2025-26 Women's Basketball Season Recap

ORLANDO - Under fourth-year head coach Sytia Messer, the 2025-26 UCF women’s basketball team enjoyed multiple highlights during its 30-game campaign, including individual marks that will live in the program record book for years to come.

A non-conference slate which included the squad’s third-ever trip to the Discover Puerto Rico Shootout in San Juan, preceded UCF's third season as a member of one the nation’s premier leagues, the Big 12 Conference.

The Knights recorded their most Big 12 away wins with a pair of strong performances at Arizona and Houston, while a Space Game triumph against Colorado in January marked their second-highest rated RPI win in a conference bout.

Below are highlights, storylines and milestones set during the 2025-26 season:

Messer Hits the Century Mark

In the non-conference finale against Morgan State in Orlando, the Knights controlled the game from the tipoff, taking the contest 78-56 to garner coach Messer her 100th career win. Across her seven seasons as a head coach, with three at Tennessee Tech from 2009-12 preceding her tenure at UCF, Messer secured her spot in the century club with the Knights’ eighth win of the season before commencing action in Big 12 play.

Hoopsgiving in San Juan

After going undefeated in the in-season tournament two years ago, a more difficult schedule presented the Black and Gold a challenging slate this time around. While an overtime defeat to Wake Forest proved to be the lone blip, the Knights rose to the occasion against each of The American’s best programs, defeating East Carolina in a convincing 75-61 rout before fending off a late surge from eventual regular-season champs, Rice, 57-56.

A hefty 52 points in the paint against the Pirates, led by the efforts of Ngodu’s first of three 20-point double-doubles, commencing the week fashionably. While Leah Harmon’s 17 points weren’t enough to overcome the Demon Deacons on Thanksgiving, she responded with another stellar outing, scoring 27 en route to the crunch-time win.

Winning Out West

Looking to secure their first conference win of the season, the Knights authored a defensive masterclass against Arizona at the McKale Center, holding the hosts to a 34% clip from the field. Ngodu’s 22 points and career-high 13 rebounds, paired with Mahogany Chandler-Roberts’ 14 points and six rebounds, underlined the physical dominance in the paint.

Mission Accomplished

In the program's fourth annual Space Game, the 'Nauts upset Colorado 74-68 in Orlando, proving everything is better in space. Summer Yancy set a career-high with 25 points, six field goals and a game-leading five three pointers. Chandler-Roberts produced her fifth game with 10 more points this season and her fourth in the last six Big 12 contests. 

The win was also in large part due to a season-best 25 points in the second quarter, outscoring the Buffs 25-10 behind a 20-2 run over a seven-minute stretch. Ranked 46th in the NET, Colorado eventually went on to a semifinal run in the Big 12

Harmon’s Hot Hand

Miami transfer Leah Harmon produced a historic non-conference slate, averaging the sixth-most points in program history (16.9 per game) and tallying at least five field goals in all 11 contests. While her season was cut short due to injury following a January 24 tilt with TCU, Harmon was the focal point of the Knights’ offense, concluding her season averaging a team-leading 15.7 points per game, which ranked eighth in the Big 12 at the time.

Harmon’s performance in San Juan garnered her a nod to the Big 12 Starting Five that week, while her career-high 38 points against Kansas on January 4 stand as the third most by a Knight since 1999 and the fifth most in program history. The historic outing also stands as the eighth-most points by a Big 12 player this season.

Houston, We Have Liftoff

A balanced UCF attack and vibrant third-quarter display lifted the Knights to a 72-62 triumph in their regular-season finale against the Cougars. Khyala Ngodu (20 points, 10 rebounds), Mahogany Chandler-Roberts (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Kristol Ayson (16 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded a double-double in the win. The Knights were the only team in a Big 12 conference game this season to have three or more players secure a double-double, and one of just four in the Power Four to do so overall.

Everybody Eats

The deepest squad the Knights have had since joining the Big 12 was a big point of emphasis during conference play. UCF ranked seventh in the league with 19.2 bench points per game, as multiple Knights stepped up, both into the starting lineup and as role players. 

During the home stretch of the regular season, six starting lineup iterations and six different leading scorers highlighted that depth. Kristol Ayson (5.6 ppg), Jacorriah Bracey (6.7 ppg), Kayanna Cox (3.8 ppg) and Summer Yancy (6.4 ppg) were all versatile options that continued to improve as the season wound down.

Senior Sendoffs

A special moment during any season, Ayson and Bracey were both honored in the home-finale against West Virginia as they embark on their next chapter after collegiate basketball. A Washington native, Ayson was a marquee piece for the Knights, starting 19 games while being explosive on both ends of the floor. Bracey joined Chandler-Roberts as the lone two Knights to start in all 30 games, ranking fourth on the team with 6.7 pointers per game.

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.