ORLANDO – A key offensive contributor for the squad throughout its strong run to the 2025 Sun Belt Tournament title, former Knights forward Claudel N’goubou became the fifth Knight to solidify his post-collegiate playing path with his deal with USL League One’s Forward Madison FC.
N’goubou joins Juanvi Muñoz, Lilian Ricol, and Clarence Awoudor to come to terms with a professional team since the conclusion of the 2025 fall campaign, while Joey Mueller was also selected by New York City FC in the third round of the MLS SuperDraft 2026.
The Auray, France, native in his first season of NCAA Division I soccer netted four goals and added six assists for his squad throughout the fall slate, also tallying 31 shot attempts and 14 on goal.
He appeared in 19 of the Knights’ 21 total matches, including 17 starts, and totaled 1,294 minutes on the pitch while playing the full 90 minutes three times.
N’goubou first helped lead the Knights to their first win of the season in the team’s home-opener against UTRGV Aug. 27, scoring his first Division I goal in the 27th minute. He also recorded three shot attempts for the third straight game to begin the season.
The forward later assisted Clarence Awoudor’s 26th-minute goal in UCF’s 1-1 road draw with then-No. 22 South Florida Sept. 4, and netted his first goal against a power four opponent in the Black and Gold’s Sept. 19 road clash with then-No. 22 Kentucky, coming in the 85th minute.
His third goal of the season came in UCF’s 3-0 clean sheet win over then-No. 11 Georgia Southern Oct. 10, and he produced his first Division I three-point match with a goal and an assist in the Knights’ 3-1 win over Coastal Carolina Oct. 13.
N’goubou was also named to the Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament team after recording a pair of assists in the team’s 3-1 win over top-seeded No. 12 Marshall in the championship match Nov. 16, and he added three assists in a two-match span against the Thundering Herd and Florida Atlantic in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Nov. 20.