May 6, 2010
Michael "Big Mike" Lynche UCF Football Gallery
By Leigh Torbin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Someday, when former UCF defensive tackle Michael Lynche is awfully low, he will feel aglow thinking about the way he sang Frank Sinatra Tuesday night to advance to American Idol's final four.
The immortal crooner's unique vocal styling lends itself well to the voice of "Big Mike" who took the advice of guest mentor Harry Connick, Jr. well and produced a strong performance of the timeless "The Way You Look Tonight." It came with very little surprise last night that America enjoyed the performance and advanced Lynche onto the show's final four.
Next week's show will feature Jamie Foxx mentoring the four finalists on songs that appeared in movies.
Lynche played defensive tackle for the Knights from 2001-02. He made an immediate impact as a freshman out of St. Petersburg's Gibbs High School which also served as UCF's practice site for the 2009 St. Petersburg Bowl. Lynche had 24 tackles in 2001, 17 of them solos, with eight tackles for loss and a sack. As a sophomore in 2002, Lynche played in all 12 games and started each of the last three. He had at least one tackle in 11 of those contests and finished the year with 46 tackles in all, including a pair of sacks and six TFLs. He left the team just before the start of the 2003 season, returned to his native St. Petersburg and helped care for his ailing mother, Michele.
To see the Knights in action in 2010, with season tickets starting as low as $99, either call the UCF Athletic Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000 or logon to UCFAthletics.com.
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.