The road to the SWAC volleyball championship ran through the sun-baked streets of the state capital this year. And when the dust settled inside the Al Lawson Center on Sunday afternoon, the trophy never left town.
The FAMU Rattlers are champions once again.
In a display of sheer dominance and home-court ferocity, the Rattlers volleyball team captured its second consecutive SWAC tournament title, defeating the Southern Jaguars 3-1 to clinch the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The victory wasn’t just a repeat; it was a statement, cementing FAMU’s status as the preeminent powerhouse of the league with its fourth championship in the last five years.
“Just the type of players we have and all the work they put in. They’re really a resilient group. They don’t go away,” a beaming Gokhan Yilmaz, the FAMU head coach, told SWAC TV postgame, the roar of the celebrating crowd still echoing in the arena. “They keep working hard when we ask them to do something. So, I’m very proud of them.”
That resilience was on full display throughout a tournament where FAMU, hosting on its home floor, embraced the pressure and played with a target squarely on its back. The championship match was a showcase of their balanced attack and defensive grit.
Outside hitter Sydney Whitfield, the tournament’s undeniable star, delivered another legendary performance, securing a critical double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs. But she was far from alone. Middle blocker Farah Farooq was a force of nature, pounding 14 kills and acting as an impenetrable wall at the net with seven devastating blocks. Anchoring the defense was libero Victoria Santana, whose relentless hustle was quantified by a match-high 24 digs, many eliciting game-changing roars from the home crowd.
The victory sends the Rattlers dancing, earning the SWAC’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA Volleyball Tournament, which begins on December 4. The full bracket will be revealed during the NCAA Selection Show on November 30, setting the stage for FAMU to test its mettle against the nation’s best.
Since joining the SWAC in 2021, the Rattlers have done more than just compete; they have conquered. With titles now in 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025, this is no longer a streak—it’s a dynasty.