ORLANDO - With both basketball programs set to open their 2025-26 season with a double-header on Monday, November 3, local media had their first chance to speak to both head coaches and each roster on Monday afternoon at Addition Financial Arena. While the fall sports are well underway, basketball season brings new excitement to campus, as both teams will embark on their third campaign in one of the nation's premier conferences.
UCF will bring back 0% of their returning scoring from last season. UCF will be one of five Power Four teams not to bring back any returning scoring, joined by Baylor, Miami, Indiana and West Virginia. The Knights’ newcomers that played last season averaged 86.1 points per game in total, led by Themus Fulks’ 14.6, and both George Beale Jr. and Jamichael Stillwell averaged 13.0.
Devan Cambridge is entering his sixth year of college basketball, having previously played for Auburn, Arizona State, and Texas Tech. In Cambridge’s most recent season with the Red Raiders, he reached the 1,000 points milestone. Fulks enters his fifth year of college hoops, previously playing for South Carolina State, Louisiana and Milwaukee. Fulks averaged an impressive 5.9 assists per game last season, placing him 22nd in the NCAA in assists per game.
UCF has three incoming senior transfers in Riley Kugel, Beale Jr., and Stillwell. Kugel posted double figures in 17 games while managing a 43.3 field goal percentage last season at Mississippi State. Beale scored 62 three-pointers in his past season at Hampton, the 12th most in the CAA, while maintaining a 39.5 three-point percentage. Stillwell was a double-double magician at Milwaukee, earning 16 double-doubles to tie for the 11th-most in the NCAA last season.
The Knights bring in four incoming Juniors: Jeremy Founema, Carmelo Pacheco, Chris Johnson, and Jordan Burks. Founema appeared in 28 games off the bench for Rhode Island, averaging 5.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Pacheco was lights-out from the three at Mount St. Mary’s, knocking down four or more three-pointers in a game 10 times and averaged 46.8% from downtown last season. Johnson averaged 10.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists for Stephen F. Austin. Burks scored double-digits in nine games with Georgetown while maintaining a 52.1 shooting percentage.
Kris Parker and John Bol are the two incoming sophomore transfers. Parker appeared in 27 games for Villanova and played an average of 10 minutes per game, averaging 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. Bol was named as a top recruit in the state of Georgia and the eighth-best center in the 2024 class by ESPN. UCF brings in freshman Zach Johnson and Tanner Jones. Johnson competed for IV Greatness Academy and averaged 30 points, six rebounds and five assists per game. Jones played 21 games at Campbell Hall, averaging 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
UCF women's basketball will open its fourth season under head coach Sytia Messer and its third as a member of the Big 12 Conference on Monday, November 3, against Bethune-Cookman. Under Messer, the Knights are 3-0 in season openers, having outscored opponents 249-139. An 11-game non-conference slate is highlighted by the program's second trip to the Discover Puerto Rico Classic in San Juan (also participated in 2023) from November 26-28.
After claiming its first Big 12 Tournament win earlier this year against BYU, UCF will welcome the Cougars to open conference action on Saturday, December 20. In total, its 2025-26 schedule features 17 home contests, nine games on the road, and three neutral site matchups. The Knights will travel 18,912 miles during the campaign.
Coach Messer returns a pair of key frontcourt contributors in Khyala Ngodu and Mahogany Chandler-Roberts, along with versatile playmaker Summer Yancy. The formers saw minutes in all but one game last season (29 of 30), with Ngodu garnering starts down the stretch with four double-digit-point performances in her last six contests. Ngodu set career marks in points (6.9 p/g) and rebounds (5.9 p/g). Chandler-Roberts and Yancy each contributed as freshmen under Messer, with the latter boasting an efficient .458 shooting percentage, while Chandler-Roberts was one of four to secure 100-plus rebounds.
Eight transfers add a combined 17 seasons of collegiate experience to Orlando, as coach Messer added both physicality and Power Four experience to her roster. Savannah Scott (Auburn) boasted a standout freshman season two seasons ago, while Leah Harmon (Miami) and Kayanna Cox (SMU) each contributed to their respective teams as first years.
Kristol Ayson (Tulsa) and Jacorriah Bracey (Southern Miss) each hold four years of experience themselves, while Jasmynne Gibson (North Florida) was named to the All-Atlantic Sun Freshmen Team in 2024-25. Pensacola State transfer Audreonia Benson was named First-Team All-Panhandle and averaged 11.9 points per game in two seasons with the Pirates. Logan Reed (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) rounds out the exciting transfer class after redshirting her freshman season.
The Knights welcome three promising freshmen to campus ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, each making long journeys from their hometowns to suit up in Black and Gold. Samari Bankhead was a standout guard at Windward High School in Los Angeles, California, receiving an opportunity to be coached by basketball legend Kobe Bryant during her youth career. Swedish natives Felicia Scholander and Meja Hansel, who both competed on the national team alongside one another, each bring something exciting to the team. Scholander shot 33 percent from beyond the arc in Sweden's Basketettan League, while Hansel's height and physicality saw the freshman average 6.3 rebounds per game with RIG Lulea in the Basketettan League.