The Knights will now visit Oregon, the top seed of the region, on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET inside Matthew Knight Arena. The first meeting in program history between the Knights and Ducks will be televised on ESPNU.

“I thought our guys came ready and prepared, I think both teams played hard,” said UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins. “After they got off to a 9-2 start, I thought our guys really locked in and were really focused. We were able to turn them over which gave us some chances to get some easy baskets and really get some momentum to end the first half.”

The Knights had a stellar defensive effort to thank for their first win in Gainesville in program history. Florida’s 49 points marked the Gators’ lowest scoring performance on their home court since Jan. 13, 1962.

UCF flustered the Gators into committing 18 turnovers when the final buzzer sounded, the most in UCF’s NIT history.

Senior guard C.J. Kelly led the way for UCF on the stat sheet, scoring 21 points while adding four rebounds and two assists. Freshman standout Taylor Hendricks added 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks while senior guard Ithiel Horton scored 12 points with four rebounds and three steals.

The Knights are now 22-8 against opposing schools from The Sunshine State during the Dawkins era. Two wins were added to that tally earlier this year as UCF beat Florida State 68-54 on Nov. 11 and topped Stetson 73-58 on Dec. 21.

In the three victories over Florida foes this season, UCF has outscored them by an average of 15.7 points.

“To me, it’s a really good win,” said Dawkins. “We look at it as we have a really good state with a lot of talented teams and really good coaches, and so I think the opportunity to play each other is always good and I’m glad we had the opportunity to play against the Gators today.”

The Knights advance past the first round of the NIT for the second time in program history in three total attempts. UCF’s 2016-17 team punched their second-round ticket with a 79-74 win at home over Colorado six years ago to the day, representing the program’s first postseason win. That victory sparked the Knights’ run to the NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York that season. The Black and Gold are now 4-2 all-time in the NIT.

Approval was unanimous after consultation with the conference’s COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group, athletic directors and senior woman administrators.

The plan calls for regular-season intraconference competition in football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball, capped by conference championship events in those sports, as well as men’s and women’s cross country. The American’s 12 member schools will be able to schedule nonconference competitions in fall sports at their discretion, but under the guidelines and protocols set by the Medical Advisory Group. The number of qualifying teams for conference championships in men’s soccer, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball has been reduced to four.

“The health and safety of our student-athletes is our top priority as we face the challenges of the current global pandemic,” says American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco. “With the guidance and advice of our Medical Advisory Group, which has done an outstanding job developing health and safety protocols, we have developed a collaborative and comprehensive plan that will allow us safely and sensibly to play our fall sports. Our plan provides us with the flexibility to adapt to potential disruptions to our schedules. I want to thank our board of directors, our Medical Advisory Group, athletic directors and senior woman administrators for their thoughtful input and approach to what is one of the most challenging situations we will face.”

In football, the plan calls for conference competition to begin Sept. 19 and for each of The American’s teams to play eight conference games on their originally scheduled dates. Nonconference games may be played at the discretion of the individual schools, with the understanding that the opponents will strictly adhere to protocols and standards for testing, pregame, in-game and postgame operations set by The American’s Medical Advisory Group. Depending on the need to potentially reschedule regular-season games, The American Football Championship will be played on either Dec. 5, 12 or 19 at the stadium of the regular-season champion. A decision regarding the date of the championship game will be made no earlier than Nov. 1.

Institutions may schedule regular season cross country competitions at their discretion on or after Sept 1. The American Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31, at 4 Mile Creek Resort in Augusta, Kansas.

The American’s six men’s soccer teams will play a 10-match double-round-robin schedule of conference matches. Conference matches will be played on Saturdays, beginning Sept. 5, but may be moved to Friday or Sunday if a conflict with a home football game exists. Midweek matches against nonconference opponents may be scheduled on or after Sept. 1 only if the opponent meets the standards and testing guidelines set by The American’s Medical Advisory Group. Midweek matches may not be scheduled if an institution would have to utilize air travel and/or an overnight hotel stay. The four-team 2020 American Men’s Soccer Championship will be held either Nov. 12 and 14 or Nov. 13 and 15 at the site of the No. 1 seed based on regular-season standings. In the event that the No. 1 seed is unable to host the championship due to travel restrictions or state or local regulations, the site shall be the campus of the next-highest seed.

