ORLANDO – The UCF rowing team has unveiled its 2024-25 schedule, as announced by head coach Mara Allen on Friday. The program’s second season in the Allen era and as members of the Big 12 Conference features regattas against some of the nation’s best.
The Knights are slated to compete in four scrimmages, three invitationals, and a dual before the Big 12 Championships in Sarasota at Nathan Benderson Park May 18. Three of the four scrimmages are in the preseason, with the fourth marking the official start of campaign.
The Black and Gold will open their season in the fall with a scrimmage in Miami Oct. 26 against the Hurricanes.
UCF will resume its schedule in February with a pair of scrimmages. Iowa visits Orlando Feb. 7-8 for a scrimmage, followed by a visit from Texas Feb. 21-22 with both regattas taking place on Lake Pickett. The reigning national champion Longhorns have won the title in three of the last four seasons.
The Knights host a local foe in a March 14 scrimmage at Lake Pickett, racing against Jacksonville. The regatta marks the official start of the Knights’ season.
UCF will participate in the Sunshine State Invite March 28-29 at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla. and will be one of multiple programs to compete.
The Black and Gold will leave the state for the first time on the campaign and travel to Oak Ridge, Tennessee to compete in the Rocky Top Invitational April 4-5. The regatta will feature the host school and last season’s No. 3 ranked team, Tennessee, as well as Clemson, Duke and Minnesota. Duke also finished last season in the rankings, checking in at No. 16 in the CRCA poll.
UCF then heads to Decker Lake in Austin, Texas April 25-26 for the Longhorn Invitational. The Knights will once again meet up with Texas, as well as Oklahoma, SMU and Stanford.
To finish off the regular season, UCF will face Miami once more, this time for Senior Day at Lake Pickett May 4.
A new-look Big 12 Championship takes place May 18 at Nathan Benderson Park. The league has experienced a shift in teams since last season and now has UCF, Kansas, Kansas State, Old Dominion, Tulsa and West Virginia as its rowing members.
This year’s NCAA Championships take place at Lake Mercer in Princeton, N.J. May 30-June 1.