2025 Volleyball Year in Review

While not even a year removed from his introductory press conference at UCF, head coach Matt Botsford’s first season as the leader of the Knights’ volleyball program exemplified many of the sentiments the former FGCU boss expressed nearly 11 months ago.

Asked to give an, at the time, unfamiliar fan base an expectation of what they can expect to see from his team on the court, Botsford emphasized, “I know we can be better right away.”

That messaging, along with a continued theme of “reimagining, not rebuilding,” takes a new life after the Black and Gold’s 2025 campaign. A squad of six returners, four transfers, and a promising crop of five freshmen raised the bar in every element.

The Knights won eight more matches, including six more in one of the nation’s premier volleyball conferences, the Big 12. A pair of top-25 wins, marking just the second time UCF has achieved multiple ranked victories in a single season, and the first with a new head coach at the helm, showed the heights the team could reach.

And while ultimately falling short of the NCAA Tournament, the Knights jumped 139 spots in their final RPI rankings, concluding the 2025 slate 65th in the nation, compared to their 204th placements a year ago.

Through the peaks and valleys of the calendar, the new era was complemented by moments of brilliance and triumph that laid the foundation for an exciting new chapter in the program’s history. With insight from coach Botsford, below is a recap of everything that made the 2025 season one to remember.

SETTING THE SCENE

A disappointing 2024 season opened the door for a new direction in Orlando. While the national search identified candidates across the country, the Knights found their new leader on the west coast… of Florida.

For over a decade, Botsford had been building FGCU into one of the top mid-major powerhouses in the nation. Five Atlantic Sun titles and NCAA tournament appearances later, including four consecutive from 2021-24, the time was finally right for Botsford to move a few hours north and lead the Knights.

Not unfamiliar with the region, even tasting success at The Venue in 2018 after his Eagles upset the Black and Gold in the first round of the NCAA tournament, he quickly assembled his staff. During his final stretch of dominance in Fort Myers, Botsford was accompanied by associate head coach Kate Morrell, who jumped at the opportunity to continue their partnership in the Big 12.

Former Northwestern State head coach Sean Kiracofe, an experienced leader who found great success with the Louisiana school, and former Virginia assistant and George Mason standout, Trevor Kennan, also joined Botsford to complete the inaugural coaching staff in his tenure.

The quartet walked into a gym with a wealth of talent, featuring players who had been with the program for multiple years, and in redshirt-junior Abby Schomers’ case, two other head coaches.

Buy-in from Schomers, along with the likes of Avah Armour and Sasha Cohen, two Colorado natives who were focal points in last year’s team, provided a strong base to establish the culture from the onset. Armour, a third-year Knight, was named to the Big 12 Preseason Team, an expectation that would soon be met and surpassed.

A rather unconventional group of four transfers each possessed a large amount of familiarity with their new school in one shape or form, an uncommon case in the current era of college athletics. Skylar English and Ella Chapman were two standout Eagles who decided to keep their talents linked with Botsford and Morrell, as the former had been an important figure in FGCU’s four-peat and made the difficult choice to leave her native Southwest Florida and conclude her collegiate career in Black and Gold.

The same went for Reaghan Thompson, a three-year star at Northwestern State with Kiracofe. One of the nation’s most versatile athletes, the senior bought into the immediate goal of winning at UCF. Orlando native Fallon Stewart rounded out the class, as after her freshman season at Cincinnati, the Winter Park High School graduate decided to take her talents back home.

One of the largest freshman classes in the Big 12 also awaited Botsford, with familiar names and already committed signees who maneuvered the coaching change, completing the 15-athlete roster.

Picked to finish second-to-last in the conference by the league’s head coaches, the Knights stayed focused on what they could control heading into the campaign.

A PERIOD OF FIRSTS AND MILESTONES

Botsford had to wait just over 100 minutes to secure his first win as head coach at UCF, as the Knights disposed of Chattanooga in four sets in the 2025 season opener. The contest commenced the Black and Gold Classic and an 11-match non-conference slate. It was also the first glance at the swarm of depth present at The Venue, with five Knights registering five or more kills.

Sweeps over Norfolk State and UC Riverside preceded the first road trip of the slate at the 305 Challenge in Miami. UCF demolished Statson in the first contest, outscoring the Hatters by 40 points across just 66 minutes of action. A Saturday night tilt with eventual NCAA second-round participants, Miami, saw the Knights beaten by a combined six points, a learning opportunity for the squad and a glimpse of the level of competition expected in the Big 12.

The weekend capper against hosts FIU featured 13 aces from UCF and the first breakout from English, who boasted eight and the most by a Knight since 2021. From then, the FGCU transfer never left the NCAA national rankings while widening her gap as the active leader in division one.

Returning home for three matchups before opening Big 12 action with Baylor, the Black and Gold produced their most complete performance of the season to open the Knights Invite, sweeping a red-hot Arkansas State team behind a formidable defensive display. The ‘Nauts then took care of business against Florida Atlantic in their first space match of the year in four sets. However, the highs of the past 48 hours were erased after a difficult defeat to Brown, a disappointing result with conference play just two days away.

The Big 12’s most historic program, Baylor, handed the Knights a three-set loss, with a contested third-set still supplying indications of future ranked contests. Before the rest of league play resumed, UCF ventured to the Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, striving to bounce back into the win column.

English was at the forefront of a well-rounded display against Memphis, tallying a career-high nine aces, tied for the second most by an athlete in a four-set NCAA match this season, to set the tone. A day later, the Knights disposed of the hosts in another four-set clinic, with first-year’s Haley and Porter playing substantial time in the contest. With Botsford’s first non-conference slate with the Knights completed, a 9-2 clip underlined the first sign of growth compared to a 7-3 record a year prior.

