The UCF Knights are the athletic teams that represent the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. The Knights participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I (FBS for football) as a member of the American Athletic Conference.
UCF, its athletic program, and the university's alumni and sports fans are sometimes jointly referred to as the "UCF Nation," and are represented by the mascot Knightro. The "Knight" was chosen as the university mascot in 1970 by student election. The "Knights of Pegasus" â€" as it was originally called â€" was a submission put forth by students, staff, and faculty, who wished to replace UCF's original mascot, the Citronaut, which was a mix between an orange and an astronaut. The Knights were also chosen over "Vincent the Vulture," which was a popular unofficial mascot among students at the time. In 1994, Knightro debuted as the Knights official athletic mascot.
The Knights field 16 varsity teams (6 men's, 9 women's and one co-ed sport) that have won numerous national and conference titles. The Knights football team won conference championships in 2007 and 2010, and the Knights women's basketball team won conference titles the 2009 and 2010. The UCF cheerleading team has captured two national titles at the College Cheerleading and Dance Team Nationals, in 2003 and 2007. Athletics facilities on the campus include the 44,206â€"seat Spectrum Stadium, the 10,072â€"seat CFE Arena, 3,000â€"seat Venue, John Euliano Park, the UCF Soccer and Track Stadium, and the UCF Softball Complex.
Traditions and history
The UCF varsity athletic program was a charter member of the Sunshine State Conference in 1975. The school moved up to Division I in 1984. In its first years in D-I, UCF was a member of the American South Conference, merging into the Sun Belt Conference in 1991. Women's sports in Division I played in the New South Women's Athletic Conference until 1990, when the American South began organizing women's sports. In 1992, UCF joined the Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC) in all D-I sports except football, which remained independent. In 1996, UCF was advanced to I-A (FBS) in football, and initially remained independent in football until becoming a football-only member of the Mid-American Conference in 2001, the same year the TAAC became the Atlantic Sun Conference. UCF joined Conference USA (C-USA) in all sports in 2005, and the American Athletic Conference (The American) in 2013.
The university's first mascot was the Citronaut, which was designed by Norman Van Meter, the brother-in-law of FTU's then-president Charles N. Millican. The Citronaut made an official appearance on a university publication, the cover of the 1968â€"69 student handbook. The sports teams were originally known as the "Knights of the Pegasus" â€" UCF's first official mascot â€" beginning with their first intercollegiate competitions in 1970. The moniker was switched to "Golden Knights" in 1993 as a solution to poor merchandise sales. The mascot of the athletic teams is Knightro, a black knight with gold armor. The university has asked to be identified as UCF when being referenced as opposed to Central Florida. Television networks and other media outlets, most notably ESPN, have been slow to adopt this policy.
In 2007, UCF made major changes to its athletic program. A new "athletic village" on the north end of campus known as Knights Plaza was developed. It included new sports facilities such as the new CFE Arena connected to the existing Venue at UCF and a new 45,000 seat football stadium known as Spectrum Stadium, a new softball complex, and the only Division I indoor football practice facility in the state. This made UCF the first school to ever open a new stadium and arena at the same time, for the 2007-08 season. It also includes Jay Bergman Field and UCF Soccer and Track Stadium. The area was built in a downtown style with four towers of student housing including approximately 1000 beds, retail and restaurant areas, and a new pedestrian mall connecting the front of the new arena to the student union. To mark the start of the new era, the teams names were reverted to "Knights" from the "Golden Knights" on May 4, 2007. In addition, new logos and uniforms were unveiled for all of UCF's athletic programs.
The University of Central Florida sponsors teams in six men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports:
Athletic facilities
Since 2000, the UCF has invested significant capital and effort in the construction, expansion and improvements of its major sports programs and their facilities. In 2007, UCF opened the new 45,000â€"seat Spectrum Stadium, and the new 10,000 seat CFE Arena. In 2011, the university renovated the Track and Soccer complex, increasing capacity to over 2,000 and adding amenities such as clubhouses and restrooms. Also starting in 2011, UCF plans to start a major renovation of Jay Bergman Field, expanding it to a total capacity at 4,180.
