Welcome Back

ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) -- A new UCF Athletics tradition may have started this past weekend. More than 500 student-athletes, staff and family members took part in the department's first-ever Welcome Back Picnic Sunday at Lake Claire.

Everyone in attendance enjoyed Sonny's BBQ, took part in cornhole, played beach volleyball, danced while the DJ cranked out the tunes, took advantage of the opportunity to catch up with friends or meet new people. The event was certainly a hit with the student-athletes.

"The picnic was a great event," senior football player Justin Holman said. "It created a family environment and I was able to meet athletes from other sports who I may not have had a cnace to meet otherwise. It's great to see our athletic director and other members of the athletics staff at UCF come out to support it. I had a great time."

Junior softball player Courtney Rotton echoed Holman's sentiments. 

"It was a great opportunity to get to know other student-athletes," Rotton said. "The environment that was created during the picnic allowed for us to relax and have fun prior to school and practice starting."

The Welcome Back Picnic was so successful that plans for next year's event were already being discussed before this year's picnic even ended.