SAME LEAGUE, NEW ATTITUDE

The Black and Gold resumed Big 12 play back in Orlando, hosting Cincinnati in a critical match to establish themselves in the league. UCF was ruthless in a sub-90-minute sweep of the Bearcats, marking the 800th win at the DI level in program history. A mainstay in the month of action prior, the defense continued to hold opponents to minimal hitting percentages, all while English, Armour and the attacking prowess shone.

A difficult road swing saw the Knights travel west to Colorado and Iowa State, matching up with two of the hottest teams in the nation. In a stark contrast to the swift win over Cincinnati, the Black and Gold went toe-to-toe with the Buffaloes for over two and a half hours, originally winning in five sets before a Colorado challenge turned the tide and eventually secured the hosts with a 22-20 triumph in the decider.

While a tough result to swallow, the aforementioned Armour and English combined for 50 kills, with the former setting a career high in her native Colorado. In Ames, the Knights claimed the opening set before Iowa State stormed back to take the bout in four sets. The results weren’t completely representative of the performances, as UCF showed it could handle tough environments without rolling over, pushing each dual to the wire.

The same could be said for the Knights’ defeat at The Venue against then-No. 11 TCU, taking the third set to avoid the sweep while dropping two sets by a combined five points, with a pair going into a tiebreak. A three-match skid was nixed by a composed sweep against West Virginia, controlling the contest from the jump to tally their second sweep of conference play.

Concluding the three-match homestand, UCF welcomed Arizona to Orlando for the program’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Alumni Match, highlighting players from each decade and recognizing the players who built the program into what it remains in the current day. Below is a series of features written throughout the season, spotlighting key seasons and athletes:

• 2003 w/ Jenny Frank
• 2014 w/ DeLaina Sarden
• 1978 w/ Karin Fischer
• 2018 w/ Anne-Marie Watson

Another contested bout went the Wildcats’ way in four sets, making an away matchup at Houston crucial to keep the Black and Gold in contention. After falling down two sets to one, the Knights flipped the script and even fended off a match point to secure a dramatic five-set win. Armour’s career-high 35.5 points led the charge, another outing in a line of impactful performances for the junior, who had now put her name among the best in the Big 12.

The momentum wouldn’t be long-lasting, however, as UCF was bested in four sets at home against Texas Tech, continuing the up-and-down nature of competing in the nation’s No. 1 conference based on RPI. Nine matches down, the Knights embarked out west looking to do what they had done all season, respond to adversity.

HITTING A NEW LEVEL

In the third ranked match of the campaign, the Knights were aiming to do something they hadn’t done in nearly three years and numerous attempts: defeat a top-25 opponent. The 17th-ranked Cougars were a formidable foe, especially in Provo, though the Black and Gold came out of the gates with energy and determination that eventually turned into a two-set lead.

And while BYU struck back to avoid the sweep, UCF didn’t waver, running away with the fourth set and the seventh ranked triumph in program history. The Cougars were handed just their 16th loss at the Smith Fieldhouse in 11 years, highlighting the level at which the Knights were capable of competing. After the match, Armour, fresh off another 20-plus kill performance, proclaimed the team had been “itching for a win like this,” a goal the Knights emphatically achieved.

While a tough defeat at Utah two days later sustained the unforgiving Big 12 slate, the Knights didn’t waver, responding with their best stretch of play to date. In the final multi-match homestand of 2025, the Black and Gold were firing on all cylinders, bridging all facets of the game into a pair of memorable triumphs.

A five-set triumph at Houston a month prior was followed by a similar result, yet a vastly different performance. Siding out at above 70 percent in each set launched the squad into a commanding sweep, setting the tone for a much-anticipated Senior Knight bout with No. 24 Iowa State. 

As Reaghan Thompson, Skylar English, Megan Holland and Sophia Kotsovolos were each honored before the contest, the Knights were playing for more than just a win; they were playing to make a statement. Three sets of brilliance followed, stifling one of the nation’s best attacks with ease, setting the stage for the offense to take care of the rest. Botsford became the first coach in program history to tally two top-25 wins in his first season, while the pair of ranked triumphs marked the second time the Knights had achieved the feat in a single season.

After splitting a road trip at Cincinnati and West Virginia, the Knights fell to No. 9 Arizona State, the eventual Big 12 champions, in the home finale. In the final road swing of the season, the Black and Gold ventured to Kansas, looking to end the campaign on a high. Opposite Kansas State, the Knights leaned on true freshmen Alexa Haley and Mikayla Porter, both starting in crucial roles and in turn authoring remarkable performances to pull out a five-set win against the Wildcats.

While a season-finale defeat to the Jayhawks concluded the season, UCF’s record showcased that of a team reinvigorated, improving upon its win tally by eight and soaring 141 spots in the final regular-season RPI (finished 63rd), the fourth-best upgrade in the nation. 

ACCOLADES EARNED

In the weeks following that final match in Lawrence, multiple Knights were honored for their efforts on the court and in the classroom. Foremost among them was Armour, whose career campaign placed her among the best in the NCAA, securing nods to the All-Big 12 First Team, AVCA Southeast Region First Team, and honorable mention selection to the AVCA All-America Team.

The ninth Knight to receive the latter, the junior’s heroics throughout the season continued to turn heads, putting her name into the record books in the process. While Armour was continuing her outstanding career in Black and Gold, Haley was just beginning her account as a collegiate athlete. 

After assuming libero duties before Big 12 play, the first year played up to the standard of the most experienced players in the nation, securing her a spot on the Big 12 All-Rookie Team.

Academically, Armour was named the Big 12 Scholar Athlete of the Year and was joined by Thompson, Chapman and Schomars as CSC Academic All-District honorees.

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS

UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.