Knights on the Rise - How UCF Ascended to its No. 1 RankingKnights on the Rise - How UCF Ascended to its No. 1 Ranking

Knights on the Rise - How UCF Ascended to its No. 1 Ranking

by Ken Landis

In its 49th season playing collegiate soccer and 40th at the Division I level, the UCF men’s soccer program has climbed as high as a team can possibly go in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, reaching the No. 1 ranking this past Tuesday, earning seven of eight possible first place votes. Over the past eight seasons, Scott Calabrese has been at the helm of the Knights and turned the program into a perennial powerhouse after inheriting a team that had compiled three consecutive losing seasons. From the start, Calabrese and company immediately elevated the level of the program, one that now eight seasons later, is ranked at the top of the college soccer world. UCF’s No. 1 ranking is a tribute to the leaps and bounds the program has taken in less than a decade and stands as a sign of things to come.

MS_TT_2543_101823_18574025Juanvi Munoz, Anderson Rose | Photo by: Tyler Thomas

β€œIt means a lot [to be ranked number one]. I think we’ve got a group of young men who really committed to work incredibly hard; we have a staff, assistant coaches, support staff that have worked incredibly hard. It’s something where you get a lot of motivation and a lot of validation from that ranking and it feels good.”

Scott CalabreseUCF Men's Soccer Head Coach

The journey to the No. 1 ranking didn’t come easy, but a quick start to the new era in Orlando thrust UCF onto the sport’s national stage quicker than some may have ever imagined.

The Knights saw an instant uptick in success during the first year of the Calabrese era as the Knights reached the American Athletic Conference championship match. In what was a thrilling contest, UCF found an equalizing goal in the final three minutes to tie SMU 1-1, but ultimately were edged in the 96th minute in overtime. The Knights narrowly missed out on an NCAA Tournament automatic bid in Calabrese’s first crack at the helm of the Knights.

That 2017 team was more resilient than what the team’s final record of 8-6-2 read on paper. The Black and Gold began the year with a 1-5-1 mark, numbers that hardly made anyone believe a major turnaround was imminent. From that point, the team ripped off an eight-match unbeaten streak, the longest streak at that point since 1984. It was the program’s first appearance in a conference championship match since 2004, a year in which the Knights won their last of three-straight Atlantic Sun tournament titles.

UCF’s end-of-season momentum carried right into the 2018 season. The Knights made a statement in match one, visiting Penn State and returning to Orlando with a 2-1 overtime victory on opening night. The team used a nine-match unbeaten streak to propel themselves to their first regular-season title as part of The American and back into the conference championship game, where they were once again topped by SMU, this time in penalties. However, the team’s 13-2-3 record at the match’s conclusion was enough to earn the team a No. 14 national seed, the first in program history, and an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament’s second round. The Black and Gold’s first appearance in the tournament since 2011 was a short lived one after a heartbreaking 1-0 overtime defeat at the hands of Lipscomb on home turf.

The Knights cracked into the United Soccer Coaches Poll for the first time under Calabrese on Oct. 9, 2018. UCF climbed as high as No. 7 that season, the highest ranking in program history at the time and finishing the campaign ranked 18th.

Pictures - 1: UCF celebrates with fans after avenging 2017 SMU loss with a 2-0 regular season win in Orlando. 2-3: Louis Perez and team celebrate in 2-2 draw of No. 17 Virginia Tech. 4-5: UCF rejoices after clinching regular season title in the final match of the regular season. 6-9: Coach Calabrese and team moments after the NCAA Second Round defeat against Lipscomb.

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UCF began the 2019 season sitting 15th in the nation in the preseason coaches poll. Two road games against two of the sport’s blue bloods, Wake Forest and North Carolina, were on the slate to begin the campaign. The Knights opened with No. 4 Wake Forest, falling in a tight 2-1 battle. The story at No. 6 North Carolina was different though, as the Knights used a 78th minute set piece goal from Cal Jennings to lift UCF to a 2-1 victory, the first win over a ranked opponent in the Calabrese era.

The rest of the season lived up to the hype of that early ranked win, as UCF pieced together a 6-0-1 campaign in The American, the first unbeaten conference record in league history, to hoist the regular-season title.

The Knights climbed as high as No. 5 in the coaches poll, setting another program record. The momentum of the UCF men’s soccer team was skyrocketing in just the third season of a new era.

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UCF had pieced together yet another remarkable unbeaten run, this time a streak of 16 straight unblemished results, doubling that record-setting streak achieved just two years earlier in Calabrese’s first season. The run led the Knights to their third straight championship match. They once again, for the third straight campaign, lined up against SMU in the title game, who were ranked No. 10 at the time compared to UCF’s No. 5 mark, the first top-10 meeting in program history. For the third consecutive time, the Mustangs narrowly prevailed over the Knights 1-0 for The American trophy, adding fuel to the fire on what had become one of the nation’s freshest, fiercest rivalries.

