ORLANDO – The No. 15 UCF rowing team is set to embark on the 2026 racing season beginning with a duel against Jacksonville on Friday, March 13 on Lake Pickett.
Racing is slated to begin at 3:40 p.m. with the first of five events at the UCF Intercollegiate Rowing Center on Friday afternoon.
The Knights are coming off their first-ever Big 12 title and a trip to the NCAA Championships that saw a history making 15th place team finish as well as program-high individual boat finishes each in the C final.
The Knights return over 30 athletes to this year’s roster, including last season’s Big 12 Rower of the Year in Hannah Lovejoy and Big 12 Freshman of the Year in Lucy Buckingham. Of the three NCAA eligible boats from last season, there are a total of 19 athletes returning to the Black and Gold boats.
UCF will open the season the exact way last season began with a duel against the Jacksonville Dolphins at home in early March.
HISTORY AGAINST THE DOLPHINS
Friday’s duel against Jacksonville marks the seventh time that the two crews will face off against each other. The competition this week will be the sixth consecutive season that features a race between the two squads during the spring slate.
The Knights opened their 2025 season against the Dolphins, claiming five of six races in the dual on Lake Pickett. The first eight crossed the finish in open water with almost 30 seconds to spare against the Jacksonville opponent. Each of the winning boats had at least 20 seconds of open water between the Dolphin boat who filed in after.
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.
