Track & Field Adds a Trio of Jumpers to 2026 Signing ClassTrack & Field Adds a Trio of Jumpers to 2026 Signing Class

Track & Field Adds a Trio of Jumpers to 2026 Signing Class

by Ainsley Keaveny

ORLANDO - UCF Track and Field head coach Dana Boone and her staff have announced the signing of three promising athletes, each specializing in jumps, further strengthening the Knights' field squad, in the program’s pursuit of excellence in the Big 12 Conference.

"We are excited about these additions to our squad! We are filling areas where we have lacked some depth in the past! We have our second New Balance National Champion signee in Egypt Bolan. Apria Smith and Natali Kostova will bring some stability back to the field events. We look forward to seeing them develop under Coach Honeycutt’s leadership."

Head Coach Dana Boone

Apria Smith
Jumps | Chantilly High | Centerville, VA

A strong performing junior, Smith continues to excel across multiple events. She posted a personal-best long jump of 19’6.75” at the 2025 AAU Junior Olympic Games. 

She also recorded a personal best in the high jump at 5’3” during the 2024 Concorde District Spring Track Championships and achieved a mark of  41’ 6” in the triple jump at the AAU Track & Field Region 5 Qualifier. Her record is a strong indicator of the sky-high jumps that fans can look forward to. 

Egypt Bolan
High Jump |  Lindenwold High | Lindenwold, NJ

This standout senior, Bolan, holds her high school record in the high jump at 5’10.75”, which is No.3 in New Jersey history. She set her personal best at the New Balance National Championships, where she captured the high jump title and established a new meet record.

Her record-setting performance at Franklin Field in Philadelphia this past summer underscores the New Jersey native's potential as she looks to build an outstanding collegiate career with the Knights. 

Natali Kostova
High Jump | First Language High School | Varna, Bulgaria

An international athlete, Kostova plans to make her mark at UCF beginning in the fall. The Bulgarian native recorded a personal best of 5'9” in the high jump at the Bulgarian Championships.

In 2022, she placed eighth in the women’s high jump at the European U16 Championships, showcasing her talent on the continental stage and adding valuable competitive potential for the Knights.