UCF Sends Record 11 Teams to Postseason in 2025-26

UCF made history in 2025-26, sending a department-best 11 teams to NCAA Tournaments over the course of the academic calendar. Some teams made long awaited returns to the postseason while others are becoming staples to make a run in their respective sport. With year three under its belt in the Big 12 Conference, UCF is making noise throughout college athletics as the youngest school at the Power 4 level.

Of the 16 sports eligible to compete in the NCAA Tournament or football bowl season, UCF sent 69% of its squads to play against the best of the best. The mark tops the previous program best of 10 set in 2018-19.

Baseball, men's basketball, women's golf, rowing, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball, men's tennis, women's tennis, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field were UCF's 11 teams to advance to an NCAA Tournament in 2025-26.

UCF joined the Big 12 Conference July 1, 2023, along with BYU, Houston and Cincinnati. The Knights sent a higher percentage of teams to the postseason this year than the three fellow newcomers as BYU sent 62% (13 of 21), Houston had 47% (8 of 17) represented and Cincinnati posted 39% (7 of 18). Additionally, UCF is second in postseason appearances since the quartet joined in 2023-24, as BYU has sent 62% of teams (39 appearances), UCF had 54% of teams (26 appearances), Houston had 47% (24 appearances) and Cincinnati had 31% (17 appearances).

All five of the Knights’ spring women’s sports made the NCAA Tournament, the second consecutive season doing so and the second time in program history. In total, seven women’s sports made up the 11 NCAA Tournament appearances in 2025-26.

Below is a breakdown of UCF teams that made the postseason in 2025-26 and a bit about how each program's history in the NCAA Tournament. A brief summary of each team's season is mentioned in the order of which the team's season wrapped up.

Sport	2025-26 Outcome	Consecutive Apps.	Total DI Apps.
Men's Soccer	NCAA 2nd Round	1	10
Women's Soccer	NCAA 2nd Round	1	23
Men's Basketball	NCAA 1st Round	1	6
Indoor Track & Field	NCAA Nationals	5	12
Outdoor Track & Field	NCAA Nationals	7	17
Baseball	NCAA Regional	1	14
Softball	NCAA Super Regional	6	13
Women's Golf	NCAA Regional	7	20
Men's Tennis	NCAA Sweet 16	3	9
Women's Tennis	NCAA 2nd Round	2	11
Rowing	NCAA - 16th Place	2	8

 

For the second time in three seasons and for the sixth time during the Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak era, the Knights made the NCAA Tournament via an at-large nod. UCF put together one of the program’s strongest seasons in recent years, finishing 12-4-5. Under head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, the Knights finished sixth in the Big 12 Conference, reached the conference tournament for the second time in three seasons, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round for the first time since 2017.

UCF’s success was fueled by one of its best all-around team performances in years, posting its highest win total since 2017. The Knights topped multiple ranked opponents for the first time since 2019, going on the road to beat No. 17 Arizona State 3-2 before topping No. 16/10 Baylor at home on Senior Knight.

Standout performances from attackers Liz Worden and Rajanah Reed powered the offense, while goalkeeper Genesis Perez Watson anchored a defense that allowed just 16 goals all season. Newcomers accounted for 63% of the team’s goals as UCF finished with an RPI of 32, posting an impressive nod to receive the at-large bid. The Knights topped Maine in the NCAA Tournament First Round with a 2-0 decision before falling to No. 2-seeded Duke in a tight 1-0 contest.

The 2025 campaign marked head coach Roberts Sahaydak’s 13th season at the helm of UCF women’s soccer. The Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion holds a 133-65-37 (.645) record in Orlando and a 186-115-56 (.599) career clip over 19 seasons.

The UCF men’s soccer team overcame a tough 2-5-1 start to deliver one of the more memorable comeback stories in program history, finishing 11-8-2 and capturing the program’s first conference championship as part of the Sun Belt Conference. Head Coach Scott Calabrese has led the Knights to become an NCAA Tournament staple, reaching the postseason in five of the last eight seasons. The Knights have been in the round of 32 in each of those appearances.

