COLUMBUS, Ohio – Following a week of a clean sweep of the Sarasota 2k, a program-high team ranking and a second consecutive Big 12 Boat of the Week title, the No. 12 Knights are headed to the Buckeye State to compete in the Ohio State Invite.
The Black and Gold join four other programs, three of which appear on the latest CRCA poll. In addition to the Knights and the No. 20 host school in Ohio State, also making the trip includes No. 13 Harvard-Radcliffe, No. 19 North Carolina and Indiana.
In the Knights’ last competition, the Black and Gold turned in a commanding showing at the Sarasota 2k, sweeping all five Grand Finals for the second straight year and securing another Benderson Cup title.
All UCF boats won their respective heats on day one of the regatta, sending each crew to the Gran Finals. The next day, the Knights set the pace early with a decisive win in the Second 4+, then rolled through victories in the Third 8+ and First 4+ against a field featuring multiple ranked crews.
They closed out the day with dominant open‑water margins in both the Second 8+ and First 8+, completing a perfect 5‑for‑5 sweep and extending their Sarasota 2k win streak to 20 races over the past two seasons. UCF topped the final standings with 132 points, finishing ahead of then‑No. 18 Miami and No. 15 Dartmouth.
OHIO STATE INVITE SCHEDULE
The Knights will take to the water in Columbus beginning with the First 8+ at 4:00 p.m. Then 20 minutes later, UCF will send its Second 8+ onto the water at Griggs Reservoir. The Knights’ two crews of five will go out next with the First 4+ race at 4:40 p.m. and the Second 8+ at 5:00 p.m. The Black and Gold will be competing against crews out of No. 19 North Carolina and Indiana in all races on day one of the event.
The next day, the Knights will continue to face No. 19 North Carolina, but will now face 20th ranked Ohio State in each race. The same boats will race in the same order as the day prior, hitting the water to begin their respective races every 20 minutes beginning at 8:30 a.m.
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.