The American’s nine women’s soccer teams will play an eight-match single-round-robin schedule of conference matches. Conference matches will be played on Sundays, beginning Sept. 6. Midweek matches against nonconference opponents may be scheduled on or after Sept. 1 only if the opponent meets the standards and testing guidelines set by The American’s Medical Advisory Group. Midweek matches may not be scheduled if an institution would have to utilize air travel and/or an overnight hotel stay. The four-team 2020 American Women’s Soccer Championship will be held Nov. 6 and 8 at the site of the No. 1 seed based on regular-season standings. In the event that the No. 1 seed is unable to host the championship due to travel restrictions or state or local regulations, the site shall be the campus of the next-highest seed.

The American will feature a two-division format in which each team will play the other teams in its division twice at the same site. The East Division will consist of UCF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Temple and USF. The West Division will include Houston, Memphis, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State. Conference play will begin during the Sept. 24-27 weekend and will conclude the weekend of Nov. 12-15. Conference matches may be scheduled between Thursday and Sunday. Three weekends will be available for nonconference opportunities, on or after Sept. 1. The 2020 American Women’s Volleyball Championship will be held Nov. 21-22 at Fifth Third Arena on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. The top two teams from each division, based on regular-season standings, will qualify for the championship.

Decisions regarding Fall 2020 competition in the sports of baseball, softball, women’s lacrosse, women’s rowing, men’s and women’s golf and men’s and women’s tennis will be announced at a later date. Decisions for potential modifications to The American’s winter sports (basketball, swimming and diving, indoor track and field) will also be announced at a later date.

The American’s health and safety protocols developed by its Medical Advisory Group will be announced at a later date. The conference’s Medical Advisory Group will continue to meet regularly regarding protocols for the safe return of fall competition.

The American’s All-Academic Team for 2019-20 features 54 members of the Knights’ rowing roster, 52 from the football team, 37 from track and field, 28 from women’s soccer, 23 from softball, 20 from baseball, 19 from men’s soccer, 12 each from women’s basketball, cross country and volleyball, eight from women’s tennis, seven from men’s golf—plus six each from women’s golf, men’s tennis and men’s basketball.

In May, UCF student-athletes extended their record-setting streak in the classroom to 25 consecutive semesters with a department grade-point average of 3.0 or better. In addition to the 25 consecutive semesters of a 3.0 GPA, UCF student-athletes also posted their seventh straight semester of a 3.2 GPA or better as a department.

Since UCF Vice President and Director of Athletics Danny White’s arrival in Orlando, the Knights have not turned in a semester below a 3.0, starting at 3.01 in the spring of 2016. UCF has posted a department-wide��GPA of 3.3 or better four times in the last five years. The top six marks in school history have come over the last seven semesters.

To be eligible for the American Athletic Conference All-Academic team, student-athletes must have competed in a conference-sponsored sport, attained a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 for the preceding academic year and completed a minimum of two consecutive semesters of academic work.

For a complete list of the Knights recognized on the all-academic teams, visit ucfknights.com.

CBS Sports Network will broadcast the first two UCF games, both in prime time. UCF’s season opener against Florida A&M on Thursday, Aug. 29, at Spectrum Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Campus will close at 2 p.m. that day, and more information about the closure, tailgating and parking will be announced closer to game day.

The Knights will then travel to Florida Atlantic for a 7 p.m. ET matchup Sept. 7.

UCF’s Sept. 14 home game against Stanford will kick at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be shown by ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 (that network decision will be made after the second week of games).

Times for two other Friday night road games were announced: 8 p.m. ET at Cincinnati (Oct. 4) on ESPN and 7 p.m. ET at Tulsa (Nov. 8) on ESPN2.

