ORLANDO – UCF Athletics is proud to announce its 2026 Hall of Fame Class, featuring six distinguished Knights who made lasting contributions to the university’s athletics history.
The 2026 class includes women’s soccer All-American Marissa Diggs, track and field sensation Octavious Freeman, former football head coach Mike Kruczek, record-setting quarterback McKenzie Milton, volleyball standout Emily Mottola and men’s basketball star BJ Taylor.
The six inductees will be celebrated during a formal induction banquet on Friday, Oct. 23, at the Celeste Hotel (4105 N. Alafaya Trail), conveniently located on the UCF campus. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. ET, followed by dinner and the induction program at 7 p.m.
Individual tickets are $200, and Hall of Fame Tables, which seat 10, are available for $2,000. Purchase tickets here. For additional information, please email varsityknights@ucfathletics.org.
The celebration will continue when the inductees are honored during UCF’s football game against BYU on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Acrisure Bounce House. Kickoff time will be announced at a later date.
Since its founding in 1998, the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame has honored athletes, coaches, teams and special contributors who have elevated UCF’s prominence in collegiate athletics and beyond. Nominees become eligible at least seven years after their final competition for the Knights, with honorees selected from among athletes, teams, coaches and dedicated staff members who have shaped the program’s history.
With the addition of the 2026 class, the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame will grow to 116 inductees, representing generations of memorable performances, championship moments and transformational contributions to the Knights.
Here are details on the 2026 inductees:
Marissa Diggs, Women’s Soccer, 2010-13
A two-time NSCAA All-American, Diggs earned second-team recognition in 2012 and third-team honors in 2013. She became UCF women’s soccer’s first two-time All-American since Michelle Akers. Diggs was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 and American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. She earned first-team all-conference honors in each of her final three seasons and anchored a UCF defense that set program and Conference USA records with 15 shutouts in 2012 and ranked second nationally in goals-against average. Diggs was named the 2012 Conference USA Championship Defensive Most Valuable Player after leading the Knights to three consecutive shutouts and the tournament title. She helped UCF win the inaugural American Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships in 2013, including the program’s first undefeated conference season since 1999. Diggs guided the Knights to four NCAA Championship appearances, highlighted by a run to the Elite Eight in 2011. She started every match over her final three seasons and played every minute of UCF’s four NCAA Championship matches in 2011. Diggs was selected by the Houston Dash with the 11th overall pick in the second round of the 2014 NWSL College Draft. She was named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List before her senior season and finished her final year ranked No. 10 on TopDrawerSoccer.com’s list of the nation’s top 100 college players. She is remembered as one of the most accomplished defenders in UCF women’s soccer history.
Octavious Freeman, Track & Field, 2012-13
One of the most decorated sprinters in UCF history, Freeman earned nine First Team All-America honors during two remarkable seasons. She became the first true freshman selected to The Bowerman Watch List and earned four First Team All-America honors as a freshman in the indoor 60- and 200-meter dashes and outdoor 100- and 200-meter dashes. Freeman recorded UCF’s highest NCAA finish at the time by placing second in the 60 meters at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships. She won five NCAA medals as a sophomore, taking bronze in the indoor 60 and 200 meters before earning silver in the outdoor 100 meters and 4x100 relay. Freeman helped UCF finish fifth at the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships, the best national finish in program history, and became part of the first UCF relay team to earn a top-three finish at an NCAA Championship. She helped the Knights win four Conference USA team championships during her career and was named Conference USA Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year in both 2012 and 2013. Freeman won six individual or relay conference championships and captured the silver medal in the 100 meters at the 2013 USA Outdoor Championships, clocking a school-record 10.87 seconds to qualify for the World Championships. She joined teammate Aurieyall Scott as the first collegiate teammates in NCAA history to run under 10.97 seconds in the 100 meters. Freeman established herself as one of the fastest women in the world and helped elevate UCF track and field to national prominence.
