working with her team off the court working to build trust with her players to be their “mother hen” away from home.  I want them to understand that “they’re my daughters so that unity and that trust that they already have in me makes it easier for them to get out there, feel free and trust the process.”

“I want to establish a bond with them  where we hold each other accountable, and that they trust me enough that they are willing to run through a wall for me because they know that I care,” said Gordon.

Gordon promises to bring a hard-nosed approach to coaching. She wants to see her players get in the opponents' face and challenge them defensively.

"I scored a lot of points in my career, but it all started with defense," Gordon said of her coaching philosophy. "It doesn't take talent to play defense. It takes heart, discipline, dedication, sacrifice, and a lot of work.

"You should be able to turn on the TV and know who we are by the energy we play with and how we bond together ― even if your TV is your distorted."

This is the first head coaching job for Coach Gordon, who has served as an assistant coach a the University of Cincinnati (2022), Tennessee (2017-19), Wichita State (2010-17), Stetson (2001-06) and Georgia State (2007-10).

The Lady Rattlers finished 6-23 last season and haven't posted a winning season since 2015-2016 and haven't won a conference championship or appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 1999, when Claudette Farmer was the coach.