In an age of sports where the transfer portal and sportsmanship, or lack there of rather, have dominated talking points, it should come as no surprise that Bethune-Cookman Volleyball took a different approach to the 2024 season – beginning way back in the spring. This group, or class, showed something different, a togetherness and winning mentality. But they showed it with class because after all, that is what their founder – Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, would have wanted. A woman who demanded respect and showed class in her own right the world around. A woman whose very aura balanced respect and authority in a way many could not fathom. And those fortunate enough to visit her grave, or should I say her eternal home, on campus still show that same class to a woman whose demeanor was entrenched into the resolve and essence of the 2024 Bethune-Cookman University Volleyball team.
 
It should come as no surprise that a graduate of Howard University, a school dubbed "The Mecca", where the word "class" takes several meanings – Head Coach Brittany Williams knew this year's class was different for her team err program. She demanded her team GO to class. She insisted that her team SHOW class. And she urged her team to BE a class above the rest.
 
In a world where sports often act as the ultimate proving ground for character, the concept of leadership transcends the physical realm of strategy and tactics. For female head coaches, the journey to success is shaped not only by their ability to win games but also by the way they navigate challenges, adversity, and expectations. True class in a female head coach is not merely about success on the scoreboard; it is about how she leads with respect, integrity, and grace through every storm that comes her way.
 
Williams, a mild-mannered coach with a bubbly and lively spirit, always speaks softly when she wants to emphasize something she feels strongly about in private, even if just speaking to one individual. That's the case from the spring when she walked into the B-CU Office of Athletic Communications and whispered, "I think this year's team could be special." That's showing "class" to so many great teams she's had previously – as well as those before her, in addition to saying this year's group, or class, had a special unity and character that could take them to new heights.
 
And that's exactly what happened, right from the very start of the fall campaign.
 
A senior class that consisted of several key pieces.
 
Alisha Callender – a proven setter and service specialist.
 
Niara Hightower – the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Blocker of the Year, and a prelude for things to come in 2024.
 
Elizabeth Phillips – a transfer entering her second season with the program that saw a chance to step into a different role.
 
Ktyal Price – a player whose announcement that she was returning for her fifth year was the final cog in the B-CU wheel for ultimate success.
 
And of course, a SWAC transfer Jasmine Robinson – an outside hitter bursting for a chance to prove herself to the league, in a new environment.
 
But also, Victoria Samedy, a social media manager that walks and talks with class in everything she does and was there to record every moment of it all.
 
Hosting the Bash at the Beach event in Daytona Beach is an honor for B-CU Volleyball, and the entire department does it all to show off the class the Wildcats embody daily, even to the point of going above and beyond for visiting teams. After all, hospitality goes hand in hand with the term "class."
 
The win to start the year against Manhattan immediately showed the difference in this year's class, as no Bethune-Cookman team had enjoyed an opening day win since the Cats defeated Texas Southern in 2018, back when B-CU was a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Coincidentally, that's the same year the Wildcats grabbed wins in each of their first four (4) in-season tournaments to begin the season, while the 2024 team enjoyed wins in its first three weekend events. The only exception was against a strong consortium in the JU Invitational presented by Hampton Inn East Regency held at Jacksonville University. That tournament appeared to be just a step too far in the fourth and final event before the SWAC season.
 
Mixed in was a trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for a three-day event hosted by Oral Roberts where after the Wildcats defeated the host Golden Eagles on a Saturday night, the two programs from faith-based institutions showed immense class and prayed together with arms embraced around one another. The crowd of students in attendance also showed class after friendly trash talking and jeering throughout, while in response the Wildcats walked over and high-fived several students in a show of sportsmanship – nay, class.
 
For Williams and the Wildcats, the schedule would get tougher, and adversity would arise, as players suffered injuries – like freshman outside hitter Amya Jennings who appeared to be well on her way to a great season. In that instance, a player who sat patiently waiting for her turn was leaned upon. And it was Elizabeth Phillips that showed her class in not scowling about limited playing time, but rather entered and performed for the team as requested. And she did it in a way that eventually propelled the Cats to a new level.
 
After starting 1-1 in a tough SWAC road stretch in the "Magnolia State", a home sweep of Alabama A&M and Alabama State ensued – the first time ever the Wildcats had defeated both Alabama programs at home in league play.
 
Then, a hurricane. THE hurricane. Hurricane Milton – the second-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded over the Gulf of Mexico, behind only Hurricane Rita in 2005.
 
