Cyclone Chasers
For the second time in program history, the Knights swept a ranked opponent, defeating No. 24 Iowa State on Senior Day in Orlando. Marking the eighth ranked win in program history, Botsford becomes the first head coach in program history to defeat multiple ranked opponents during his first season in charge. The first time UCF swept a ranked opponent came back in 2011, toppling No. 3 USC, while the second top-25 victory of the season marks just the second time the program has achieved multiple ranked wins in a single season since 2022. After sweeping Houston on Wednesday, the back-to-back sweeps mark the first in consecutive home matches in Big 12 play since joining the conference in 2023.
Lexi’s Career Week
Freshman Alexa Haley was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after a brilliant week, aiding in UCF’s sweeps over Houston and No. 24 Iowa State. The freshman tallied 32 combined digs across the matches, leading the Knights’ back row, which held both teams to sub-.200 hitting percentage and just 10.8 kills per set. The Cyclones entered the match third in the conference in hitting percentage (0.256) and first in kills per set (14.29), though against Haley and the UCF defense, they registered just 39 kills and a minimal 0.174 hitting percentage (second-lowest this season). The Naples native took over libero duties before conference play, and has since shown why, tallying 10 or more digs in 12 of her last 14 contests. Lexi’s weekly honor is the third by a Knight this season, joining Reaghan Thompson (Defensive, Sept. 23) and Avah Armour (Offensive, Oct. 28) as the only player to have claimed Big 12 weekly honors since joining the conference in 2023. Moreover, Haley is the only freshman in the Big 12 this season to have won an offensive or defensive weekly honor and the first to do so since Baylor’s Kyndal Stowers won offensive player of the week on Sept. 12, 2023. Moreover, she is the first freshman to win Big 12 defensive player of the week since Oklahoma’s Callie Kemohah on Oct. 5, 2021.
Ranked Dub in Utah
Last week in Provo, the Knights toppled No. 17 BYU in four sets, dominating the Cougars throughout. The win marked the first ranked victory for the Knights since 2022 and the first as a member of the Big 12. The performance was the seventh ranked win in program history and the fourth-highest all-time. UCF’s last ranked win came against No. 22 Houston on Nov. 22, 2022, to clinch a share of The American regular-season title. Battling on the road, the Knights also handed BYU just its 16th home loss in the last 11 years.
Armour Up
On October 28, Avah Armour secured UCF’s first Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor in program history after a career week that saw Armour tally a combined 55 kills and 63 points across a pair of matches. The junior led the Knights to a comeback win at Houston behind her career-high 35.5 points on 28 kills and four service aces before another stellar 27-kill outing against Texas Tech on Saturday. The performances marked just the second and third times in her career she’s secured 25 or more kills in a match and the first occasion doing it back-to-back. In Big 12 matches this season, Armour ranks fourth in total kills (254) and kills per set (4.70). In front of her family, Armour secured a career-high 30 kills against the Buffaloes in Boulder on Oct. 2, the most by a Knight since McKenna Melville did so against Georgia on Sept. 11, 2021, while becoming just the 18th in program history to record 30 or more kills in a single match. Armour has secured 10 or more kills in a match more times than she hasn’t since making her collegiate debut in 2023, with 48 10-plus-kill outings in 72 career matches. Armour was tabbed to the Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team (one of 18 athletes), voted upon by the league’s head coaches.
Freshman Sensations
All five of UCF’s true-freshmen have made an impact on the floor, with all five having recorded substantial playing time... The group is highlighted by freshman libero Alexa Haley’s team-leading 279 digs and Mikayla Porter’s 132 assists and 18 service aces (marks that each rank second and third on the team)... Haley and Sarah Mendoza have played in each of the Knights’ 26 contests. Two week ago, Nygeria Hart secured a career-high five kills against Texas Tech, the second-most by a Knight in the defeat.
