Softball Set to Host Season-Opening Black & Gold Classic

ORLANDO – As the calendar flips to February, the UCF softball team is set to kick off its 2026 spring campaign with its annual Black & Gold Classic tournament at the UCF Softball Complex.

The Knights will play host for five opposing programs throughout the weekend, in the No. 16 Duke Blue Devils, Boston U Terriers, Maryland Terrapins, Buffalo Bulls, and CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners.

The Black and Gold enter their 25th season on the heels of one of the more successful campaigns in program history, producing a 35-24-1 record, a single-season program record-tying seven ranked wins, the team’s fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, and its first NCAA Regional Final appearance since 2022.

With their fifth straight NCAA Tournament selection, the Knights join an exclusive club of just 25 teams in the nation to have made NCAA Tournament appearances in each of the last five seasons and join the Oklahoma State Cowgirls as the lone two current Big 12 programs to have done so.

UCF in 2025 eclipsed the 30-win mark for the seventh straight year dating back to 2018 (not including the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season) and authored its fourth straight season with at least 20 wins on its home field.

The program’s seven ranked wins last spring included winning efforts over then-No. 3 Florida, then-No. 4 Arizona twice, then-No. 15 Missouri, then-No. 21 Oklahoma State, then-No. 22 Florida Atlantic, and then-No. 25 Michigan. UCF also earned a pair of wins over eventual conference champions in Clemson (ACC) and Florida Atlantic (AAC).

This spring, the Knights return 15 members of last year’s squad, including a significant portion of the team’s 2025 offensive exploits. Ten returning offensive players to this year’s squad were responsible for 354 total hits (79.9%), 210 total runs scored (79.5%), 58 total doubles (75.3%), 40 home runs (87%), 193 RBI (80.4%) and 546 total bases (81%) in 2025.

The Black and Gold in 2026 bring back their 2025 team leaders in batting average, on-base percentage, runs scored and total hits (Sierra Humphreys), slugging percentage, total bases and home runs (Aubrey Evans), doubles and walks (Izzy Mertes), and RBI (Beth Damon).

Also coming back to the circle in 2026 is now-redshirt sophomore right-hander Isabella Vega, who last spring wasted no time in establishing herself as one of the more dominant arms in the nation.

Vega garnered freshman All-America recognition from two different national publications (Softball America and D1Softball), NFCA All-Gulf Region First Team, All-Big 12 Conference First Team and All-Big 12 Conference Freshman Team honors for her efforts and finished within the final top 10 for the NFCA’s National Freshman of the Year award as well.

The Bradenton, Florida, native led her team in starts, ERA, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched, strikeouts and batting average-against last year, and ranked among NCAA national leaders in ERA (1.70, 16th), WHIP (0.98, 15th), fewest hits allowed/7 IP (4.90, 20th), shutouts (5, T-29th) and K:BB ratio (2.89, 83rd).

The 16th-ranked Blue Devils and Terriers both represent programs that earned selections to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, with the former also awarded hosting honors. Duke produced a strong 41-18 final record a season ago and was slotted No. 15 in the final NCAA RPI rankings.

Its 41-win 2025 campaign marked the fifth straight 40-plus-win season for the program since 2021, never eclipsing 20 losses in that span, and finished within the top four in the ACC in fielding percentage (2nd), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2nd), WHIP (3rd), batting average (4th), total hits (4th), shutouts (4th), and triples (4th).

Boston U, meanwhile, earned its third consecutive Patriot League championship in 2025, going 39-19 overall and earning a berth in the NCAA Norman Regional hosted by the Oklahoma Sooners.

The complete Black & Gold Classic tournament schedule can be found below.

Thursday, Feb. 5

12 p.m. – Boston U. v. CSU Bakersfield

3 p.m. – Boston U. v. UCF

6 p.m. – CSU Bakersfield v. UCF

Friday, Feb. 6

9 a.m. – Boston U. v. Maryland

11:30 a.m. – Buffalo v. Maryland

2 p.m. – Duke v. Boston U.

4:30 p.m. – CSU Bakersfield v. Buffalo

7 p.m. – Duke v. UCF

Saturday, Feb. 7

9 a.m. – Buffalo v. Boston U.

11:30 a.m. – Buffalo v. Duke

2 p.m. – CSU Bakersfield v. Maryland

5 p.m. – CSU Bakersfield v. Duke

7 p.m. – Maryland v. UCF

Sunday, Feb. 8

9 a.m. – CSU Bakersfield v. Duke

11 a.m. – Buffalo v. UCF

1 p.m. Maryland v. UCF

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.