Not only was the Bethune-Cookman campus forced to evacuate, but the volleyball team was displaced to Tallahassee, and found a home from an unlikely counterpart – Florida A&M. A night before the storm made landfall in the "Sunshine State", the two in-state foes squared off with FAMU taking the win. The team was away from home. A loss. Heads were down. And spirits appeared to be low. It was a time of adversity.
 
When adversity appears, whether it's a losing streak, a controversial decision, or a disagreement with the media, a coach's ability to stay calm and focused speaks volumes. Her leadership is not defined by a harsh, aggressive approach but by an unwavering commitment to her team and the principles she holds dear. She leads by example, maintaining a professional demeanor when others may crumble, and she is steadfast in protecting the dignity of her players and staff. In other words, she shows class.
 
But first, class was shown by FAMU and their entire athletic administration in allowing Bethune-Cookman Volleyball to use their facilities to practice and host two matches at Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center. "Thanks" isn't even enough. The hospitality shown was for family, and that's what the two schools are when adversity hits the "Sunshine State" – FAMILY.
 
Over the course of the next three weeks, class was certainly in session, however, as Bethune-Cookman embarked upon a record-breaking run. Beginning with a sweep of Alcorn State and defeating Southern University in Tallahassee, the Wildcats went west. West to a pair of foes where winning had been hard to come by. It was time for the Wildcats to show what they had learned from the FAMU defeat, what they had learned from being relocated, and what they had learned during the offseason as they traveled to Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M in the "Lone Star State."
 
For the first time in school history, B-CU defeated both TSU and PVAMU in the same season as members of the SWAC. Not only did they defeat their Texas counterparts, but they did it being a class ahead and, in fact, sweeping the Panthers at the "Baby Dome" in 3-0 fashion – after Prairie View advanced to the semifinals of last year's SWAC Tournament.
 
After returning home for wins over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Grambling State, it was once again time for the road. The road in the form of another set of schools B-CU had never defeated as a pair away from Moore Gymnasium. While Alabama A&M continues its rebuild and the Cats worked up a 3-0 win, two days later it was veteran head coach Penny Lucas-White and the Alabama State Hornets who are, in their own right, also in a rebuild. But make no mistake, they are still a class program, and one Bethune-Cookman is seeking to overcome in Alabama. A back-and-forth affair ultimately saw B-CU fend off the perennial power, and for the first time since 2009, winning a match in Montgomery courtesy a 3-2 hard-fought decision.
 
It was eight wins from eight for Williams and her bunch. And it was a new school record for consecutive wins. A new SCHOOL RECORD. This team was now in a class of its own when looking back on the Wildcats record book.
 
But, to make it nine, a hurdle lay on the track, so to speak. A hurdle no team had conquered in 2024, and one the Maroon and Gold had only beaten six (6) times previously in history – and none since 2019. The FAMU Rattlers came to Moore Gymnasium for a lesson from THIS class of Wildcats, ones with a newfound taste for winning regularly. An entertaining match, quite possibly one of the best of the year in Daytona Beach, saw their fellow Floridians prove to be just a touch too much in a 3-1 setback.
 
The following weekend, another disappointing decision, this time to Jackson State at home, and closing the regular season with a 7-4 record at home and a No. 4 seed in the SWAC Tournament. That was followed by a win in the SWAC Tournament – the first of its kind since 2022, allowing the Wildcats a spot in the semifinals against their old nemesis, Florid A&M. But it would be the Rattlers defeating the Cats and eventually winning their second SWAC Tournament title in three years.
 
But not to be lost in it all was Hightower being named SWAC Blocker of the Year for the second consecutive season. Robinson would show her class to her old team at FAMU and stamp her name on both the B-CU and SWAC record books as SWAC Newcomer of the Year. And it was Williams finishing as a finalist for SWAC Coach of the Year. Indeed, this class of Wildcats had proven themselves. And they had shown their growth, maturity, hunger and, of course, class. A winning record with 15 victories was accomplished, along with 11 SWAC wins – the most in a single-season since joining the league.
 
Moving forward, Williams and assistant coach Rachel Henderson will have an even harder job on their hands. Together, they must now find a group to overcome the 2024 Wildcats squad that set records, earned individual accolades, and who set a new standard for all teams to come afterwards. Yes, the 2024 Wildcats established themselves as a class to model afterwards.
 
Williams has faith that she can do it, and she has a new base to build upon. Because after all, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune left us all hope in her final will and testament. She left us love. And she left us hope. All of these and more are instilled upon Williams and every returning member of the 2024 Bethune-Cookman University Volleyball team. While the thirst was quenched with victory, the final bitterness of defeat will linger until the next drink in 2025. And it will start in the spring…just as the 2024 program did.

 
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