Oct. 14, 2008
IRVING, Texas (UCFAthletics.com) - After recording one of the best individual campaigns in school history a year ago, UCF senior guard Jermaine Taylor (Tavares, Fla.) has been selected to the 2008-09 All-Conference USA Preseason Team, the league office announced Tuesday. Taylor averaged 20.8 points per game last year and enters the campaign as the nation's 10th-leading returning scorer.
As a junior, he established a UCF Division I single-season record with 646 points. In league play, he averaged 21.4 points. Taylor led the Knights in scoring in 24 of 31 games. Following the regular season, he earned a spot on the All-C-USA Second Team.
Taylor is joined on the all-conference preseason team by Memphis forward Robert Dozier, Tulsa center Jerome Jordan, UAB guard/forward Robert Vaden and UTEP guard Stefon Jackson. C-USA's coaches selected the squad. Vaden was named the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year.
Taylor enters the year 13th all-time at UCF with 1,167 points. In 2007-08, he averaged more points than any player in the state of Florida. Taylor also ranked second on the Knights in rebounds per game (4.7). He connected on 73 3-point field goals and averaged 2.6 triples per contest, the fourth-best mark in the league.
UCF joined C-USA prior to the 2005-06 campaign and Taylor is the first Knight to earn preseason recognition from the league.
UCF is scheduled to open the regular season on Nov. 16, hosting North Carolina A&T at the new UCF Arena.
Taylor is one of six returnees from UCF's squad that finished fourth in the 12-team conference a year ago. The campaign served as the program's inaugural year at the new UCF Arena, and the squad won 12 contests at home.
The Knights will play 16 home games during the campaign, highlighted by a visit from cross-state foe USF on Dec. 6 and a C-USA showdown with national power Memphis on Jan. 10. Season tickets are currently available. To order your season tickets today, or to learn more about premium seating options, contact the UCF ticket sales office at (407) UCF-1000.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to 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 UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
2008-09 All-C-USA Preseason Team
Robert Dozier, Memphis, F, 6-9, Sr., Lithonia, Ga.
Stefon Jackson, UTEP, G, 6-5, Sr., Philadelphia, Pa.
Jerome Jordan, Tulsa, C, 7-0, Jr., Kingston, Jamaica
Jermaine Taylor, UCF, G, 6-4, Sr., Tavares, Fla.
Robert Vaden, UAB, G/F, 6-5, Sr., Indianapolis, Ind.
2008-09 C-USA Preseason Player of the Year
Robert Vaden, UAB, G/F, 6-5, Sr., Indianapolis, Ind.