The War on I4 rivalry matchup against South Florida will air on ABC or ESPN, with the kick time to be determined.

UCF enters the season as the back-to-back reigning conference champion.��If the Knights again qualify for the American Athletic Conference Championship on Dec. 7, that game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be shown on ABC.

Family weekend is scheduled for UCF’s Sept. 28 conference opener against UConn, and the Knights will face ECU for their Homecoming weekend matchup Oct. 19. UCF will once again host the fan-favorite Space Game on Nov. 2 against Houston.

Here’s a complete look at the UCF schedule for 2019 (home games listed in bold):

Thursday, Aug. 29: vs. Florida A&M (7:30 p.m. ET | CBSSN)

Saturday, Sept. 7: at Florida Atlantic (7 p.m. ET | CBSSN)

Saturday, Sept. 14: vs. Stanford (3:30 p.m. | ABC or ESPN or ESPN2)

Saturday, Sept. 21: at Pittsburgh (Time and Network TBD)

Saturday, Sept. 28: vs. UConn (Time and Network TBD)

Friday, Oct. 4: at Cincinnati (8 p.m. ET | ESPN)

Saturday, Oct. 19: vs. ECU (Time and Network TBD)

Saturday, Oct. 26: at Temple (Time and Network TBD)

Saturday, Nov. 2: vs. Houston��(Time and Network TBD)

Friday, Nov. 8: at Tulsa (7 p.m. ET | ESPN2)

Saturday, Nov. 23: at Tulane��(Time and Network TBD)

Friday, Nov. 29: USF��(Time TBD | ABC or ESPN)

The Knights will put their perfect record on the line next Saturday in The American Athletic Conference Championship Game against Memphis at Spectrum Stadium. The game will be televised on ABC at Noon.

The Tigers were ranked 14th in the Coaches Poll and 16th in the AP Top 25. For tickets to the conference championship, call��(407) 823-1000.

The Black and Gold jumped one��spot in both the USA TODAY Amway Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25 following the win over the Bulls, which gave the Knights the American Athletic Conference East Division crown.

The ranking of 11th by the Coaches Poll was the highest ever for the Knights, surpassing the previous mark of 12 from last week and at the conclusion of the 2013 campaign. The highest ranking for ��AV in the AP Poll was 10th at the end of the 2013 season.��Despite the loss last week, USF remained in the polls, checking it at 23rd in the Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.

The Knights have scored more than 30 points in all 11 games this season and boast one of the top offenses in the nation. The team ranks��first in scoring and total touchdowns, second in pass efficiency, third in completion percentage and sixth in total offense.

UCF has been featured in the Top 25 for the last nine weeks.

]]> /news/knights-move-football-rankings-prepare-aac-championship-saturday/feed/ 1 /news/need-know-ucf-takes-usf-sellout-crowd/ Mon, 20 Nov 2017 19:08:01 +0000 /news/?p=79628 The undefeated, 12th-ranked UCF Knights football team will host “War on I-4” rival 19th-ranked USF Friday, Nov. 24, in a game that will decide the American Athletic Conference East Division championship. Here are all the details you need to know.

The winner clinches the east division and advances to the conference championship against West Division champ and 16th-ranked Memphis.

Tickets

This game is a sell out. Those with free student tickets must present their ticket and student ID at student gates 6-9 before kickoff at 3:30 p.m. or risk not be allowed to enter. Those with student guest tickets also must enter the stadium before kickoff. Student gates open at 1:30 p.m.; and all gates will be open at 2 p.m.

Free student tickets��are available at the stadium box office until 5 p.m. Tuesday and at the Women’s Basketball game on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

Clear Bags Required

To provide a safer environment and expedite the entry process, UCF will continue a clear bag policy that took effect last season. Fans are encouraged to not bring any bags, but if you do, visit www.UCFGameDay.com and click on the clear bag graphic to see what bags are permitted.

Entertainment

IOA Plaza in front of Spectrum Stadium will have inflatables for kids, a monster truck display and more than a dozen sponsor tents with giveaways.

