ORLANDO – UCF Athletics honored six Knights whose accomplishments helped shape the program’s history Friday night, welcoming its 2026 Hall of Fame class during an induction ceremony at the Celeste Hotel.
This year’s class featured 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.
"Tonight, we welcome another outstanding class," said UCF Vice President and Director of Athletics, Terry Mohajir. "These individuals gave Knight Nation unforgettable moments. But their legacy is about more than wins, records and championships. It’s about sacrifice, overcoming adversity, being great teammates and representing this university with pride.
"College athletics is changing, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. Education matters. Competition matters. Teamwork matters. And being part of something bigger than yourself matters. Those lessons stay with you long after the game is over. To our Varsity Knights and our inductees, you are proof of what our current athletes get to do here at UCF. And it is our goal to make sure our athletes today, are sitting right where you are tomorrow."
The UCF Athletics Hall of Fame Class of ‘26 ✨ McKenzie Milton ✨ Mike Kruczek ✨ Octavious Freeman ✨ Marissa Diggs ✨ Emily Mottola ✨ BJ Taylor https://t.co/VIKXk28nR3
— UCF Knights 🌴 (@UCFKnights) October 24, 2026
The celebration continues Saturday when the inductees will be recognized during UCF’s Homecoming football game against BYU at Acrisure Bounce House. With the addition of the six honorees, the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame now includes 116 inductees.
Emceed by Voice of the Knights and fellow Hall of Famer Marc Daniels, the ceremony celebrated a class whose impact spans generations and five sports. Their careers helped establish new standards for the Knights, delivering championship moments, record-setting performances and national recognition.
The evening also highlighted the lasting value of the student-athlete experience, from the relationships formed through competition to the discipline and resilience that prepare Knights for life beyond their playing careers.
Established in 1998, the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame recognizes former student-athletes, teams, coaches and contributors whose achievements have advanced the program and brought distinction to the university.
Marissa Diggs | Women’s Soccer | 2010–13
Diggs anchored the Knights’ defense during one of the most successful stretches in UCF women’s soccer history. She earned All-America recognition in 2012 and 2013, becoming the program’s first two-time recipient since Michelle Akers.
Named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 and American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, Diggs earned first-team all-conference honors in each of her final three seasons. She helped UCF record 15 shutouts in 2012 and earned the conference tournament’s Defensive Most Valuable Player award after the Knights posted three consecutive shutouts to capture the title.
As a senior, she helped UCF claim the inaugural American regular-season and tournament championships. The Houston Dash selected Diggs with the 11th overall pick in the 2014 NWSL College Draft.
Octavious Freeman | Track and Field | 2012–13
Freeman helped propel UCF track and field onto the national stage with performances that placed her among the country’s elite sprinters.
In 2013, she earned NCAA indoor bronze medals in the 60 and 200 meters, contributing to UCF’s fifth-place team finish. She followed that performance with NCAA outdoor silver medals in the 100 meters and 4x100-meter relay, helping the Knights’ relay team earn the program’s first top-three finish at an NCAA Championship.
Freeman also represented UCF against the nation’s best at the 2013 USA Outdoor Championships, earning silver in the 100 meters with a school-record time of 10.87 seconds to qualify for the World Championships. Her speed and success helped establish a new standard for UCF’s sprint program.
Mike Kruczek | Football Coach | 1985–2003
Kruczek helped guide UCF football through nearly two decades of growth, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before becoming head coach in 1998.
He compiled a 36–30 record in six seasons as head coach, beginning with a 9–2 campaign in 1998. His tenure included UCF’s landmark victory at Alabama in 2000 and the Knights’ entry into the Mid-American Conference in 2002.
McKenzie Milton | Football | 2016–20
Milton helped lead UCF through a defining chapter in its football history, posting a 27–6 record as the Knights’ starting quarterback and helping the program reach consecutive American Athletic Conference championships and New Year’s Six bowl games.
The two-time American Offensive Player of the Year directed UCF’s perfect 13–0 national championship season in 2017, capped by a Peach Bowl victory over Auburn. He threw for 4,037 yards and 37 touchdowns that season.
Milton finished his UCF career with 8,683 passing yards, 72 touchdown passes and 9,761 yards of total offense. He returned to his alma mater as quarterbacks coach in December 2024, bringing his experience and connection to the program to the next generation of Knights.
Emily Mottola | Volleyball | 1992–95
Competing as Emily Queisser, Mottola helped UCF win four consecutive ASUN championships and reach the NCAA Tournament in 1994 and 1995.
A four-time all-conference setter, she earned ASUN Player of the Year honors in 1995 and conference tournament MVP recognition in 1994. Mottola holds UCF’s career records with 5,923 assists and 156 matches played, leaving a lasting legacy during a championship era for the program.
BJ Taylor | Men’s Basketball | 2014–19
An Orlando native, Taylor helped deliver some of the most memorable moments in UCF men’s basketball history while establishing himself as one of the program’s most productive guards.
Taylor finished his career with 1,618 points, 324 assists and 180 three-pointers. He became the first Knight in UCF’s Division I era to average at least 15 points in three consecutive seasons and the first UCF player to earn American Athletic Conference First Team honors.
As a senior in 2019, Taylor scored a team-high 15 points against VCU to help secure the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory. He added 15 points against Duke in the second round, closing his collegiate career on the sport’s biggest stage.