Riding the momentum of a 5-1-2 record in their final eight regular-season contests, UCF entered the Sun Belt Conference Tournament as one of the hottest teams in college soccer. The Black and Gold authored a thrilling two-goal comeback victory over fourth-seeded Georgia Southern in the quarterfinal round, a 1-0 comeback win over No. 19 Kentucky in the tournament semifinal, and a dominant 3-1 win over the host, No. 12 Marshall, in the championship match. The tournament championship represented the fifth in program history, as well as UCF’s eighth overall conference championship and its first since 2020-21.

With an automatic ticket to the postseason punched, UCF’s 10th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance featured the program’s sixth home tournament match, a contest that hosted a program record crowd of 1,358 to witness a 3-2 Knights win over in-state rival Florida Atlantic. Scores by Clarence Awoudor and Joey Mueller built the squad’s multi-goal halftime advantage, and Lilian Ricol’s 13th goal of the year later served as his fourth game-winner of the season in the 59th minute as the Black and Gold withstood a late Owl rally. The Knights were topped in the second round to No. 7 national seed Georgetown via a 2-0 decision.

Following the season, Ricol was honored as the Sun Belt’s Newcomer of the Year and earned a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region nod in the Southeast region.

The Knights reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time as members of the Big 12 Conference in its third year as part of the league, and for the first time since the 2018-19 season. The squad earned a No. 10 seed in its second at-large berth in program history.

UCF was one of only two teams, joined by Miami, to make the tournament without any returning scoring production from last season. The Knights went on to average 80.1 points per game, the most in the Johnny Dawkins era.

The Black and Gold posted a record of 21-12, the second consecutive season with 20 victories and the first time doing so back-to-back since 2012-13. UCF had its fair share of big moments and victories along the way, as the Knights began non-conference play with an 11-1 mark, the best under a Dawkins-led squad. The pre-Big 12 slate included a remarkable road comeback at Texas A&M, erasing a 14-point Aggie advantage with 13:19 to play in the game. Down 52-38, the Knights outscored Texas A&M 48-22 the rest of the way, posting an 86-74 win on the road, sweeping the home-and-home over the Aggies over the past two campaigns.

The Knights finished eighth in the Big 12 standings at season’s end, posting nine victories, the best in UCF’s tenure in the league. The slate started by the black and gold winning three of its first four conference contests, triumphing over No. 17 Kansas 81-75. After a brief stumble at Oklahoma State, UCF won its next two league games, topping Cincinnati 73-72 in Orlando and downing Kansas State 82-73 in Manhattan. Additionally, UCF pieced together a pair of three-game winning streaks in conference play, winning at Colorado before coming home to beat Arizona State and No. 11 Texas Tech from Jan. 24-31. Later, the Knights beat TCU in Orlando before sweeping their Utah swing, downing Utah 73-71 and topping No. 19 BYU 97-84.

UCF cracked into the AP poll at No. 25 during the campaign, doing so for the first time since 2019. The week nine ranking marked the sixth week UCF has appeared in the AP Top 25 since the program began in 1969, and the second time under Dawkins. The Knights climbed as high as 30 in the NCAA’s NET ranking, the best mark since joining the Big 12.

The Knights’ lone representatives at the meet inside the Randal Tyson Track Center, Janiah Pulliam, Genelle Stephens, Twaneise Johnson and Jazmen Newberry, made program history, placing seventh to secure the first First-Team All-American relay honor for the Black and Gold.

The 4x400m relay becomes the second consecutive Knights relay squad to earn an All-American recognition and the program’s first medalist since the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships, where Ranyiah Jones claimed bronze in the 100m hurdles.

The women’s tennis program is becoming a staple under Head Coach and Director of Tennis Bryan Koniecko. UCF earned back-to-back Big 12 Conference regular season titles and have not lost a regular season match on home court at the USTA National Campus in either of the last two seasons.

Nearly the entire roster from the 2025 season returned for the following campaign after claiming UCF’s first Big 12 championship. That group powered its way to the postseason again in 2026, securing the program’s 11th NCAA Tournament berth before finishing the season ranked No. 20 in the ITA’s poll. The squad battled adversity throughout the campaign, as three members of the roster suffered season-ending injuries. The group responded in a positive way, going 7-1 through non-conference play which included a perfect 6-0 mark against in-state foes.

Much of UCF’s success amid the injury setbacks was fueled by freshman Marina Gatell, who quickly emerged as a key contributor in both singles and doubles play. By season’s end, Gatell had emerged as one of the Big 12’s top freshmen, posting a 16-3 dual-match record, the most wins by any freshman in the conference this season and the best mark by a UCF freshman since Rebeka Stolmar’s 21-2 campaign in 2018.