On the IOA Plaza Concert Series stage, catch performer Justin Grimes at 12:30 p.m. and Seth Ennis at 2:15. The Monster Motocross team will put on high-flying shows at 12:45, 1:45 and 2:45 p.m.

Fans won’t want to miss what is expected to be the biggest ever Knight Walk at 1:20 p.m., when the team arrives and enters the stadium. Later, at 2:30 p.m., the UCF Marching Knights leads fans in the March to Victory to the stadium from the intersection of Gemini Boulevard and East Plaza Drive.

Parking, Towing and Traffic

Because the game falls on a weekday when the university is closed, UCF will follow the usual policies for Saturday games.

Beginning at 5 a.m. Friday, all unauthorized vehicles in Garages C, D, F and H, plus Lots B4, B7, C2-C3, D1-D2 and E1-E8 and on East Plaza Drive will be subject to towing.

For fans with proper parking permits, Baseball, Softball, E Lots and Garage F Lots open at 8 a.m. All other lots open at 9:30 a.m.

Tailgating spots on Memory Mall are all taken, but spots outside the mall don’t require reservations.

Cash parking in Garage H is available to all fans on game day, with proceeds supporting first-generation scholarships.

Gemini Boulevard North between East Plaza and West Plaza drives will be closed to vehicular traffic prior to and during tailgating each game day. The road will be reopened at the discretion of law enforcement following the conclusion of tailgating.

To expedite postgame traffic, North Orion Boulevard will only be open to traffic traveling from Gemini Boulevard to McCulloch Road starting at 5 p.m. until postgame traffic is cleared. Vehicles will not be able to enter campus from McCulloch Road during that time.

Stadium Information

Entering the Spectrum Stadium through the gate closest to your section will ensure fans can get to their seats quickly. To see what gate you should enter the stadium based on the section stated on your ticket, see Spectrum Stadium info.

“I was actually really nervous for this game, because I want it so badly for this team and the seniors,” UCF head coach��Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak��said. “I am so proud of the senior class. Watching them be happy is the best thing for me. I wanted this so badly for them tonight. It is just so sweet. I am proud to see them celebrating. They know that we are not done yet. We are not done yet at all. We made a lot of goals this season and they got that done.”

UCF (12-1-2, 7-0-2 The American) entered the match with a one-point lead in the American Athletic Conference standings. The Knights would clinch the regular season title, and the right to host the conference tournament, with a victory or a draw.

The Knights fell behind less than a minute before halftime when USF (11-3-1, 7-1-1 The American) converted a penalty kick.

Feeding off the energy of the crowd – a season-best 1,410, the Knights began their rally in the second half. In the 58th minute, senior��Morgan Ferrara��found freshman��Dina Orschmann��in the box, setting up the equalizer.

Junior��Vera Varis��came up with two saves in both overtime periods to keep it a tie game. After 110 minutes, the teams remained locked at 1-1, leading to the draw.

UCF and USF will each earn three points in the��War on I4��rivalry series. The Bulls now lead 9-3.

UCF captured its fourth title in The American.

The Knights kept it rolling.

NEXT UP
UCF will host the 2017 American Athletic Conference Championship beginning Nov. 1. The Knights return to action on Nov. 3 and will face the winner of the 4-5 matchup at 7 p.m.

BECOME A PART OF THE WATCH
Membership to Knights Watch, the official supporters group of UCF Soccer, begins at $15 for students and $50 for fans. Packages include tickets to all home contests for men’s and women’s soccer, a Knights Watch T-Shirt, a soccer scarf and a variety of free catered tailgates.re.

1. Stadium Club��We’ve converted the concourse area on the west side of the stadium into a new premium space and added chairback seats to many sections on the west side of Spectrum Stadium. Fans in these areas now have access to dedicated food and drink options, as well as plenty of other amenities.

2. Expanded Carl Black and Gold Cabana��We’ve added a premium club space to the concourse on the east side of the stadium. This brand-new space, along with added chairback seats to many sections on the east side of Spectrum Stadium, serve as an expanded Carl Black & Gold Cabana. Fans in these areas now have even more access to dedicated food and drink options, as well as plenty of other amenities.

