ORLANDO – Even after putting the finishing touches on his career night, redshirt junior forward Drew Hansen still shone the spotlight elsewhere.
“The team showed up, and even with a long weather delay, we just continued to do a lot of the right things,” he said. “All the goals I scored came off of guys who were doing the right things and being in the right places.”
Bolstered by his teammates, Hansen led his team’s charge with a prolific display Sunday evening, netting the first hat trick of his collegiate career in the UCF men’s soccer team’s 6-0 rout of the Florida Polytechnic Phoenix at the UCF Soccer Complex.
The contest represented a welcome return to form for the squad following a disappointing Tuesday showing against No. 18 Clemson, a matchup that saw the Tigers depart Orlando with a 4-1 victory that marked UCF’s first defeat of the young season.
In besting the Phoenix with a pair of three-goal halves Sunday evening, the Black and Gold notched their third triumphant effort of the fall and already the team’s fourth clean sheet in its first five showings, becoming the program’s first team since the 2003 Knights to notch at least four defensive shutouts in its first five games.
The Black and Gold also continued a strong early-season trend of limiting offensive chances for their opposition, as the squad for the fifth straight match to begin the season yielded fewer than 10 total shot attempts, a feat most recently accomplished by the 2018 Knights who surrendered six to Penn State, nine to UC Irvine, seven to Liberty, nine to Virginia Tech, and five to West Virginia.
“Our guys obviously were happy to get back on the field and play again after Clemson,” said head coach Scott Calabrese. “It was a good response from our team. I’m happy that we were able to be on the front foot for most of the night and be around the goal, and that will serve us well. For some guys, it helped their confidence, and it was a good performance.”
Hansen starred throughout a contest that was delayed just 17 minutes in by a nearly three-hour stoppage for lightning, producing the Knights’ third hat trick in the last three seasons.
With a three-goal outing Sunday, the Cleveland, North Carolina native recorded the 43rd hat trick in program history, joining 2025 Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year Lilian Ricol (vs. James Madison, Oct. 22, 2025) and longtime UCF great Lucca Dourado (vs. South Carolina, Nov. 1, 2024) to ensure his team at least one such showing in each of the last three campaigns.
The display also matched his previous single-season high in one game alone, as Hansen previously totaled three goals in both of the 2024 and 2025 seasons, and marked his second career multi-goal affair as well, joining his Oct. 23, 2024 brace against the Kentucky Wildcats.
The owner of the Knights’ first goal of the contest, Hansen also clinched his fourth career game-winning goal and first of the season, coming on the heels of a 2025 Sun Belt Conference Tournament that saw UCF’s No. 18 record back-to-back game-winners against fourth-seeded Georgia Southern and top-seeded No. 19 Kentucky en route to the program’s first Sun Belt Conference title.
He broke the ice with the game’s first score in the 17th minute of action, just before inclement weather forced the lengthy delay, and hours later picked up where he left off with the Black and Gold’s second tally of the evening in the 21st minute.
Freshman forward Alex Partera then found the back of the net for the second time in as many games to round out the Knights’ three-goal first half, and Kenn Muendo netted his second score of the season early in the second frame.
Hansen appeared to clinch his milestone in the 74th minute, but a long strike glanced off the leg of teammate Joachim Kyei on its way in, and the former was credited with the primary assist for the latter’s first career NCAA Division I score.
Hansen then officially locked up his hat trick with a score in the 80th minute of action, taking a long feed from Abraham Monsee past a pair of Phoenix defenders before his fifth shot attempt of the contest found its way past the Florida Polytechnic netminder.
“I’m super excited,” Hansen continued. “It’s a great opportunity to help the team, thankful that my Lord has allowed me support the team and support the school, and it’s always good to get the win as a team.”
UP NEXT
The Knights look to carry their momentum back on the road, as the squad will begin a three-game stretch away from home in Richmond, Virginia against VCU Sept. 11. Opening kick is set for 7 p.m. Friday evening and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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.