Sept. 7, 2011
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By Joe Hornstein
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF will take on Boston College this Saturday, Sept. 10, at Bright House Networks Stadium. The non-conference matchup will kickoff at 8 p.m. There are several items to note regarding the upcoming game:
Families UKNIGHT and College Open House: This Saturday marks the University's annual Family Weekend, including the traditional college open house events taking place across campus to Families UKNIGHT at the big football game. In attendance Saturday night will be several stadium sections of UCF student parents, organized through the UCF Alumni Association and several Greek organizations. If you are a parent of a current UCF student and want to see the game live, purchase your tickets online at Ticketmaster.com. For more information on UCF College Open House please click here.
Donate at Ticket to a Community Hero: In 2010, UCF Athletics began a program where fans could donate a ticket to a UCF football game to a Community Hero, whether it was a military veteran organization or first-responder. That successful program is back for 2011. This year, tickets will be distributed each of the remaining five home games of the 2011 schedule. Interested in donating a ticket to a Community Hero, please click here.
A Patriotic Salute to the Troops and 9/11 10th Anniversary Commemoration: Throughout this weekend's game will be a series of fitting tributes, salutes and moments of reflection to those special individuals who defend our freedom on a daily basis, whether as a first-responder or in the United States military. Several items to look for come Saturday:
- A pre-game moment of silence in honor of those many lives lost during the 9/11 tragedies 10 years ago.
- In 2009, Eneriko Sauvao, father of former UCF football player Wes Tunuufi Sauvao, sent the Knights a battle-used American flag and a video greeting from overseas while he was serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq. In 2009 and 2010, in honor of his father as well as all of those serving in active duty, Wes led the team out onto the Bright House Networks Stadium field carrying the flag. Head Coach George O'Leary will tap another UCF Knight to carry on the patriotic honor of leading the team onto the field with the very special American flag.
- The Bright House Networks Stadium endzones will be adorned with the Stars and Stripes.
- As part of the halftime festivities, UCF will pay tribute to Green Berets from 20th Special Forces group that recently returned from a deployment to Afghanistan. Noteworthy to the UCF community, both the previous and current commanders of this Special Forces team are graduates of UCF and the UCF Army ROTC program.
- Capt. Ian Phillips will be honored in-game as part of the Knights' traditional Salute to the Troops.
- UCF will honor its own members of the Air Force and Army ROTC units based on the University of Central Florida campus. In addition, cadets from both the Air Force and Army will be performing Color Guard duties.
- United States military veterans and Central Florida area first-responders will be recognized.
- Want to touch-a-truck, come on out to IOA Plaza and see some of our military vehicles first-hand. Vehicles will be supplied by the U.S. Army Charlie Battery 1-265.
- Last, but certainly not least, two very special guests will be joining UCF and Boston College at the game on Saturday - Honor Fagan and Paige Crowther, the sisters of Welles Crowther. A Boston College graduate, Welles Crowther was an equities trader on the South Tower's 104th floor on Sept. 11, 2001. Eyewitnesses reported that, after the plane had hit into the Sky Lobby, a man suddenly appeared "out of nowhere." He was stripped to his t-shirt and wearing a red bandanna to cover his nose and mouth, protection against the smoke and debris. This man organized a rescue effort on the floors high above where the official rescue workers were able to reach. He called for fire extinguishers, he found and directed dazed and confused victims to the only stairwell that was open for escape, and he carried a woman down to the 61st floor, then returned to the 78th floor to rescue more people. He turned back up once again after bringing the second group of survivors down. Witnesses confirmed that Welles Crowther was the "Man in the Red Bandanna" who helped to save their lives and others on Sept 11. It was estimated that approximately 18 people were saved on that day by Welles Crowther.
Courtesy Gameday Tram Service: If you choose to park in one of the many FREE PARKING lots in the Red and Blue Zone, check out the new courtesy tram that will help bring fans closer to the stadium. The courtesy tram will operate around Apollo Circle with passenger pick-up/drop-off at designated locations only. The operations will be provided on a continuous basis starting four (4) hours prior to the game and ending two (2) hours after each game concludes. For further details on the Courtesy Gameday Tram Service, click HERE.
Garage H Cash Lot: On gameday, Garage H will also be open for parking at $20 per vehicle. Garage H is the only cash-lot open on gameday. Garage H will be reserved for authorized students displaying SGA-provided parking passes and cash-paying customers on a first-come, first-served basis. Preferred campus entrances for Blue Zone parking are on Alafaya Trail at Gemini Boulevard North, Centaurus Drive or University Boulevard. Click HERE to view the Garage H location.
The last piece to the puzzle is to make sure you have your tickets to UCF football. Affordable five-game ticket, fan packages and single-game options are still available in great seating locations. Individual game tickets are also on sale for each of UCF's five home games at Bright House Networks Stadium in 2011 and can be purchased online at UCFAthletics.com or by calling the UCF Athletics Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000.