3. Field Cabanas��Some of the best seats in the house will be on the field. These unique spaces combine great premium amenities with the ability to get closer to the action than ever before. Patrons of the field cabanas also have access to a new lounge space, available to them before, during and after the game.

4. New student sections in both end zones��Our opponents will be facing the Knightmare no matter which direction their offense is heading. In addition, more of our student fans will be closer to the field than ever before.

5. Reserved Student Knights Club (SKC) section��The SKC is our new student donor group.

6. #UCFlags��Fans are encouraged to plant and fly their flags at their homes, on their cars, at work and at their tailgates. And make sure to represent the Knights with the #UCFlags hashtag on your favorite social media platform.

7. New ribbon board��A new LED display has been installed above the south end of the stadium, giving fans at the north end a great view of the score, time remaining and other cool content.

8. New concessions

9. New catering partner in premium areas��The food just got that much better if you’re sitting in the Carl Black & Gold Cabana, Roth Tower or the new Stadium Club.

10. Student concessions specials��Hot dogs and bottles of water will be $2 each with your valid UCF student ID at concession stands near Gates 9 and 16.

11. More free ice water��There will now be four free ice water stations on the concourse — two in the OneStop Cool Zones and two provided by the Student Government Association under the student sections.

12. More of your social content on the video and ribbon boards Share your game day fun on social media and see if your posts make the big screen.

13. Season Ticket Holder of the Game��.

14. New UCF Knights App features��Additional features include game day maps, timelines, in-stadium push notifications and corporate sponsor discounts for fans.

15. New performers for the free Tailgate Concert Series Headliners include Luke Combs, Drake White, Seth Ennis and many others. These free concerts begin two hours prior to kickoff and are held just west of Spectrum Stadium on IOA Plaza.

17. The return of new OYO Sports UCF figurines for Junior Knight Program
OYO Sports are licensed collectible��mini-figures designed to be compatible with major building block toys, such as Lego.

18. Ride share��Ride-sharing drivers will drop off and pick up patrons near the stadium. The rides-share lot (E3) located in front of the Wayne Densch Sports Center (football building).

19. Additional Waterfront parking in the Softball Lot

20. Updated game day Park & Ride and Courtesy Shuttles from all sides of campus

Bonus��The Knights will add many more uniform combinations this year, with the addition of two new jerseys and a new color for pants.

“Not many campuses across the country have the kind of weather to make tailgating a possibility during basketball season,” White said. “This is going to give our fans a unique experience that can be found very few places, if any, throughout the collegiate basketball landscape.”

Tailgating for men’s basketball games will take place on Memory Mall and open four hours before tip-off.��There are four weekend American Athletic Conference games on the schedule, beginning with the Knights’ Jan. 14 game against Houston.

Registration for each tailgate will be open to UCF students and anyone with a ticket to that day’s game (season or single game). Registration will open at 6 p.m. on the Sunday prior to the games. Fans can register at Knightsonthemall.com.

A live DJ will be featured on the mall, and UCF fans are encouraged to bring tents, chairs, food and coolers to enjoy the experience.

The first 500 students in attendance at the tailgate on Jan. 14 will receive a Knightmare T-shirt for the game against the Cougars.

For tickets call 407-UCF-1000 or click��here.

Those words from UCF Director of Player Development Ricardo Greer with just under three minutes to play in Wednesday night’s 71-41 rout of Bethune-Cookman may have been the most memorable in the life of Knights junior Anthony Catotti.

A student manager with the UCF men’s basketball team since his freshman year, Catotti was added to the roster and began suiting up with the Knights’ for their third game of the season, a 60-40 win over Charleston, back on Nov. 18.

Because of a number of transfer players sitting out, and a couple of injuries early in the season, ��AV is working with a depleted bench. With that in mind, UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins made the decision to give Catotti the opportunity to be on the team.