Mike Kruczek, Football Coach, 1985-2003
Kruczek spent 19 seasons helping build the foundation of the UCF football program, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1985-97 before leading the Knights as head coach from 1998-2003. He helped guide UCF through its rise from Division II to the Football Bowl Subdivision. Kruczek developed a succession of prolific quarterbacks and directed offenses that established UCF as one of the nation’s most exciting emerging programs. Promoted to head coach in 1998, he immediately led the Knights to a 9-2 record, the program’s best season at the FBS level at the time. He guided quarterback Daunte Culpepper through an All-America season in which he finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting and set an NCAA single-season completion percentage record. Kruczek coached UCF to a 36-30 record over six seasons, including three consecutive winning campaigns from 2000-02. He led UCF to a landmark 40-38 victory at Alabama in 2000, the Knights’ first win over a program from a Bowl Championship Series automatic-qualifying conference. Kruczek guided UCF into its first football conference affiliation as a member of the Mid-American Conference in 2002, finishing second in the East Division during the Knights’ inaugural season. His impact as a coach, teacher and architect of UCF’s offensive identity helped position the program for its continued growth on the national stage.
McKenzie Milton, Football, 2016-20
One of the most accomplished and beloved players in UCF football history, Milton led the Knights to a 27-6 record as their starting quarterback. He guided UCF to consecutive American Athletic Conference championships and New Year’s Six bowl appearances in 2017 and 2018. Milton directed the Knights to a perfect 13-0 season and a Peach Bowl victory over Auburn in 2017, followed by another undefeated regular season in 2018. He helped UCF win a program-record 25 consecutive games and became the first player in American Athletic Conference history to earn consecutive Offensive Player of the Year awards. Milton finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2017 and sixth in 2018. He earned first-team all-conference honors twice and was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and a semifinalist for the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Davey O’Brien awards. Milton completed one of the most productive seasons in school history in 2017, passing for 4,037 yards and 37 touchdowns while accounting for 45 total scores. Milton finished his UCF career with 8,683 passing yards, 72 touchdown passes, 9,761 yards of total offense and 92 touchdowns responsible for. He recorded 12 career 300-yard passing games and two 400-yard performances. Milton inspired teammates and fans throughout his recovery from a devastating leg injury suffered in November 2018. His leadership, competitive spirit and connection with Knight Nation made him one of the defining figures in the history of UCF Athletics.
Emily Mottola, Volleyball, 1992-95
A four-time all-conference setter who competed at UCF as Emily Queisser, Mottola earned All-ASUN Second Team honors in each of her first three seasons before receiving first-team recognition in 1995. She was named the 1995 ASUN Player of the Year and the 1994 ASUN Championship Most Valuable Player. Mottola became one of the first two players in program history to earn AVCA All-Region honors in 1995. She helped UCF capture four consecutive ASUN championships from 1992-95 as part of the program’s six-year run of conference titles and led the Knights to the 1993 NIVC and consecutive NCAA Championship appearances in 1994 and 1995. Mottola played a central role during one of the most successful eras in UCF volleyball history. She remains UCF’s career leader with 5,923 assists and 156 matches played, while three of her four seasons rank among the top four in program history for single-season assists. Mottola also ranks among the program’s career leaders in service aces, sets played and digs, including second with 201 aces. Her court vision, consistency and leadership established a benchmark for generations of UCF setters who followed.
BJ Taylor, Men’s Basketball, 2014-19
One of the most productive guards in UCF men’s basketball history, Taylor finished his career with 1,618 points, 456 made free throws, 324 assists and 180 three-point field goals. He ranks seventh in program history in career scoring and fourth in UCF’s Division I era. Taylor tied the program record for career free throws made and ranked sixth in both assists and three-pointers at the conclusion of his career. He led UCF in scoring during all four seasons in which he competed. Taylor became the first UCF player to earn American Athletic Conference First Team honors in 2019 after receiving second-team recognition in 2017. He was the first Knight in UCF’s Division I era to average at least 15 points in three consecutive seasons. Taylor was named to the AAC All-Rookie Team in 2015 after leading all conference freshmen in scoring. He finished his career as a three-time all-conference performer and four-time team captain. Taylor helped lead UCF to the 2017 NIT semifinals and the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory in 2019. He scored a team-high 15 points in the Knights’ first-round NCAA win over VCU and added 15 against Duke in the second round. Taylor set UCF’s single-season record with 187 made free throws as a senior. He signed with the Los Angeles Clippers and competed professionally in the NBA G League following his UCF career. His scoring ability, leadership and hometown connection made him a central figure in one of the most successful periods in program history.
