ORLANDO, Fla. – Fresh off its NCAA second round appearance, the UCF volleyball team got a boost as McKenna Melville and Amber Olson announced they will be returning for the 2022 campaign.
The duo will use their fifth year thanks to the NCAA's COVID-19 Season of Competition Waiver that was granted to all student-athletes, which allows for an additional year of eligibility.
Melville and Olson both joined the Knights in 2018 and made instant impacts. In all four years at UCF, they have helped the Knights to a conference championship and a berth into the NCAA tournament with two second round appearances. Now, they are back for more.
During her tenure with the Black and Gold, Melville has accumulated many accolades and in 2021 alone she was named an AVCA Third Team All-American, AVCA All-Region, AAC Player of the Year, AAC All-Conference First Team, CoSIDA Academic First Team All-American, CoSIDA Academic All-Region First Team and was named AAC Offensive Player of the Week seven times.
The Eagan, Minnesota native dominated offensively while leading the nation with 701 points (5.61 points per set) and 617 kills (4.94 per set). She also added 34 aces this season.
Melville is the active career leader in kills per set (4.64), attacks per set (12.35), is fifth in total attacks (5,298), and sixth in kills (1,990).
A true six-rotation player, Melville has shined defensively as well as she led the team in digs with 383 (3.06 per set). The outside hitter also led the Knights in block solos with 16 on the season while she had 84 total blocks.
Melville is an all-around threat, picking up 19 double doubles this season and 71 over her career.
"I am happy to play my final year of eligibility here at UCF to pursue my dreams both on and off the court," McKenna Melville said, "I am looking forward to having this extra year to develop my game while also pursuing my master's degree in secondary mathematics education."
Olson was an important factor in UCF's game this season, becoming the first Knight to be named the AAC Setter of the Year while also earning her first all-conference first team honor.
The Cary, Illinois native led the AAC in assists with 11.16 per set in conference matches and started in all 125 sets for the Knights.
Olson posted a career-high 51 assists in a win over Wichita State and tied a career-high six kills against Cincinnati. She also led the team with 41 service aces
"I am looking forward to using my fifth and final year of eligibility at UCF to not only earn my master's in accounting but also to get better on the court while continuing to create a culture of hard work, determination, and sacrifice," Amber Olson said.
UCF went 27-7 overall and 19-1 in conference play in 2021, earning its fifth total AAC title. Four-time Coach of the Year, Todd Dagenais, returns three of his five all-conference honorees: Melville, Olson, and Claudia Dillon for the 2022 campaign to help build off its historic season.
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