“It was the greatest moment of my life until last night,” Catotti said of finding out he was going to be a member of the team. “There’s never been anyone more proud to put on the UCF uniform than I was that first game. Every time I put it on, it’s everything.”

Still, through nine games putting on that jersey, Catotti had yet to go through an entire warm-up with the team, let alone get into the game.

On Wednesday night he participated in warm-ups with his teammates. And with less than three minutes to play and the game out of reach, he overheard Dawkins tell his assistant coaches, “with two minutes left, I want Anthony to go in the game.”

It was still a surreal moment for Catotti.�� Not until Greer told him to untuck his jersey did he realize what was happening.

The crowd and his teammates on the bench roared when he first stepped on the court, but Catotti didn’t want it to end there.�� More than ever before, the student manger-turned-walk-on took the words so often uttered by his coach, and put them to good use.

“It’s not about how many minutes you play, it’s about what you do with your minutes,” Dawkins said again last night in the post-game press conference.

��He brought energy. He was in the right places at the right times.�� And yes, when his opportunity to take a shot came with 55 seconds remaining, he took advantage.�� His layup off of a pass from Nathan Laing went straight through the hoop and an even bigger cheer erupted.

“It was all instinct,” Catotti said. “I don’t remember much of it. I don’t remember the catch and I don’t remember jumping. I just remember being in the air and thinking to myself ‘make this layup.’”

After the final buzzer sounded, Catotti’s teammates charged at him, creating a pile worthy of a national championship victory.

“That felt incredible. Unlike anything else,” Catotti said. “The greatest feeling ever was seeing those guys all lineup as the clock was ticking down and storm the court. All of the sudden the team is rushing at me. I stagger back with the force of a stampede. To have those guys be as happy for me as I am every single day to be a part of this team.�� It was an incredible feeling and something I’ll cherish my entire life.”

“I was so happy for him,” Dawkins said following the game. “I know he had a lot people here for him. It was fun to see. The basket was one thing, but just the energy he played with down the stretch, he came in and he tried to make an impact. He made that impact through effort.”

Hard work leading to success is nothing new for Catotti, an Oviedo native.�� A National Merit Scholar out of Seminole High School, he had planned on attending Duke or an Ivy League institution, but when offered a full academic scholarship to attend UCF, he couldn’t say no.

Since arriving on campus two and a half years ago, Catotti can’t imagine being anywhere else.

“I never imagined going to UCF before my senior year of high school, but since I got to campus I’ve fallen in love with this school.”

Now in his third year at UCF, Catotti is a double major in business management and sport and exercise science with a minor in coaching.�� And yes, he also holds a 4.0 GPA.

His work ethic has transferred to the basketball court as well. Having only started playing basketball on the junior varsity team at Seminole as a sophomore in high school, Catotti fell in love with the game later than most.�� But his love has only grown over the past five years, and his desire to be a part of the UCF family grows with it.

“Since I started playing I dreamed about playing college basketball,” Catotti said. “I went in with the goal of playing for the team. This year, with a new coach, a new hope, I made it my life to train and make the basketball team.

“Unfortunately, I was cut at tryouts during the off-season. But that didn’t stop me.�� Just before we went to the Charleston tournament, Coach Greer and [Director of Basketball Operations] Jimmy Drew told me they were considering adding me to the roster. That was everything.”

At least that was everything until Wednesday night happened.

Social media blew up with his story and he was on multiple airings of ESPN’s SportsCenter.

“It’s insane,” Catotti said of his SportsCenter appearance. “I got a call from my high school coach, who was watching TV and saw me on SportsCenter. He said congrats and I hadn’t even seen it yet.”

At the end of what may have been the best day of his life, Catotti, a true teammate, brought everything back to his fellow Knights, his family.”

“I’m just so happy that we’re getting recognition. These guys deserve it. It’s about how united this team is, how together we are, and how ready we are for conference play.”

Catotti and the Knights begin American Athletic Conference action Dec. 28 at Tulane. If the comraderie on display Wednesday night is any indication of things to come, UCF may be in store for more memorable moments like this.