UCF’s conference success was driven in part by senior captain Jantje Tilbuerger. The Ganderkesee, Germany, native entered her fourth season with the Black and Gold already established as a cornerstone of the program since the 2022-23 season. In her second season as captain, her impact exceeded expectations. By season’s end, Tilbuerger had compiled a 17-2 dual-match record, including a perfect 10-0 mark on court two. She also delivered six match-clinching victories and earned three postseason honors: Big 12 All-Tournament Team Doubles, All-Big 12 First Team Singles and All-Big 12 First Team Doubles.

After splitting the regular-season title with Arizona State, the Knights earned the top seed in the Big 12 Tournament where it topped No. 37 BYU 4-2 in the quarterfinals and No. 26 Arizona 4-2 in the semifinals before falling to No. 23 TCU in the championship match. With an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament, the Knights topped Navy 4-1 in the first round before falling to host-No. 8 NC State, who went on to be one of the final eight teams in the bracket.

The men’s tennis team punched back-to-back appearances to the NCAA Tournament, earning its way through the opening weekend of the postseason for the second season in a row. Additionally, the Knights earned their way to ITA Indoors for the second straight season, sweeping USC in the first round before beating Oklahoma to reach tennis’ premier in-season tournament.

The Knights defended home court all season long, going 14-0 in the regular season at the USTA National Campus. The Knights went 10–0 against non‑conference opponents, while securing four wins over visiting Big 12 foes. Across the home slate, UCF delivered seven sweeps and toppled four ranked opponents, blending firepower at the top of the lineup with reliability all the way through the roster.

The Knights climbed to a program best No. 8 ranking in the ITA poll on Feb. 19. The achievement came on the heels of the Knights’ second consecutive appearance at the ITA National Indoor Championship, reinforcing the program’s rapid rise under head coach Lloyd Bruce‑Burgess. UCF stood among the nation’s elite, firmly cementing themselves top‑ranked team in Florida and the highest‑ranked program in the entire southeast region in the ITA poll.

Following a semifinal exit in the Big 12 Tournament, the Knights quickly turned their attention to the NCAA Tournament where they were tabbed with hosting duties for the first and second rounds for the second consecutive year. The Knights quickly dealt with South Carolina State in the first round of the tournament, handing the Bulldogs a 4-0 sweep to clinch a spot in the second round, set to face a familiar foe in Florida. Going down 3-0 to the Gators, UCF chipped away, showcasing resilience that has defined the Bruce‑Burgess era. The Knights leveled the match at 3-3. A dramatic finish on court one, where Yassine Dlimi fought off two match points and forced a decisive tiebreak. The senior delivered one final surge, sealing a 4–6, 6–4, 7–6(4) victory to complete the comeback over Florida and send the Knights back to the Super Regionals. UCF’s run ended there with a loss to Wake Forest who finished the season in the final four of the tournament.

Emily Marron has coached the UCF women’s golf program to 11 NCAA Tournaments in 13 seasons since taking over 2012-13. The squad earned a regional berth for seven consecutive slates and did so in impressive fashion this season.

The Knights recorded a program-record nine top-five finishes, including two tournament victories. UCF's top-five finishes came at the Illini Invitational (first), Lady Luck Invitational (first), Landfall Tradition (second), Briar's Creek Invitational (second), UCF Challenge (third), Coach Mo Classic (third), Big 12 Women's Golf Championship (third), Cougar Classic (fourth) and Schooner Fall Classic (fifth).

The Knights earned their highest seed at an NCAA Regional in program history, tabbed as the No. 3 seed at the Ann Arbor Regional. UCF concluded the season with a sixth-place finish at regionals and ended the year ranked No. 20 nationally. Individually, Pimpisa "Sandwich" Sisutham finished the season ranked No. 40, while Mila Jurine checked in at No. 62.

Thanks to a 14-9-1 record in Big 12 Conference play throughout the year, the Black and Gold clinched a fourth place regular-season finish in the Big 12 Conference, its highest regular-season conference finish and most conference wins in a single season since joining the Big 12 prior to the 2024 slate. The team’s 38-win regular season also marked its highest win total overall since joining its new league, and the squad most notably set a new program single-season home run record, finishing with 73 after the NCAA Los Angeles Super Regional. A program record five players finished the campaign with 10+ home runs. Before all was said and done, the Knights posted a 41-19-1 mark, the first 40-win season since joining the Big 12.

