FAMU basketball's Antonio Baker wins SWAC preseason defensive honor

Antonio Baker is expected to be a lockdown defender on the perimeter for the Florida A&M men’s basketball team.

And the top defender in the Southwestern Athletic Conference for the upcoming 2026-2027 season.

On Tuesday, the senior combo guard from Savannah, Georgia, was named the SWAC’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

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After transferring from Chipola College, Baker averaged 1.2 steals for the Rattlers last season, which ranked in the top 25 SWAC stats. Baker also had 10 games with two or more steals, including a stretch of 12 steals over three games, per the SWAC’s press release.

Baker is a bucket-getter on the offensive side, also.

He averaged 9.9 points per game, including getting on an eight-game heater to end the season. Baker scored 13.3 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 2.62 assists, and a steal during that stretch while averaging 30 minutes per game.

Baker and fellow guard Jaquan Sanders are the pair of Rattler representatives on the All-SWAC Preseason Team. Baker is on the second team, and Sanders is on the first.

On Wednesday, Baker is set to preview the FAMU basketball season alongside guard Ralph Martino Jr. and head coach Charlie Ward in Birmingham at the SWAC Tipoff Men’s Basketball Media Day.

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The FAMU coach will have his media day Zoom availability at 11:20 a.m. Eastern Time.

The Rattlers open their year on Oct. 13, hosting Warner University for an exhibition game at the Al Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center.

• Oct. 13: vs. Warner, TBD (Exhibition)

• Oct. 27: vs. Saint Leo, TBD (Exhibition)

• Nov. 2: vs. Florida State — Tampa (Orion180 Tip-Off Classic), 8:30 p.m.

• Nov. 5: vs. Fort Valley State, TBD

• Nov. 9: at UAB, TBD

• Nov. 11: vs. Missouri-Kansas City — St. Petersburg (Showdown in St. Pete), Noon

• Nov. 15: at UTEP, TBD

• Nov. 18: at UTSA, TBD

• Nov. 24: at South Alabama, TBD

• Nov. 30: at Kennesaw State, 7 p.m.

• Dec. 4: vs. Norfolk State — Washington, D.C. (Chris Paul HBCU Classic), 8:30 p.m.

• Dec. 5: vs. Tennessee State — Washington, D.C. (Chris Paul HBCU Classic), 6 p.m.

• Dec. 12: at Tulsa, TBD

• Dec. 15: at Saint Louis, TBD

• Dec. 21: at Florida, TBD

• Dec. 30: vs. Thomas, TBD

• Jan. 2: vs. Bethune-Cookman — SWAC, TBD

• Jan. 9: at Southern — SWAC, TBD

• Jan. 11: at Grambling State — SWAC, TBD

• Jan. 16: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff — SWAC, TBD

• Jan. 18: vs. Mississippi Valley State — SWAC, TBD

• Jan. 23: at Alcorn State — SWAC, 4 p.m.

• Jan. 25: at Jackson State — SWAC, 8 p.m.

• Jan. 30: vs. Alabama A&M — SWAC, TBD

• Feb. 1: vs. Alabama State — SWAC, TBD

• Feb. 6: at Texas Southern — SWAC, TBD

• Feb. 8: at Prairie View A&M — SWAC, TBD

• Feb. 13: vs. Jackson State — SWAC, 4 p.m.

• Feb. 15: vs. Alcorn State — SWAC, TBD

• Feb. 18: at Alabama A&M — SWAC, 8:30 p.m.

• Feb. 20: at Alabama State — SWAC, 4 p.m.

• Feb. 25: vs. Southern — SWAC, TBD

• Feb. 27: vs. Grambling State — SWAC, TBD

• Mar. 4: at Bethune-Cookman — SWAC, TBD

• Mar. 8–13: vs. SWAC Tournament — College Park, Ga. (SWAC Tournament), TBD

Oct. 13: vs. Warner, TBD (Exhibition)

Oct. 27: vs. Saint Leo, TBD (Exhibition)

Nov. 2: vs. Florida State — Tampa (Orion180 Tip-Off Classic), 8:30 p.m.

Nov. 11: vs. Missouri-Kansas City — St. Petersburg (Showdown in St. Pete), Noon

Dec. 4: vs. Norfolk State — Washington, D.C. (Chris Paul HBCU Classic), 8:30 p.m.

Dec. 5: vs. Tennessee State — Washington, D.C. (Chris Paul HBCU Classic), 6 p.m.

Jan. 2: vs. Bethune-Cookman — SWAC, TBD

Jan. 11: at Grambling State — SWAC, TBD

Jan. 16: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff — SWAC, TBD

Jan. 18: vs. Mississippi Valley State — SWAC, TBD

Jan. 23: at Alcorn State — SWAC, 4 p.m.

Jan. 25: at Jackson State — SWAC, 8 p.m.

Jan. 30: vs. Alabama A&M — SWAC, TBD

Feb. 1: vs. Alabama State — SWAC, TBD

Feb. 6: at Texas Southern — SWAC, TBD

Feb. 8: at Prairie View A&M — SWAC, TBD

Feb. 13: vs. Jackson State — SWAC, 4 p.m.

Feb. 15: vs. Alcorn State — SWAC, TBD

Feb. 18: at Alabama A&M — SWAC, 8:30 p.m.

Feb. 20: at Alabama State — SWAC, 4 p.m.

Feb. 25: vs. Southern — SWAC, TBD

Feb. 27: vs. Grambling State — SWAC, TBD

Mar. 4: at Bethune-Cookman — SWAC, TBD

Mar. 8–13: vs. SWAC Tournament — College Park, Ga. (SWAC Tournament), TBD

Gerald Thomas, III, is a multi-time national award-winning reporter for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat under the USA TODAY Network.

Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU basketball’s Antonio Baker wins SWAC preseason defensive honor

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