Conference affiliations
Varsity sports
Basketball
Men's basketball
UCF played its first intercollegiate basketball game before the team even had a nickname. In the Division II era, under Torchy Clark, UCF found great success including a DII Final Four appearance.
UCF has been a member of Division I since 1985, and has advanced to the NCAA tournament 4 times (94, 96, 04, 05), all under coach Kirk Speraw. UCF competed in the Atlantic Sun Conference (formerly called the Trans America Athletic Conference) from 1992 until 2005 when all sports joined C-USA, and plays in the CFE Arena. UCF made their debut in the C-USA Championship Tournament in the 2006 season, falling to Houston in the second round and closing out the season with the program's first losing record (14â€"15) since 2000â€"01. The Knights made a huge turnaround in the 2006â€"07 season, finishing 2nd in conference play to Memphis with an overall record of 22â€"9.
The UCF Men's Basketball team played its first exhibition game in the 10,000 seat CFE Arena, with an 86â€"78 win over the Saint Leo Lions, on November 3, 2007. Their first regular-season game in the CFE Arena was a 63â€"60 victory over the Nevada on November 11. Their first home C-USA game was against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on January 11, 2008. The game was won by the Knights in triple overtime. On December 1, 2010, the Knights upset the #16 Florida Gators 57â€"54 at the new Amway Center in downtown Orlando, giving the Knights their first victory over a top 20 opponent as well as their first victory over the Gators. Following a 10â€"0 start to the 2010â€"11 season, the Knights were nationally ranked for the first time in program history. At the time, UCF was one of nine unbeaten teams, and one of only four schools to be ranked in the BCS standings and the AP men's basketball poll.
Women's basketball
UCF first joined the AIAW for women's basketball in 1977â€"78. To conclude the 1979â€"80 season, the team won the Division-II Florida State Championship, before falling in their first game of the national tournament. They were promoted to AIAW Division I in its last year of existence, 1981â€"82, and made it to that year's District I tournament quarterfinals, before joining the NCAA in 1982â€"83.
The women's basketball team made the NCAA Division I tournament in 1996 and 1999, and won the TAAC/Atlantic Sun regular-season title in 1999, 2003 and 2005, before joining C-USA. In 2009, UCF's women's basketball team shocked the C-USA by going 11â€"5 in conference play after going 2â€"11 in non-conference games and 10â€"20 the previous year, and swept through the 2009 Conference USA Women's Basketball Tournament, dominating Southern Miss in overtime to win the championship game, 65â€"54, and earn its third Division I tournament appearance.
Baseball
The baseball team is led by head coach, Terry Rooney who will entered his first season as head coach in 2009. Jay Bergman had been head coach since 1976 but was fired on May 1, 2008 after allegations arose of sexual harassment towards a male equipment coach. Bergman had a large amount of success in this position, leading UCF to Atlantic Sun Championships in 93, 95, 96, 97, 00, 01, 02, 04 and NCAA Regional Appearances in 89, 93, 95, 96, 97, 00, 01, 02, 04, and brought UCF to a national ranking of #8 in 2001. In honor of his long term success with the Knights, on February 3, 2001, UCF opened and dedicated what is now John Euliano Park.
Football
UCF fielded an official varsity football team for the first time in 1979, under head coach Don Jonas. Since then, the Knights have played in six bowl games, won three conference championships, produced 2 All-Americans, and two first-round draft picks. UCF has had some measure of success in football in its short NCAA history. It is the alma mater for NFL stars Brandon Marshall, Daunte Culpepper, Asante Samuel, Leger Douzable, and Bruce Miller among others. While UCF football can be traced back to its days as a Division III team under Jonas, it quickly moved up to Division II in 1982, and Division I-AA in 1990, finally matching the rest of its sports programs. In 1996, the program made its final ascension into Division I-A, now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). UCF football plays as a member of The American, where it has been a member since the 2013 season. The Knights play their home games in Spectrum Stadium, the team's home field since 2007.
