The 2026 SWAC Baseball Tournament will unfold at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, the oldest professional baseball park in the United States, a venue steeped in Black baseball history and now the centerpiece of the conference’s championship week through 2029.
Florida A&M arrives as the No. 3 seed with a 22‑8 conference record and a six‑game winning streak that includes a sweep of Alabama A&M and a dramatic 9‑8 victory over Texas Southern, their opening‑round opponent.
The tournament employs a dual‑bracket, double‑elimination format, splitting the eight qualifiers into Bracket A and Bracket B, with Southern holding the top seed in Bracket A and Jackson State rounding out the bracket with a 16‑14 finish.
FAMU’s path hinges on momentum, lineup depth, and a pitching staff that posted a 1.64 ERA over 11.1 relief innings in the Alabama A&M series, a performance that could prove decisive in the high‑stakes matchups.
Key Players to Watch
Among the standouts are Jackson McKenzie, William Brown and Jay Campbell, who have anchored the lineup, while relievers Tanner Walker, Jesus Campa, Andrey Martinez, Edwin Sanchez, Jordan Brown, Caden Kresak, Josue Figueroa, Colton Ryals and Ethan Miller have contributed to the bullpen’s recent dominance.
A championship win would not only cap a dramatic season for the Rattlers but also underscore the program’s resilience and its ability to leverage historic venues to fuel future success.