ORLANDO - Year two of the Matt Botsford era at UCF is set commence this weekend, as the UCF volleyball team welcomes Robert Morris, Stony Brook and NC State for an action-packed Black & Gold Classic at The Venue.
Tournament Schedule
Friday, August 28
- Stony Brook vs. Robert Morris | 11 a.m. | Live Stats | Watch
- Stony Brook vs. NC State | 4 p.m. | Live Stats | Watch
- Robert Morris vs. UCF | 7 p.m. | Live Stats | Watch
Saturday, August 29
- Robert Morris vs. NC State | 12 p.m. | Live Stats | Watch
- Stony Brook vs. UCF | 4 p.m. | Live Stats | Watch
Sunday, August 30
- NC State vs. UCF | 2 p.m. | Live Stats | Watch
Setting the Stage
The Knights are set to open their 2026 campaign at The Venue, welcoming Robert Morris, Stony Brook and NC State for the three-day Black & Gold Classic. The lone home tournament for UCF this season, the Knights went 5-1 across a pair of tournaments last season and boast an overall record of 12-3 in home non-conference matches dating back to 2023. UCF is 31-19 in season openers all-time. At home, the Knights are 22-9 in season openers and boast an 11-1 record to commence the season since 2014.
Botsford: Season 2 Premier
Head coach Matt Botsford embarks on his second season leading the Knights after a transformational 2025 campaign, where the Knights rose from 204 in the final RPI of 2024 to 63 by seasons end, marking the second-most growth of a Power Four team and fourth-most of anyone in the nation. Botsford also became the first coach in program history to defeat two top-25 opponents in his first season in charge, defeating No. 17 BYU and No. 24 Iowa State at The Venue.
A Knight in Shining Armour
Avah Armour returns for her senior season after boasting one of the most historic campaigns in program history in 2025. She bacame the fourth AVCA All-American in program history, receiving an honorable mention nod, and the 12th player to be named to the AVCA Southeast Region First Team. In the Big 12, she was named to the First Team and garnered Scholar Athlete of the Year recognition. As she enters her fourth season, Armour was named to the Big 12 Preseason Team as one of eight unanimous athletes.
Dynamic Duo
Along with Armour, both her and Abby Schomers will be starting as one of the premier setter-hitter in the nation for the fourthconsecutive season. Each are closing in on milestones, as Schomers sits just 81 assists away from 3,000 in her career, along with being 246 assists away from passing Marie Reiterova for fourth all-time, while Armour is 40 kills away from 1,000. The tandem came on their recruiting visit together back on September 25, 2021.
The Road Ahead
The Knights will embark on a 10-match non-conference schedule which includes four contests against Power Four opponents, marking the most since 2023. UCF will become well acustomed to the ACC, with tilts against NC State (Aug. 30), Wake Forest (Sept. 5) and Virginia (Sept. 12). UCF has played at least one ACC opponent in every season dating back to 2021, tallying a 5-2 record in that span. Along with the east-coast units, the Black and Gold will venture to No. 9 Purdue for the first of six ranked matchups of the season, last having played the Boilermakers in 2023. The lone Sunshine State opponent will be Stetson, as both programs will meet for the 74th time. This season marks the fewest number of in-state opponents in program history.
Familiar Faces
Unlike a season ago, the Knights welcome back the majority of their production from 2025, returning their starting setter (Schomers), outside (Armour), libero (Haley), and top middles (Chapman and Cohen). Three of the four players in the back-row room return (Haley, Mendoza, Moore), a pair of outsides (Stewart and Hart) and Mikayla Porter, who will continue growing alongside Schomers at setter. Overall, the Knights return 68% of kills (959 of 1,406), 96% of assists (1,228 of 1,275), 60% of aces (110 of 183), 76% of digs (1,062 of 1,404), 67% of blocks (165.5 of 245.5) and 67% of points (1,234.5 of 1,834.5). UCF’s leader in kills (Armour, 457), assists (Schomers, 893), digs (Haley, 319) and points (Armour, 513).
2025 Season Recap
In the first year of the Botsford era at UCF, the Knights made historic growth en route to a 17-12 record and 8-10 clip in Big 12 play. After the Knights finished 2024 ranked 204th in RPI, Botsford led the Black and Gold to a resurgence, jumping all the way to 63rd at the conclusion of 2025. That growth ranked second in the Power Four and fourth overall among Division I teams. The Knights defeated two top-25 teams in a single season for just the second time in program history, as Botsford became the first head coach to achieve the feat in his first year in charge. Their win over No. 24 Iowa State was the second time the Knights have swept a ranked opponent in program history. The Knights improved their win total from nine in 2024 to 17, along with a six-win increase in Big 12 play. Along with team recognitions, Avah Armour, Reaghan Thompson and Alexa Haley each took home UCF’s first Big 12 Player of the Week honors, winning four combined weeks to be one of six teams in the conference to win four or more. After the season, Avah Armour became the first Knight to be named both Big 12 Scholar Athlete of the Year and to the All-Big 12 First Team, while Alexa Haley became the first Knight to be named to the All-Big 12 Rookie Team.
SINGLE GAME AND SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW
UCF volleyball single-match and season tickets are on sale now. Be sure to catch all the action in 2026. Tickets can be purchased online at ucfknights.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office at (407) 823-1000.
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.