The Knights' most prominent current football rivals are conference foes East Carolina and Tulsa, and former Conference USA rival Marshall. UCF's main in-state rival is South Florida. For most of the rivalry's existence, it was an inter-conference contest when South Florida was in the Big East and UCF in C-USA. Both schools are now conference members in The American and play on Black Friday each year.
Since beginning play in 1979, the Knights have won three conference championships and four conference division titles. UCF won the C-USA East Division in 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2012, winning the conference championship game in 2007 and 2010. The Knights were also champions of The American in 2013. Before ascending to the FBS, UCF was a leading program in Division I-AA in the early 1990s. In 1990, UCF became the first school in history to qualify for the I-AA playoffs in its first season of eligibility. The Knights once again made the postseason in 1993, and were selected as the preseason No. 1 to start the 1994 season.
George O'Leary became UCF's head football coach in 2004 and had great success. The 2005 team won the school's first division championship, and earned their first trip to a bowl game, in the Knights first season in C-USA. In 2007, the Knights won their second division championship, and earned their first conference championship. During the 2009 campaign, UCF earned its first victory over a ranked opponent and third bowl appearance under O'Leary's watch. In 2010 earned their first top 25 ranking, second conference championship, and winning their first bowl game. In 2013, UCF went undefeated in conference play to win The American's conference championship in its inaugural season, earning the conference's automatic berth to a BCS game. The fifteenth-ranked Knights upset the sixth-ranked Baylor Bears 52â€"42 in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl to secure the program's first win a major bowl game, and pull off one of the biggest upsets of the BCS era. UCF finished the 2013 campaign by earning the program's first top-ten ranking, and with quarterback Blake Bortles being selected third overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2014 NFL Draft. Scott Frost became the head coach in 2016 as O'Leary effectively resigned from the program midway through the season in 2015.
UCF defeated Auburn 34â€"27 in the 2018 Peach Bowl on January 1, 2018, to secure the school's second major bowl victory. Citing an undefeated season, UCF administrators claimed a National Championship football season, later upheld by the Colley Matrix, an NCAA-recognized major selector of FBS national champions, and four 1st place votes by the final AP poll. The NCAA does not officially select a national champion in FBS football.
Golf
The men's golf team was formed in 1979, and has appeared in NCAA Regionals 12 times, and have played in for the NCAA Championship four times. The last time the squad reached the championship was in 2009. The 2010 men's golf team were C-USA champions. The women's golf team was founded in 1982, and has made 8 NCAA Regional appearances, and has played for one NCAA Championship in 1996.
Bryce Wallor is the head coach for the men's golf team, and Courtney Trimble is the head coach for the women's team. The Knights men's golf team plays its home matches at the Rio Pinar Country Club. The Knights women's golf team plays its home matches at the RedTail Golf Course. The Knight's golf teams practice at the UCF Golf Practice Facility, located near the UCF campus at the Twin Rivers Golf Club in Oviedo.
Numerous former Knight golfers have represented the UCF on the PGA and LPGA Tours, including Robert Damron and Cliff Kresge.
Women's rowing
The women's rowing team was formed in 1995. The Knights women's rowing team has won 3 American Athletic Conference Rowing championships, and appeared in 4 NCAA Championships.
Soccer
UCF has produced a number of soccer stars. Most notably, Michelle Akers and Kim Wyant. Akers and Wyant were founding players on the United States women's national soccer team from 1985-2000. Akers helped them win the FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991 and 1999, and the 1996 Summer Olympics. Her career was so distinguished that Pelé named her among only two female players (along with teammate Mia Hamm) on the FIFA 100 list of the greatest living soccer players in 2004.
The women's program made the final of the first official women's intercollegiate soccer championship ever held in 1981, as well as the first NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship in 1982, losing the final in each year by the identical score of 1â€"0 to North Carolina.
The men's program has developed midfielder Eric Vasquez, who made his professional soccer debut with the Columbus Crew Major League Soccer. Vasquez later played for Miami FC in the United Soccer Leagues' First Division and the Orlando Sharks of the Major Indoor Soccer League before retiring due to injury. As well, former Knights Goalkeeper Ryan McIntosh initially signed a development deal with D.C. United of MLS. After a year with the D.C. United Reserve team, McIntosh signed with the Atlanta Silverbacks of USL Division One, where he led the team to the league final. The Silverbacks ended up losing to the Seattle Sounders. Both players were a part of the 2004 Central Florida Kraze amateur soccer team that won the Premier Development League's championship by defeating the Boulder Rapids Resevers, 1-0 at the UCF soccer stadium.
