Florida A&M Rattlers and Lady Rattlers

The Florida A&M Rattlers represent Florida A&M University (FAMU) in college athletics. Florida A&M is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and participates in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). FAMU offers men's sports in baseball, basketball, football, golf, swimming, tennis and track and field. It offers women's sports in basketball bowling, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field and volleyball.[2]

Florida A&M Rattlers and Lady Rattlers
UniversityFlorida A&M University
ConferenceMEAC
NCAADivision I
Athletic directorKortne Gosha
LocationTallahassee, Florida
Varsity teams11
Football stadiumBragg Memorial Stadium
Basketball arenaTeaching Arena
Baseball stadiumMoore–Kittles Field
NicknameRattlers
Fight songRattler Orange and Green
ColorsGreen and Orange[1]
         
Websitewww.famuathletics.com

In June 2020, FAMU announced they will be joining the Southwestern Athletic Conference in summer 2021.[3]

Sports

Men's basketball
Main article: Florida A&M Rattlers basketball

Women's basketball
Main article: Florida A&M Lady Rattlers basketball

Football
Main article: Florida A&M Rattlers football

From 1938 to 1961, the football team won the Black College National Championship eight times, including six times under head coach Jake Gaither, in 1950, 1952, 1954, 1957, 1959 and 1961. When Gaither retired after 25 years of coaching in 1969, his FAMU teams had a 203-36-4 (wins-losses-ties) record, for a .844 winning percentage. Thirty-six players from Gaither's teams were All-Americans, and 42 went on to play in the National Football League. During his 25 years as head coach, FAMU won 22 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships. Gaither was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975. FAMU went on to win the first NCAA D1-AA National Championship in 1978 after defeating the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The Rattlers meet the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats every year in the Florida Classic on the third weekend in November. The Rattlers lead the overall series with Bethune Cookman University, 45-15-1. One of the most notable wins in FAMU football history came when they defeated the University of Miami in 1979.

On November 15, 2008, Florida A&M football received national attention when ESPN's College GameDay was broadcast live from the campus. FAMU became the first historically black college or university campus to ever host the program.[4]

The Florida A&M Rattlers have won 29 Conference Championships and 13 different college football national titles. They have won the black college football national championship 11 times. An Associated Press College Division National Championship in 1962. The Rattlers also won the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA National Championship in 1978.[5]

Men's tennis

The Florida A&M Rattlers Men's Tennis team won HBCU National Tennis Championships in 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. They also captured the MEAC Championship for the 2016/2017 season, beating South Carolina State 4-2. Freshman recruit, Luis Federico Nani from Argentina, clinched the last game. The Men Rattlers made it to the first round of the NCAA Championship. The Women's team won the HBCU National Tennis Championship in 2008.[6]

References
  1. FAMUAthletics.com Style Guide (PDF). Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  2. "FamuRattlerSports.com". Archived from the original on 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  3. https://hbcugameday.com/2020/06/03/famu-bot-moves-with-caution-and-excitement-toward-swac-move/
  4. "News Headlines – Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University 2015". Famu.edu. 2006-12-07. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  5. "Florida A&M All National Championships". Cfbdatawarehouse.com. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  6. Archived April 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
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