ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF men’s soccer team has fought their way into the top 10 after being ranked ninth by the United Soccer Coaches Poll (USC) announced Tuesday. This is the fourth straight week the Knights have made the top 20.
This is the first time the Knights have been in the top 10 since 2011, when UCF was ranked eighth for two straight weeks.
The Knights are also ranked ninth by Top Drawer, 11th by College Soccer News, and are 10th in the most recent RPI. USC has also ranked UCF as the best team in the East.
The Black and Gold are 11-2-2 overall and 4-1-1 in the American Athletic Conference after taking down Memphis, 2-1 on the road last week. The win propelled UCF into first place in the conference with one match remaining in the regular season.
UCF’s 11 wins are the most wins they have had in a season since 2011 when they won 12. Head Coach Scott Calabrese is having one of the most successful seasons of his head coaching career with 11 victories, and a win on Friday will tie Calabrese’s best season ever of 12 wins.
UCF is the best men’s soccer team in the state of Florida and the only team in the state with 11 wins amongst Division I programs.
The Knights are unbeaten in their last seven matches. They are 6-0-1 in those matches and have not lost since Sept. 21. The Knights have clinched a spot in The American Conference Championship, which is set to begin on Nov. 6. UCF, UConn, Memphis, USF, SMU, and Temple will all battle it out in the tournament.
As a team, UCF is top six in all of Division I in assists per game (5th), points per game (3rd), scoring offense (4th), total goals (6th), total points (5th), and is first in shots and shots on goal per game.
Cal Jennings has been a stalwart for the Knights during the 2018 campaign. The junior has racked up 19 goals, which is third best in program history for a single season. In the last three matches, Jennings has scored at least one goal in the first two minutes.
The native of Roswell, Ga., leads the nation in points per game (3.00) and shots per game (5.29). Jennings is second in the country in total goals (19), total points (42), goals per game (1.36), and shots on goal per game (3.07).
Jennings also holds The American record in single-season points and goals with one match left in the regular season.
UP NEXT
The Knights head back to Orlando for their final home match of the regular season against Cincinnati on Friday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. Prior to the match, UCF will be honoring their 10 seniors.
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