Former UCF goalkeeper Sean Johnson joined the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer in 2010. He made his pro debut on August 1 and defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy. He was a member of the United States U-20 men's national soccer team which qualified for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt. On the women's team, Aline Reis, an All-American in her freshman year in 2008, was selected to the Brazil women's national football team for the first time in 2009, playing in a friendly against a local Brazilian team in July. Former women's goalkeeper Lynzee Lee plays for the Buffalo Flash of the W-League. In 2010, both the men's and women's soccer teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Softball
The Knights softball program was founded in 2002, and the team officially started competing in the Atlantic Sun Conference in that same year under head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie. Since the program began, the Knights have won two conference tournament champions, and have appeared in the NCAA tournament three times.
Renee Luers-Gillispie, who is in her tenth year with the team, has been the programs only head coach. Through the conclusion of the 2010 season, Gillispie has led the Knights to a record of 341â€"233â€"1 during her tenure, and she has an overall win-loss record of 593â€"437â€"3 during her seventeen seasons as a head coach.
The Knights softball team plays its home games at the UCF Softball Complex.
Tennis
The men's tennis team was formed in 1972. They reached the NCAA Division II Championship consecutively from 1974-78, including a third-place finish in 1977. They won the A-Sun Championship three times from 2003-2005 under Bobby Cashman. The current men's coach is John Roddick, brother and coach for former tennis pro Andy Roddick.
The women's tennis team was formed in 1978. They have had 3 NCAA Division 1 Tournament appearances.
Track and field
The Knights women's track and field team has won ten total conference championships, eight in their nine years in the Atlantic Sun Conference, and won the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 C-USA outdoor title, and the 2011 C-USA indoor title. In 2011, the Knights were nationally ranked for the first time in program history, while at the same time ranking as the top team in the state, rising as high as No. 8 in the polls.
The head coach for the track and field program is Caryl Smith Gilbert, and the assistant coaches are Jeff Chakouian, Paul Brown and LaTonya Loche. Gilbert has coached four All-Americans during her tenure at UCF, including two-time All-American Jackie Coward.
The Knights track and field teams hold their outdoor home meets at the UCF Soccer and Track Stadium, which is part of Knights Plaza.
National Championship
The 1978 women's volleyball team captured UCF's one national team championship. The team won the AIAW Small College Division championship within days of the name change from Florida Technological University to UCF.
- Women (1)
- Volleyball: 1978
Club sports
The University of Central Florida through the Recreation and Wellness Center and the student government also fields a number of club sports of varying degrees of competitiveness, though most compete only with other teams from the southeastern part of the country. These sports are funded by the university's student government association. The club sports include rugby, wrestling, lacrosse, men's volleyball, ice hockey, team handball, water polo, ultimate frisbee, fencing, cycling, bowling, racquetball, table tennis, triathlon, ultimate frisbee, wheelchair basketball, water skiing, bass fishing, and tennis.
Ice hockey
UCF's ice hockey team was founded in 1997 and competes in the Southern Collegiate Hockey Conference in Division III of the American Collegiate Hockey Association. The team plays its home games at the RDV Sportsplex in Maitland, Florida. Since becoming head coach in 1999, Sean Weaver has led the Knights to eight consecutive National Championship appearances, and placed 3rd in the 2007â€"08 and 2010â€"11 seasons.
Lacrosse
UCF's men's lacrosse teams compete in the SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference of the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association at the Division I level. The team was founded in 1997 and plays at the university's intramural fields. It is currently coached by James Foote.
