Reigning champions FAMU baseball embracing 'hunters to hunted' approach in SWAC Tournament

Florida A&M has proven to be the class of Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball.

And the Rattlers are aware of what accompanies their success.

A year removed from winning their first SWAC Championship and five days after winning their first regular season title, the Rattlers enter this SWAC Tournament knowing they’re circled on every opponent’s schedule.

Being the team to beat is something FAMU embraces when it marches into Georgia Tech’s Russ Chandler Stadium to defend its SWAC title starting on Wednesday.

“We know we got a target on our back from last year. But you really can’t think about it like that,” FAMU leadoff hitter and centerfielder Ty Jackson said before boarding the team bus to Atlanta. “You just got to go in there and win one game at a time and enjoy the moment.”

To open the SWAC Tournament, East one-seed FAMU (27-25) takes on West four-seed Southern (22-27) in the double-elimination formatted bracket. The first pitch is at 6 p.m.

The last time the Rattlers and Jaguars met, FAMU dominated the matchup 16-1 at the Andre Dawson Classic.

The SWAC Champion will be decided on Sunday.

Fans can watch all tournament games on the SWAC Digital Network. However, ESPN+ will carry the SWAC Championship game.

“The first game is always the most exciting and sets the tone for the whole week,” said FAMU ace and SWAC Pitcher of the Year Caleb Granger. “This is a big week, and our fourth season is our biggest. But we can’t think too far ahead.”

Repeating is hard, but FAMU up for challenge of adding to program's success

Southern is the last team to repeat as SWAC baseball champions. The Jaguars won in 2019 and again in 2021 after the COVID-cancelled 2020 season.

But even after his team proved to be the best in the SWAC during the regular season, FAMU head baseball coach Jamey Shouppe knows the challenges of capturing consecutive conference titles.

Typically, smaller conferences, especially on the HBCU level, only get one entry into the national tournament. So, the SWAC Tournament winner will represent the league with its automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament’s Regional Round.

“Unfortunately, winning the regular season doesn’t come with the rewards that winning the tournament does,” said Shouppe, the SWAC's 2024 Co-Coach of the Year. “So, we might as well go win both of them. Two rings in two seasons would indicate what these guys mean to this program.”

Back-to-back SWAC titles this weekend would land FAMU baseball its 24th conference title.

Additionally, the Rattlers winning the SWAC Tournament would add to a year of triumph for the FAMU athletic program. Baseball (SWAC/2023), women’s cross country (SWAC), football (SWAC/Black College National Champions), women’s indoor track (SWAC), and golf (HBCU National Champions) have all enjoyed titles in the last calendar year.

“Going back-to-back would help this school, overall, and set the tone and culture of winning,” said Jackson, who transferred to FAMU from East Georgia State College a year ago. “It would truly be a blessing.”

In a competitive SWAC baseball environment, FAMU plans to 'go out with a bang'

It’s FAMU baseball’s third SWAC Tournament since joining the league ahead of the 2021-2022 athletic year.

Though the Rattlers have gotten their feet wet, there’s still no way to truly prepare for what they will endure in the five-day grind of the SWAC Tournament.

“You can prepare and think about it all year. But, you’re not going to know exactly what it is until you get there,” Granger said of the SWAC Tournament. “The energy is different. You can’t prepare for it.”

Jackson and his FAMU teammates still reminisce on winning the program’s first SWAC title last season.

This weekend, the Rattlers look to experience a form of deja vu by hoisting the trophy once again and moving on to the NCAA Tournament.

“I sent J. Niles the video of us winning last year and said, ‘I want to feel this again.’ I got chills,” said Jackson, a senior. “I want to go out with a bang and do what many teams haven’t by going back-to-back.”

Florida A&M Rattlers Baseball 2024 SWAC Honors

Jamey Shouppe, Co-Coach of the Year

Caleb Granger, Pitcher of the Year, First Team All-SWAC

Ty Jackson, First Team All-SWAC Outfielder

Janmikell Bastardo, Second Team All-SWAC Outfielder

True Fontenot, Second Team All-SWAC Second Baseman

Adam Haidermota, Second Team All-SWAC Third Baseman

Broedy Poppell, Second Team All-SWAC Catcher

To see the entire SWAC Tournament bracket, click here.

Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Baseball: Rattlers look to continue reign atop SWAC this weekend