The Florida A&M University women’s basketball team finished the 2025-26 season with an overall record of 9-22 and a conference record of 7-11.
Florida A&M’s season came to an end with a 72-68 loss to Alabama A&M in the second round of the SWAC tournament, a game that reflected the team’s fight and growth.
After leading early and entering halftime tied 30-30, the Lady Rattlers stayed within reach throughout the second half, but Alabama A&M responded late with a 12-4 run, capped by a last-second shot to secure the win for the bulldogs.
Despite the loss, Florida A&M showed its ability to compete, particularly through its effort on the glass and second-chance opportunities that kept the game close.
For Miyah Jiles-Jones, the season was defined by growth both as a team and individually.
“I feel like we grew a lot this year as a team,” Jiles-Jones said. “As a team we put some pieces together later on in the season and that helped us a lot.”
Jiles-Jones also saw a shift in her own role and confidence, and she was a key player in the SWAC tournament, leading the team with 17 points and nine rebounds in the Alabama A&M game.
“For me personally, I feel like I see myself finding the love of the game again,” Jiles-Jones said. “In previous institutions I was seeing limited minutes, so this season allowed me to be able to blossom a little bit.”
As the team turns its attention to the offseason, the focus remains on building consistency and developing chemistry earlier in the year.
“Coach wants us to continue what we have going while adding a few new pieces, of course, because we’re losing some people,” Jiles-Jones said. “So definitely continue playing hard and just finding our identity earlier than we did last season.”
Jiles-Jones pointed to the end of the season as a highlight, especially being able to compete in the conference tournament.
“The last two games of the season were my best games, and I just had so much fun playing in the tournament—I can’t wait to be back,” Jiles-Jones said.
With that experience and momentum, the Lady Rattlers now turn their focus to the offseason with the expectation of returning to the SWAC Tournament and competing for a championship next season.
