Photo Gallery
May 25, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.UCFAthletics.com) - The following story is part seven in a series of eight short features detailing the history, legacy and folklore behind the making of the Florida Technological University (FTU) and University of Central Florida (UCF) name, logo and mascot. Accompanying each story on-line at UCFAthletics.com is a corresponding photo gallery displaying historical images from each era of UCF Knights athletics.
"Sir Wins-a-Lot", although noble, didn't last. Nor did its successor "Puff" the Dragon or the anniversary era "Mack the Knight". Medieval Times' run of entertaining the UCF football-faithful also came to a close.
In 1994, a committee was formed by the athletics department to explore and develop a new character mascot that would attend all UCF athletics events.
A number of drawings were submitted, but Trey Gordon, a cheerleader and member of the Student Government Association was disappointed with the direction of the artwork. With present spirit program head coach Linda Gooch, Gordon and the SGA commissioned Metropolis Graphics of Orlando to sketch the character.
On November 19, 1994, a new, yet unnamed, towering knight mascot clad in golden armor was finally unveiled at the school's first Spirit Splash.
The first costume was made by Costume World of Pompano Beach. Gordon not only helped to create the mascot, but filled the role himself during that first season in 1994-95. The following year, Gordon recruited a freshman engineering student named Jay Lovelace to join him in wearing the costume.
The mysterious mascot made a handful of appearances over the next nine months, showing up at UCF basketball games and public gatherings. Then on August 24, 1995, the golden mascot was officially named "Knightro".
Lovelace would fill the position of "Knightro" for the next four years, entertaining the crowds and cementing the mascot's place in UCF's athletics history.
In 1996, a new "Knightro" was created by a local Disney character developer, in addition to a female version, "Glycerin". But after two years the costumes had fallen apart and just a new "Knightro" outfit was commissioned, thus ending a two-year run of the companion "Glycerin".
In 1998, Dave Minichello of Wizzards Production created the molds for the current Knightro. Two years later in 2000 that a golden glitter coat was added to the exterior of the costume. In 2005-2006, a group of senior engineering students as a part of their senior project created a motorized car for Knightro that he rides in parades and such called "Chariot II".
Today, "Knightro" is operated by the Team Knightro Mascot Squad, which consists of three to four students who don the mascot armor for all home and away football games, men's and women's basketball games, in addition to other athletics events, pep rallies and special events and appearances.
"Knightro" also attends a summer mascot camp and competes each year in the college mascot national championships. In 2003 and 2004, "Knightro" placed 10th in the UCA Mascot National Championships. In 1999, he placed sixth and in 1996, finished fourth.
Did You Know: In one of the initial proposals, "Knightro" had a horse named "KnightMare".