Aug. 19, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla. - Knightro, UCF's mascot, will cruise onto the field this football season in a new ride designed and built as a senior class project by UCF engineering students.
Five mechanical engineering majors designed and built everything except for the tires and engine in the flashy gold car, which will be used at football games, during Homecoming parades and at other events that Knightro attends.
The car will make its first public appearance during UCF's Football Fan Day from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, on the football practice fields behind the new Wayne Densch Center.
"It's bigger than the old car and has very high-quality paint with black flames," said project leader Erik Anderson, who graduated in the spring and will begin pursuing a master's degree in industrial engineering this fall at UCF. "We have strobe lights in the headlights and taillights and a loud air horn. We made it to look as noticeable as possible."
UCF alumna and Lockheed Martin Co. executive Joanne Puglisi decided to make Knightro's car a senior design project three years ago, when she saw the old car die after a Homecoming parade. Puglisi is a member of the UCF Alma Mater Society, a group of "Alumni of the Year" winners who work to build spirit and traditions on campus.
Anderson and four other students, all of whom have graduated, spent the fall semester designing the car and began building the chassis during the winter break. They assembled other parts and constructed the body with a fiberglass mold during the spring.
The group's assignment was to make a flashy car that was comfortable for Knightro and that could fit into the UCF cheerleaders' trailer. They also had to stay within a budget of $7,000, funds provided by Puglisi, Lockheed Martin Simulation Training and Support, and the College of Engineering and Computer Science Alumni Organization. The car ended up costing less than $5,000.
"They were very innovative," Puglisi said. "I think the key things they learned were how you have to design, manufacture and deliver within the constraints of funding, schedule and user needs. The public will like the overall look, and the strobe lights, sirens and flags were a nice touch."
The car, which can travel up to 35 mph, replaces a go-kart that had been used for about a dozen years. The go-kart often broke down during parades because it wasn't designed to travel long stretches.
The new car should ensure that Knightro won't have to walk during any more Homecoming parades. It also includes a spot where he can store his sword comfortably while riding.
"The students certainly thought of everything," said Linda Gooch, who coaches Team Knightro along with the cheerleaders. "The only need that it probably doesn't fill for Knightro is date night. He's still in a single-seater."
Team Knightro member Matt Brennan, a senior majoring in interpersonal communications, said he test drove the car and found it easy to operate. The car will provide a "big boost for school spirit," he said.
In addition to Anderson, the students who created the vehicle are Matthew Drake, Matt Willams, Ketan Nayee, Stephen Price and Ryan Hilton. Alexander Leonessa, an assistant professor in Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, served as a faculty advisor to the group.
Football Fan Day information:UCF's Football Fan Day will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at the practice fields behind the Wayne Densch Center. Fans can meet players and coaches, get autographs and tour the new Nicholson Fieldhouse. There will be games for kids and food from Sonny's Real-Pit BBQ restaurant. Season tickets also will be on sale. Media can park in the parking garage at the intersection of Orion and Gemini.