FAMU softball: HERstory makers who returned program to championship form

Once upon a time, the class of Black College softball presided on The Highest of Seven Hills. Florida A&M dominated the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, winning 13 titles from 1993 to 2017 under legendary head coach Veronica Wiggins . The Rattlers still lead the MEAC for most softball championships.

Then came 2021. The Rattlers had to chart a new legacy after moving to the Southwestern Athletic Conference , a Historically Black College and University NCAA Division I league that rivals the MEAC. In 2026, FAMU finally broke through to win the SWAC Tournament by beating Southern in a 2-1 walkoff victory on May 9 at the Gulfport, Mississippi, Sportsplex.

“Personally, as a coach, it’s always been my dream,” said FAMU’s second-year head coach, Brittany Beall. “To follow the steps of Coach Wiggins and see the legacy and make history of being the champion in the SWAC is huge. They ran the table in the MEAC for all those years.

And I think coming into the SWAC, this is going to be the first of many. ” After faltering to Jackson State in the 2024 and 2025 SWAC Tournament championship rounds, the Rattlers had to commit if they wanted to change the result in the ensuing postseason . It started with fall ball and early morning training.