The Knights earned the No. 9 national seed in the 2019 NCAA Tournament and hosted Missouri State, a team that was ranked No. 12 in the last coaches poll before the start of the NCAA’s postseason. The Bears jumped on the Knights early, scoring in the fourth minute. UCF’s Gino Vivi lobbed a cross to Yoni Sorokin, who headed the ball in to tie things up at one. The match wound up needing overtime, the ninth such occurrence in UCF’s 2019 slate. The magical run continued as Cal Jennings found the net from a Vivi cross just 42 seconds into the extra segment, punching the Knights’ first ticket to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

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β€œWhen I first arrived at UCF back in 2016, I had always heard UCF being talked about as a sleeping giant with lots of potential. Even before I got to UCF there were great players such as Warren Creavalle, Kevan George, Romario Williams, Hadji Barry, Sean Johnson and a whole lot more who came thru the program and had successful teams. I’m most proud of how we’re not only developing great players to send to the pros, but we’ve also found consistency in winning conference championships, making NCAA tournament runs, and being highly-ranked season after season. It’s safe to say the men’s soccer program and the rest of the University are no longer sleeping. That’s a testament to all those who have come along before now and to the character that the current players and staff are continuing to grow and build off. Happy to see the program achieve such a great accomplishment and keep pushing onwards and upwards.”

Cal JenningsFormer UCF striker (2016-19), MLS SuperDraft Pick, UCF's 4th all-time leading goal scorer

Another incredible run by the Black and Gold was ended by SMU, as the two sides met for the third time in 2019 in the round of 16. The match once again went into sudden death. This time, the Knights were unable to come out on top, finishing the year with a 7-1-2 mark in overtime and an overall record of 15-3-2. It was the winningest season in Division I history and tied the program record for all-time winningest campaign, matching the 15 wins of the 1976 team. Not only had UCF put themselves on the map, but they became major players in the game with their 2019 run.

β€œI think UCF being ranked No. 1 in the nation is an incredible achievement. Coach Calabrese, Coach Souders, Coach Davies and company have done an incredible job of turning UCF into a top program. From my first year to my last year and even now, UCF has continued to grow and reach new heights. I am proud to be a UCF soccer alumnus and will continue to support and cheer them on.” – Jonathan Dean, two-time team captain

Jonathan DeanFormer UCF defender (2016-19), two-time team captain and MLS SuperDraft Pick

A global pandemic put a pause on UCF’s remarkable momentum, as the 2020 season was delayed until the spring of 2021. Exactly 434 days passed between the final match of the 2019 campaign and the beginning of the next.

UCF was not ranked to start the 2020-21 campaign, ending an 875-day stay in the top 25 spanning from the program’s first ranking of the Calabrese era in October 2018 to the first poll in the spring of 2021.

The Knights did not start the spring campaign well, dropping three of their first four matches. But once again, a Calabrese led team showed how resilient they could be, winning the next six matches to finish the shortened regular-season slate with a 7-3 record and a hoist a third consecutive regular-season title.

A familiar foe awaited the Knights in The American’s postseason tournament, as SMU awaited the Black and Gold in the semifinals. After beating the Mustangs twice in the regular season, UCF prevailed over its conference rivals in dramatic fashion, going to penalty kicks and coming out on top 4-3, punctuated by a Vivi goal from the spot.

The Knights went on to top Tulsa 1-0 in the final via a first-half, eighth minute Lucca Dourado goal, securing UCF’s first conference tournament title as a member of The American. The Knights once again were bound for the NCAA Tournament, their eighth appearance in program history.

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The 2020-21 NCAA Tournament was hosted entirely at neutral sites due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Black and Gold, ranked No. 18 in the nation, drew No. 17 James Madison in the second round of the tournament in Wilson, North Carolina. The Knights got on the board before everyone could find their socially-distanced seats, as Vivi scored in the fourth minute to take the early lead. The Dukes equalized in the 51st minute, but the Knights answered right back five minutes later with a goal from the freshman-phenom Dourado. The goal stood as the game winner, sending UCF to its second consecutive Sweet 16.

The Knights couldn’t get past No. 2 seeded Pitt in the next round, but history had been made as the Black and Gold had secured a pair of Sweet 16 berths in back-to-back seasons, going places the program had never gone before.

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Although UCF didn’t make it to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 or 2022, there were still memorable moments from those seasons that proved that the Knights belonged in the upper echelon of college soccer. UCF tallied ranked wins against Tulsa, SMU and Charlotte over the course of those two seasons and returned to The American championship match in 2021.