UCF was selected for the 13th NCAA Tournament bid in program history, extending its program record of consecutive nods to the postseason to six. Completing its 25th season in team history, the Knights have made the NCAA Tournament more than they’ve missed and represent one of 20 programs in the nation to have made appearances in each of the last six NCAA Tournaments.

The UCF softball team, for the second time in program history, clinched an NCAA Super Regional berth with its 3-1 showing in the 2026 NCAA Tallahassee Regional. The squad advanced to Supers for the first time since the 2022 Knights clinched the first Super Regional berth in program history. In Tallahassee, UCF earned a triumphant comeback against Jacksonville State in the regional opener (2-1, 8 inn.) before beating Stetson (10-1, 5 inn.) to advance unblemished to the regional final. After dropping game one in the regional final, UCF topped the host No. 9 overall seed Florida State (4-2) to go 3-1 on the weekend. UCF ‘s remarkable run came to an end in Los Angeles at the hands of No. 8 national seed UCLA, the nation’s leader in homers.

Just three years into the Mara Allen era, UCF rowing’s trajectory has been second to none. The Knights have posted back-to-back Big 12 Championships, earning consecutive NCAA Championship appearances in the progress. Not only did they win the Big 12 again for the second straight year, but they did it in dominating fashion.

After a record team finish of 15th at the NCAA Championships in 2025, the 2026 team climbed as high as No. 11 in the CRCA poll, a new program record. The team sat there for five straight weeks and entered the inaugural Orlando Invite as the top ranked squad in a field loaded with top 25 talent and came out on top.

UCF again swept its way through Sarasota 2K, just as they did in 2025. This time, the Knights had pieced together 20 straight race victories across all boats. Later in the campaign, the Knights won the Big 12 Championship by plenty of open water once more, punching their ticket to back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances for the first time since five-peating from 2015-19.

The Knights wrapped the campaign with a 16th place finish at the NCAA Championship at Lake Lanier Olympic Park. For just the second time in program history and for the second straight season, every UCF boat advanced to the C Finals. Each boat finished 15th, with the points totaling a final tally of 16th at the sport’s premier stage. UCF solidified itself as a top 20 rowing program, remaining in the top 20 all season.

Baseball enjoyed an historic campaign under third-year head coach Rich Wallace, venturing back to the NCAA tournament for the 14th time in program history after a season hiatus. The Black and Gold won 32 games in 2026, highlighted by a record 19 Big 12 wins, the most conference victories since 2005 when Wallace served as assistant coach with the Knights in the A-Sun.

UCF was led by the efforts of junior sensation Andrew Williamson, who blasted a career-high 16 home runs, placing him in a tie for sixth in single-season program history. Williamson was joined on the All-Big 12 Second Team by outfielder John Smith, who paced the Knights with 49 RBI, and pitcher Camden Wicker. Freshmen Jordan Lodise (SS) and Max Murray (RHP) landed on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team, while the trio of Zac Skinner (C), Evan Jones (RHP) and Kris Sosnowski (RHP) each secured Honorable Mention awards.

Headlined by a season-high ranking of 12th in the D1 Baseball Rankings on April 6, the Knights featured among the top-25 in each of the four major polls throughout the season, marking the third-consecutive season under Wallace the Black and Gold have been tabbed among the nation's best. UCF claimed its first three Big 12 series bouts, including sweeps over conference favorites Oklahoma State and Arizona. Playing in just their second NCAA Regional outside the state of Florida, the Knights defeated third-seeded NC State in the opening round to secure 19th postseason win.

Twelve years in the making, the track and field team's 4x400-meter relay squad etched its name into the record books. Competing in their first 4x400-relay since the 2014 Outdoor Championships, the quartet of Jazmen Newberry, Twaniese Johnson, Deja Shaw-Huckaby and Janiah Pulliam represented the Knights on the national stage, clocking a 3:31.14 to place 16th overall in the preliminary heat.

With its semifinal performance, the group earned Second Team All-America honors, becoming just the second 4x400-meter relay team in program history to achieve All-America status and the first under head coach Dana Boone.

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.