On paper, a 1-2 record during the Pelican Invitational might look like a bump in the road to the average eye. For Florida A&M volleyball, however, the tournament provided another opportunity to learn, adjust and prepare for the challenges ahead. 

Head Coach Gokhan Yilmaz views the opening weeks of the season as “phase one” of a bigger plan. “Rather focusing solely on wins and losses, Florida A&M uses its non-conference matches to identify strengths, weaknesses, test different rotations, build team cohesion, and face different styles of play,” Yilmaz explained. 

“Playing these teams that have better ball control than some of our opponents forces us to stay in longer rallies and find different ways to score, and that always helps us,” Yilmaz said. “That taught us what we can run in different rotations and what we can do in different plays.”  

Those lessons became clear during the Pelican Invitational. Florida A&M opened the tournament with back-to-back losses before responding with a victory over host LSU New Orleans.  

For Coach Yilmaz, one of the clearest areas of improvement was serve-receive. 

“From those matches to the last match, New Orleans, it’s a huge improvement in serve-receive. Because we played four sets and only ended up giving up five aces and 1.25 is a very good ratio in that category for sure,” Yilmaz said.  

The adjustment was a part of a larger process for the Lady Rattlers, who faced a variety of non-conference opponents throughout the opening weeks of the season. Florida A&M also picked up wins over UConn, Edward Waters, Hampton and Louisiana, giving the team valuable experience against different styles before conference play.  

For junior and reigning SWAC MVP Makenzie Taylor, those matchups helped reinforce what the program expects from its players.  

“When I first got here, the team was welcoming, and kind, but they let me know just how competitive it gets here. We set the standard of success; we go in, we win, and we bring in championships—that’s our goal. It was a balance of both having fun while also getting work done,” Taylor said. 

With four SWAC championships since 2021, Coach Yilmaz has helped establish a championship culture at Florida A&M. Backed by a strong core of returning players, the Lady Rattlers aren’t just looking to maintain their standard during non-conference play- they want to raise it. A key part of that continuous drive is meticulous game preparation.   

That preparation carried into Florida A&M’s first SWAC matchup against Alabama State. The Lady Rattlers recorded 58 digs in the 3-1 victory, keeping plays alive and allowing the offence to stay in system.  

The defensive effort was part of the team’s focus on remaining composed when momentum shifted. Senior LaDonna Trantham said the team has emphasized maintaining its identity regardless of the score.  

“No matter where we are in the set, if we’re up or down, we just continue to play our game,” Trantham said.  

That mentally helped Florida A&M respond after dropping the second set to Alabama State and regain control of the match. For the Lady Rattlers, preparation also extends beyond the court.  

Film study and scouting reports help the team identify opponent’s tendencies and determine where adjustments can be made before each match.  

“Film is definitely a big part of our success because we need to know what to expect and what the other team is going to do,” Taylor explained. “Our coaching staff does a really good job at paying attention to certain plays that they may run or certain areas that we can target so that we can see success going into the weekend.” 

That growth was tested again two days later when Florida A&M faced Alabama A&M in its second SWAC matchup. The Lady Rattlers pushed the Lady Bulldogs to five sets, winning the fourth set 25-22 before Alabama A&M took the deciding set 15-13. 

The five-set battle gave Florida A&M another opportunity to lean on its system and maintain its identity when the match became tight. The Lady Rattlers now sit at 1-1 in SWAC play and will return to action Friday, October 2, against Mississippi Valley State in Itta Bena, MS.  

What Coach Yilmaz described as phase one of the season has now transitioned into phase two, where the lessons from non-conference play will be put to the test against SWAC competition. For the Lady Rattlers, the focus now shifts from identifying what they can do to proving what they can do within the conference.