June 12, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - For Ray Abellard, the old basketball cliché is true. He never took a shot he didn't like. In just two campaigns at UCF, the guard attempted 598 field goals. Sixty-five percent of the tries came from 3-point range.
Abellard played for head coach Kirk Speraw from 2001-03. During that time, he connected on 168 3-pointers, good for sixth in school history. As a senior in 2002-03, Abellard, who played high school basketball in Brooklyn, N.Y., before attending Pensacola Junior College, made 88 treys.
That mark ranks fourth on UCF's single-season register. The previous campaign, he made 80 triples on 46.2 percent shooting from deep. His 3-point field goal percentage ranked fifth in the country.
Abellard averaged a team-high 16.3 points as a senior. For his career, he averaged 14.7 points. On two occasions, he was selected to the All-Atlantic Sun Second Team.
At the 2003 A-Sun Championship, he averaged 18.0 points and earned a spot on the all-tournament team as UCF advanced to the title game.
Season tickets for the 2008-09 campaign are expected to go on sale in early July. Season ticket renewals will also be accepted at that time.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel, log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also visit www.ucfphotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
The 2008-09 campaign will mark the UCF men's basketball program's 40th season. To commemorate the anniversary, UCF is unveiling the top-40 players in school history. Members of the UCF athletics communications office worked with UCF basketball historian Bill Beekman to select the best players who finished their collegiate careers as Knights. One player from the list will be recognized each Thursday at www.ucfathletics.com.
Top Players in UCF History
Calvin Lingelbach - June 5