Dec. 4, 2007
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - UCF men's basketball head coach Kirk Speraw announced on Tuesday that senior center/forward Will Bakanowsky (Gibbsboro, N.J./Camden Catholic) will not play for the Knights this season. In October, Bakanowsky, who has not played in any games with the Knights this season, was granted an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA.
The 6-foot-9 post player is currently pursuing his master's degree at UCF. During the day, he is teaching at a middle school in the Orlando area.
Bakanowsky practiced several times with the Knights in the preseason, but has not spent time with the team recently due to his work and class schedule.
From 2002-05, Bakanowsky appeared in 89 games with the Knights. He missed the 2005-06 campaign due to an injury and graduated from UCF in the spring of 2006.
As a junior, he made 26 starts and averaged 6.4 points and 4.3 rebounds. He shot 40.3 percent that season from 3-point range.
In his first stint with the Knights, Bakanowsky was a part of some of most successful squads in program history. UCF won 70 games from 2002-05. He is one of only six players in school history to appear in two NCAA Tournament games.
Bakanowsky made 29 starts in three campaigns with the Knights. He drained 51 3-pointers during that span and also blocked 46 shots.
UCF is 4-3 this season. The Knights are slated to return to the hardwood on Saturday, hosting Ole Miss at 7 p.m. at the new UCF Arena.
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