β€œThe top of the country is where UCF men’s soccer deserves to be. Every player that has put on that jersey in the past and in the present has given his all to be the No. 1 program in the country. I’m happy and proud for the guys on the present roster and the coaching staff for making it happen.”

Gino ViviFormer UCF forward (2019-22), UCF's most recent MLS SuperDraft Pick

Thrilling doesn’t even begin to describe the 2023 team’s run through their schedule and to the top of the national rankings. After a 6-7 season, the Knights were set to join the Sun Belt Conference, which in terms of level of competition, was seemingly only second to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), the premier conference in the sport.

β€œI think the Sun Belt made a lot of sense. That’s where a lot of the other power five schools that don’t have a home play, South Carolina and Kentucky of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and West Virginia of the Big 12. So, I think that made immediate sense that’s where we wanted to be. And then Marshall obviously winning a national championship a few years back as well as a number of really good teams, it was the right fit and the right move. Anytime you have teams with high RPIs in your league, there is opportunity there, and those opportunities give you the chance to change your season.”

Scott CalabreseUCF Men's Soccer Head Coach

A ranked win on the road at No. 9 Clemson, members of the elite ACC, jumpstarted the Knights’ season. The win on the road against the Tigers and a home win against Stetson bolstered UCF back into the top 25 for the first time since the spring 2021 campaign. The Black and Gold’s schedule didn’t get any easier as the season progressed, beating NC State, drawing against No. 11 FIU and topping Brown to finish the non-conference slate 4-0-1, climbing to No. 5 in the rankings ahead of conference play.

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β€œWhen I decided to come to UCF, I came here to make history. It’s an amazing feeling, but we’re not done yet. We want more, it’s good to enjoy it, but we want to win trophies, that’s the goal.”

Anderson RosaUCF Defender (2020-21-present)

Glancing at the beginning of UCF’s Sun Belt schedule caused some to raise their eyebrows, as the Knights had the top three teams in the league’s preseason poll lined up one after the other to begin their journey. The Black and Gold hosted No. 4 West Virginia in their inaugural contest as the conference’s newest members and played to a 2-2 tie. The Knights rose to No. 3 in the nation following the result and traveled to No. 1 Marshall, where they fell in a tight 1-0 contest. UCF then traveled to Kentucky, a team that was a year removed from a No. 1 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, and shut them out 1-0. the victory over the Wildcats represented Coach Calabrese's 150th career victory.

β€œI think honestly, it’s their commitment level. The players are an incredibly determined and a mature group. A lot of the work they put in started well before the coaching staff got involved, and I think there was a commitment unlike any other year for them to step up and the leadership group to step up, and to come into the fall season more prepared than they’ve ever been. We got off to a really good start and it was in large part because of what they had done in the offseason and there was some momentum to that.”

Scott CalabreseUCF Men's Soccer Head Coach

The Knights continued the grind through the Sun Belt, beating Georgia Southern, Old Dominion, Coastal Carolina and South Carolina to piece together a five-match winning streak. Now at No. 1 in the coaches poll, the Knights have two regular-season matches left in this outstanding season. More incredible moments and milestones remain on the horizon, as UCF has set itself up beautifully for a postseason run for the ages.

β€œEveryone was happy to be ranked number one. We knew at the end of the game that Marshall had lost. We were happy and proud but at the same time we were saying the job’s not done. Everyone just wanted to get back to Orlando and train that next day and get ready for the next game.”

Lucca DouradoUCF Striker (2020-21-present)

So, what does it take to get a No. 1 ranking? The first No. 1 ranking in UCF Athletics history didn’t happen by accident, and so many played a hand in building the program to the top of the rankings along the way. Below is just a glimpse of some of the individual achievements during the Calabrese era that helped build the program to where it is today.

  • Three All-Americans (Cal Jennings, 2018 & 2019; Louis Perez, 2018; Yanis Leerman, 2020-21)
  • Five MLS SuperDraft Picks (Cal Jennings, round 1, pick 17, 2020; Jonathan Dean, round 2, pick 39, 2020; Nick Taylor, round 3, pick 74, 2022; Yanis Leerman, round 4, pick 85, 2022; Gino Vivi, round 1, pick 23, 2023)
  • 44 All-Conference nods (19 First Team, 12 Second Team, 13 Freshman Team)
  • 19 All-Region nods (eight First Team, seven Second Team, four Third Team)
  • Three American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors (Matias Pyysalo, 2017; Cal Jennings, 2018 & 2019)
  • Three American Athletic Conference Midfielder of the Year honors (Louis Perez, 2018; Yoni Sorokin, 2019 & 2020-21)
  • Three American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year honors (Yannik Oettl, 2018, 2019 & 2020-21)
  • Gino Vivi named American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year (2019)
  • Two American Athletic Conference Coaching Staff of the Year honors (2018 & 2019)