Florida A&M women’s basketball is setting the groundwork for this upcoming season.
Led by head coach Bridgette Gordon, the Rattlers are participating in on-campus summer workouts, which start at 6:45 a.m. for eight hours per week. A training day at FAMU includes weights, conditioning, and brief practices.
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The motto is “excellence.”
“The early bird gets the worm,” Gordon told the Tallahassee Democrat. “We want to be bigger, stronger, faster ― one percent better every day. When they’re taking ownership and holding each other accountable, it’s beautiful when all I have to do is sit here and coach.”
Entering her third season with the Rattlers, Gordon oversees a new-look roster with 12 new players and just three returners on the 15-woman roster. The roster turnover has provided Gordon full autonomy to recruit every player that will suit up for FAMU this season.
The Tennessee Volunteers basketball legend, Olympic gold medalist, and Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer said she wanted ‘DAWGS,’ which means to be coachable, gritty, and resilient.
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“They’re all coming in here with a why,” Gordon assessed her roster.
“It’s a mentality. That’s the ‘DAWG.’ It’s the body, mind, heart, and soul. This team has my DNA. We’ll knock you down, but be classy at all times. But we are going to be ‘DAWGS.’”
One of FAMU women’s basketball’s additions is Jordan Boddie from fellow NCAA Division I program Austin Peay State. The 5-foot-6 guard appeared in 20 games for the Governors last season, averaging 4.8 points per game.
The Sanford, Florida native also played for Indian River State College, where she was an all-conference and all-region selection for averaging 16.3 points and 3.6 rebounds during the 2023-2024 season.
Mainland High School’s Jordan Boddie (24) dives up the court against American Heritage School during the 5A state title game on Saturday in Lakeland.
Gordon said Boddie has culture-shifting potential for FAMU women’s basketball.
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“I love working out with Coach Gordon and the staff. I’ve never wanted to be in the gym so much,” said the rising junior Boddie. “Being around them has helped me elevate my mindset and game.”
FAMU women’s basketball ‘growing close together’ during summer workouts
‘Sisterhood’ is one of FAMU women’s basketball’s mantras.
The team is working towards building connections and trust.
“We’re growing close together quickly,” said Cornelia Ellington, a 17-year-old freshman guard out of Langston Hughes High School near Atlanta.
“We laugh together and talk to each other. That’s a big part of being a team.”
With her intentional recruiting efforts, Gordon has been in the middle of it all.
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“It’s vital to the culture for them to get to know one another,” Gordon said. “It’s still about bringing the right pieces to fit the puzzle. So, I needed to recruit young ladies that would fit the culture, the sisterhood, and my philosophy.”
FAMU women’s basketball aiming for improvement in 2025-2026 season
The Rattlers finished 9-21 and appeared in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament last season, faltering to Mississippi Valley State in a first-round overtime thriller.
FAMU women’s basketball last won a conference title in 1999 as members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, which clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament, also the program’s most recent appearance.
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“Losses are not losses ― they’re lessons,” Gordon said. “My young ladies are ready. They don’t want to hear about last year and saw what we had. They want to be better and came here to help us put our name up there [the rafters] for the first time.”
Florida A&M head coach Bridgette Gordon, right, during a game between Tennessee and Florida A&M in Knoxville on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
The chemistry hasn’t entirely sparked yet.
But by summer’s end, FAMU can become a powerful force if it utilizes the offseason correctly.
“Summer can be a life-changing thing for a basketball player if you’re willing to put in the work,” Boddie said. “If you go about it right, this moment is critical.”
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU women’s basketball’s confidence, trust growing during summertime
