July 29, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Ask senior center Kenrick Zondervan (Hoofddorp, Holland) to select a member of the UCF men's basketball team who has stood out during summer workouts in the weight room and Zondervan has no answer. For Knight fans, that is a good thing.
"Everybody is working as hard as they can. No one really stands out more than anyone else," said Zondervan. "Everyone is doing their best to get better. We are just trying to be the best that we can and work as hard as we can right now."
The Knights' first practice of the 2008-09 campaign is over two months away, but members of the squad have been preparing for the season since UCF's summer B term began in late June. Sessions in the weight room with strength and conditioning coach BJ Faulk and pickup games have kept the Knights on track this summer.
After losing five seniors from last season's squad, head coach Kirk Speraw's team will have a new look this season. Zondervan and guard Jermaine Taylor (Tavares, Fla./Tavares) are the lone seniors on the team. Four of UCF's five freshmen are currently taking classes and participating in workouts with their teammates.
Playing in pickup games with freshmen like forward P.J. Gaynor (Jacksonville, Fla./Mandarin) has helped Zondervan and the veterans learn about the new Knights.
"It is good to see what the new guys can do and what the new guys can offer us," he said. "[We can learn] how we can use them in our system and get a feel for their games. It is definitely a big change after losing all of the guys from last year."
Season tickets for the Knights' upcoming campaign at the new UCF Arena are slated to go on sale later this summer.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.