ChampsChamps

What A Year!

A For Inclusion

ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – The 2016-17 UCF Athletics season was one for the record books.
 
Every sport was represented on the all-conference team by at least one student-athlete, with an overall total of 62 honorees. From September through May, the Knights tallied 38 weekly league honors, and amassed 15 major awards. A school record 11 programs made postseason appearances and five Knights garnered All-America honors.
 
The spring of 2017 was especially sweet, with four Black and Gold programs collecting conference championship trophies.
 
By the numbers:
62 All-Conference selections
15 American Athletic Conference Major Award winners
11 Postseason appearance
5 All-Americans
4 Conference Champions
 
Cross Country

  • Anne-Marie Blaney won the American Athletic Conference and NCAA South Region titles and turned in the best showing at NCAAs in school history.

 
Women's Soccer

  • Saga Fredriksson was named The American Co-Defensive Player of the Year and earned NSCAA All-Region honors.

 
Men's Soccer

  • Matias Pyysalo was named The American Offensive Player of the Year.

 
Volleyball

  • The Knights tallied the first-ever points in the War on I4 rivalry series.
  • UCF posted its third 20-win season in the last four years.

 
Football

  • The Knights posted the second biggest turnaround for a winless team since 2004 and earned a bid to the AutoNation Cure Bowl.
  • Shaquem Griffin was named The American's Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the third Knight in the four-year history of the league to win one of the top honors.

 
Cheer

  • UCF turned in its 12th-straight top four finish.

 
Indoor Track and Field

  • UCF won the American Athletic Conference championship for the first time in the history of the league. It was the program's first indoor title since taking the 2013 C-USA crown.
  • Anne-Marie Blaney was named the Most Outstanding Track Performer at the league championships.
  • Blaney advanced to her first-ever NCAA Indoor Championships where she placed eighth in the 5,000-meter run to earn All-America honors.

 
Women's Basketball

  • UCF tallied 14 more victories in the 2016-17 campaign than the previous season, the second best turnaround in Division I women's basketball, and earned a berth to the WNIT.
  • Aliyah Gregory became the first Knight to earn First Team All-Conference laurels in The American.

 
Men's Basketball

  • The Knights won 24 games, the third most in program history, and advanced to the NIT Final Four in New York City.
  • Tacko Fall was named The American Defensive Player of the Year.

 
Women's Golf

  • UCF collected its second American Athletic Conference title in the last three years.
  • The Knights swept the league awards. Emily Marron was named Coach of the Year. Ashley Holder garnered Player of the Year honors and Maria Balcazar earned Freshman of the Year accolades.
  • With their league title, the golf ladies clinched UCF's victory in the War on I4 rivalry series.

 
Men's Golf

  • The Knights won the NCAA College Grove Regional, advancing to the NCAA Championship round for the first time since 2013.
  • UCF tied for 14th overall, its best finish since 2009.

 
Women's Tennis

  • Monica Matias represented the Knights on the all-conference squad.

 
Men's Tennis

  • The Knights earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.
  • Korey Lovett became the first Knight to earn a spot in the NCAA singles tournament.

 
Softball

  • UCF landed on the ESPN Top 10 plays for a game-ending triple play at Memphis, the first-ever in school history.
  • On the same day, Linnea Goodman set a program record with five hits against the Tigers.

 
Baseball

  • The Knights secured the American Athletic Conference regular season title in front of their home crowd. It was the first regular season title since 2004.
  • Robby Howell was named The American Pitcher of the Year, while Rylan Thomas picked up Rookie Position Player of the Year. Greg Lovelady earned Coach of the Year honors.
  • UCF earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, returning for the first time since 2012.

 
Rowing

  • UCF swept all six events in Sarasota en route to a third-straight American Athletic Conference title.
  • For the third consecutive season, UCF earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors. The Varsity Eight was named Boat of the Year, marking the third time in the four-year league history with a Black and Gold boat taking home the top honors.
  • The Knights finished 18th overall at the NCAA Championships, the best team finish in program history.

 
Outdoor Track and Field

  • UCF's 4x1 relay team advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the third time in the last four years.