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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —\u00a0Florida A&M University athletics honored its top student-athletes, coaches and staff at the annual Fang Awards ceremony, recognizing standout performances across all intercollegiate sport programs during the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n
Softball and track and field led the way with multiple individual honorees, while the volleyball program earned three team awards, including Team of the Year for head coach Gokhan Yilmaz and his 2025-26 squad.<\/p>\n
Senior softball standout Amari Brown took home Best Female Athlete of the Year after anchoring the Rattlers’ lineup throughout the season. Brown’s teammate Keeleigh Spooner earned Clutch Performer of the Year, while catcher Neriah Lee collected three awards \u2014 Leadership Excellence, Unsung Hero and the Orange and Green Standard Award \u2014 the most of any individual honoree. Samantha Smith rounded out softball’s haul with the Iron Rattler Award.<\/p>\n
Track and field’s Kirk Dawkins was named Best Male Athlete of the Year and also earned the Play\/Moment of the Year Award for his dramatic finish in the SWAC 1-mile race. Freshman Janaree Kinchen was named Rookie of the Year, while Diandrenique Gaines took home Breakout Athlete of the Year.<\/p>\n
Women’s basketball guard Tahnyjia Purifoy earned Comeback Athlete of the Year and the Snake Pit Energy Award for her ability to electrify the home crowd.
\nOn the football side, Nay’Ron Jenkins received both the Strike Hard Award and the Legacy Impact Award.<\/p>\n
The tennis program earned the Academic Excellence Award with a combined 3.73 team GPA, while 21 student-athletes across eight sport programs were recognized for maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. The group included representatives from women’s tennis, women’s basketball, softball, men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, women’s bowling, men’s golf and football.<\/p>\n
The volleyball team added Best Dressed Team and the Community Impact Award to its Team of the Year honor. The softball program captured the Rattler Cup Award and the Best Celebration\/Walkup Song\/Intro Award.<\/p>\n
Several staff-side awards were also presented. Trinity Sevier of the sports medicine department earned The Go-Getter Award, Jala Williams<\/a> from strength and conditioning was named The Ultimate Rattler Leader, and the sports medicine department as a whole was recognized as The Unsung Hero of the department.<\/p>\n Track and field’s Katelynn Smith was named Student Athlete Advisory Committee E-Board Member of the Year, and Ty’yanah Adams, also of track and field, received The Biggest Personality Award.<\/p>\n Complete list of 2025-26 Fang Award winners:<\/p>\n Rookie of the Year: Janaree Kinchen, Track and Field
\nBreakout Athlete of the Year: Diandrenique Gaines, Track and Field
\nComeback Athlete of the Year: Tahnyjia Purifoy, Women’s Basketball
\nClutch Performer of the Year: Keeleigh Spooner, Softball
\nBest Male Athlete of the Year: Kirk Dawkins, Track and Field
\nBest Female Athlete of the Year: Amari Brown, Softball
\nLeadership Excellence: Neriah Lee, Softball
\nSAAC E-Board Member of the Year: Katelynn Smith, Track and Field
\nAcademic Excellence: Tennis (3.73 Team GPA)
\nUnsung Hero: Neriah Lee, Softball
\nIron Rattler: Samantha Smith, Softball
\nCommunity Impact: Volleyball
\nThe Go-Getter: Trinity Sevier, Sports Medicine
\nThe Ultimate Rattler Leader: Jala Williams<\/a>, Strength and Conditioning
\nThe Unsung Hero (Department): Sports Medicine
\nThe Biggest Personality: Ty’yanah Adams, Track and Field
\nPlay\/Moment of the Year: Kirk Dawkins, SWAC 1-Mile Finish
\nBest Celebration\/Walkup Song\/Intro: Softball
\nTeam of the Year: Coach Gokhan Yilmaz and the 2025-26 Volleyball Team
\nRattler Cup: Softball
\nBest Dressed Team: Volleyball
\nStrike Hard Award: Nay’Ron Jenkins, Football
\nSnake Pit Energy Award: Tahnyjia Purifoy, Women’s Basketball
\nOrange and Green Standard Award: Neriah Lee, Softball
\nLegacy Impact: Nay’Ron Jenkins, Football
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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