ORLANDO – Starting the season on a high note, the No. 14 UCF rowing team has garnered the first Big 12 Boat of the Week title for the 2026 racing slate.
The conference honor comes after the Black and Gold boat secured the final win in a season-opening sweep against Jacksonville on Lake Pickett last week. The crew posted the fastest time of the day, crossing the finish at 6:24.4.
The boat is coxswained by Audrey Vilendrer, the same coxswain who sat in the First 8+ throughout a majority of 2025-26 season. Similarly, sophomore Sofia Naboni Nevado once again sat in the stroke seat as she was last season. Fellow Spain native Ines Martin filed in at the seven seat behind Naboni Nevado.
In the next seat over, Coralie Detre returned to the water after missing the entirety of the 2025 racing season with an injury. After Detre was Lucy Buckingham who is the defending titleholder of Big 12 Freshman of the Year following last year’s championship win.
At the four-seat making her collegiate debut was Madison Lovejoy, sister of 2025 Big 12 Rower of the Year Hannah Lovejoy who sat three seats behind at the bow. In between the siblings was Brigitte Kappler, 2025 All-Big 12 Team honoree and Amalie Thorsen, 2025 Worlds Championship participant of Denmark.
The last time UCF took home a Big 12 Boat of the Week honor was the First 4+ the week of April 30 last season, while the last time the First 8+ claimed the title was on back-to-back weeks of April 2 and April 8.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Knights will travel to familiar waters of Nathan Benderson Park in hopes of defending their Benderson Cup title at the Sarasota 2k on March 27-28.
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.