QUICK HITS
- UCF has now appeared in 17 straight ITA Polls, ranking No. 20 on Feb. 12, 2025, and most recently checking in at No. 25 on Feb. 11, 2026. The Knights are one of just two Big 12 programs featured in the most recent rankings, joined by Oklahoma State, which ranked No. 12.
- Northern Arizona transfer Daryna Shoshyna, who posted a 9-1 record on court one last season at NAU, has carried that dominance into the Sunshine State, as she has yet to drop a match on the top court this season.
- Olivia Bergler and Lauren Seye have emerged as one of the team’s most reliable doubles pairs early this season, consistently delivering decisive victories, most recently highlighted by a 6-0 sweep of Florida State’s M.B. Deatherage and Cade Cricchio. Undefeated so far, they climbed to No. 54 in the latest ITA Doubles Rankings (Feb. 4, 2026).
- Freshman Marina Gatell has given the Black and Gold an extra edge this season, clinching two of the team’s four contests. Her recent run includes a dominant 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 victory over No. 96-ranked Laura Putz on Jan. 30.
- Now in his 10th season at the helm, head coach Bryan Koniecko stands as the winningest in program with a total of 148 to his name at the end of the 2024-25 season.
THE OPPONENTS
FIU
Longtime foes, Friday’s matchup marks the 38th all-time meeting between the Knights and the Panthers. FIU, which opened its season at the beginning of February, sits at 1-1. The Panthers swept Syracuse, 7-0, on Feb. 1 before falling by the same score to Miami on Feb. 3.
Now in her 13th season at the helm, head coach Katarina Petrovic starts the 2026 dual-match season with a fresh-faced group, returning only two from last season's roster, as they look to earn their fourth-straight Conference USA Champion Title. Among the new names on the roster is prominent sophomore transfer Jelena Vico. Vico joins the Panthers from Penn State, where she posted an impressive 12-7 singles record as a freshman.
History with FIU
All-Time: 13-24
Home: 8-8
Away: 3-12
Neutral: 2-4
Under Koniecko: 5-3
Streak: W1
Last Match: Feb. 2, 2025 (W, 4-1)
MIAMI
At the head of their 16th all-time face-off with UCF, the Hurricanes are currently 2-1 on the season, defeating both FGCU and FIU 7-0, but falling in the first round of ITA Kickoff Weekend, 4-1, to South Carolina.
Under the guidance of 25th-year head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews, Miami has enjoyed sustained success. The Hurricanes have earned an NCAA Tournament berth in every season of her tenure and, prior to 2025, recorded 20 consecutive ITA top-25 finishes, including 14 inside the top 15.
Miami aims to build on that legacy this spring, returning a core group of five players, highlighted by No. 73 Raquel Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who qualified for the 2024 NCAA Singles Championships and posted a 12-5 dual-match record last season, has opened this year 2-0 and will look to extend her winning streak to three.
History with Miami
All-Time: 2-13
Home: 1-1
Away: 0-10
Neutral: 1-2
Under Koniecko: 2-4
Streak: L3
Last Match: March 4, 2023 (L, 0-4)
