Hurricane Irma ReliefHurricane Irma Relief

Hurricane Irma Relief

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ORLANDO, FL –Performing in the classroom and on the field are embedded in the lifestyle of a Division one student-athlete. This past week the Knights went above and beyond surpassing what it means to be a UCF student-athlete.

As Hurricane Irma made its way through Florida, our student-athletes weren't far behind. With all classes cancelled for a week, the Knights saw a call to action giving Orlando's Hometown Team a new meaning.

"Before our office notified any student-athletes about hurricane relief opportunities, I saw individuals posting on social media about the work they were already doing to help with the clean-up process," said Ben Rodriguez, Director of Student-Athlete Welfare and Development.  

Over 150 student-athletes spent time in the community with relief efforts. In addition to the football team filling sandbags for Seminole County and packing food at the Second Harvest Food Bank, a team of rowers traveled to Bithlo assisting with the cleanup process while members from men's tennis, women's basketball, track & field/cross country, softball, and spirit spent time packaging hygiene kits at Clean the World.

"Our student-athletes have an eagerness to help," said Rodriguez. "It's impressive, yet not surprising to see this type of work coming from our student-athletes. They have made it a priority to help out the local community and yet this is another example of their commitment. Their call to action clearly shows the caliber of student-athlete that our coaches and staff recruit to represent all of Athletics."

To view highlights on social media from the week, see the Tweets below.