Rugby
Founded in 1988, UCF's Rugby Club plays in Division I of college rugby in the South Independent Conference against local rivals such as Florida State and South Florida. The Knights are led by Head Coach Jason Granich but has recently been changed to Raoul Besse. The Knights have enjoyed a lot of success over the last couple of years thanks to hard work, coaching, and some of the best conditioning in the league. They are back-to-back National Champions in D1-AA and have won a handful of Rugby Sevens tournaments. The trajectory of the 2015 season is looking positive with the Knights qualifying for the National Sevens Championship, ranked number one in the SIRC South Division, and ranked 7th in the entire nation.
The Knights have had one of the better college rugby programs in Florida in recent years. In Fall 2011, UCF reached the finals of the Collegiate Rugby Florida Cup. The Knights finished the 2011â€"12 season ranked 17th with a record of 12â€"5, including splitting the season series against No. 6 ranked FSU.
In spring 2013, the Knights won the DI-AA national championship. They defeated Tennessee 31â€"17 in the round of 16, defeated Clemson 24â€"20 in the quarterfinals, and defeated Dartmouth 45â€"38 in the semifinals. UCF won the national championship by defeating Lindenwood in the final 27â€"25, with team captain Gerhard Veit also scoring two tries.
UCF repeated in 2014 as D1-AA national champion. They beat South Carolina in the quarterfinals (44-28) and San Diego in the semifinals(43-5). UCF defeated Arizona in the final behind the efforts of MVP Scott Watters. The final score was an impressive 64â€"13.
UCF has also had success in rugby sevens. UCF rugby won the first tournament in Estero in the Fall 2012 Florida Sevens Championship with a 4â€"0 record, including a 24â€"5 win over FSU in the final. The Knights went undefeated and beat UNF 36â€"15 in the final to win the 2012 Florida Cup. The Knights continued this in the 2015 tournament. The Knights (who were the lowest seed) dominated the top ranked team, Middle Tennessee with the final score 31â€"7. The Knights would go on to win all there matches, including the championship game against Georgia Tech edging them out 19â€"12.
Spirit programs
Cheerleading
The UCF cheerleading squad has captured two national titles at the College Cheerleading and Dance Team Nationals, in 2003 and 2007. UCF cheerleading has received a spot in the top three in the country the last six seasons in the national championship, and has earned a top-10 finish 17 times in the last 19 years. In 2008, the WE Original weekly series Cheerleader U followed the UCF cheerleaders through an entire season. In 2013, the 2003 UCF Cheerleading Team, who won the UCA College Cheerleading Division IA National Championship in 2003, was the first team inducted into the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame.
Marching Knights and KnightMoves
The Marching Knights were formed after the start of the football program in 1979, and is the largest and most visible student organization at the university. They are known for their high energy performances, unique and contemporary drill designs, and musical selections ranging from jazz, to pop, to classical. Members experience the thrill of performing for tens of thousands of fans alongside over 300 other outstanding performers at each home UCF football game and select away games, as well as any bowl games.
The university's coordinated dance team, KnightMoves, is considered to be one of the nation's top college programs, and features 12-18 girls each year. The team performs year round at school and athletic events, such as Spirit Splash, pep rally's, and football and basketball games. KnightMoves has finished in the top-10 at the College Cheerleading and Dance Team Nationals for the past two-years.
Cheers
"Black and gold" is a cheer that is very popular at home games, with one part of the student section yelling "Black!", and the other part of the section answering back with their loudest "Gold!" This can go back and forth for several minutes, with both sides competing to be the louder.
Another popular cheer at games occurs during the national anthem when students loudly exclaim "Knight" during the line, "Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there."
The University of Central Florida Fight Song is titled 'Charge On'.
Notable alumni
As a competitor in college athletics, UCF has many notable student athletes, coaches and staff members, such as NFL players Joe Burnett, Josh Sitton, Matt Prater, Jah Reid, Jamar Newsome, Kevin Smith, Brandon Marshall, Asante Samuel and Mike Sims-Walker, former NBA guard Jermaine Taylor, NASCAR driver Aric Almirola, and soccer stars Michelle Akers and Sean Johnson. Currently, more than 50 UCF alumni compete in professional basketball, football, baseball and golf.
Athletic directors
See also
- List of college athletic programs in Florida
References
External links
- Official website