ORLANDO - Following a sweep against Texas Tech, UCF Volleyball travels to Arizona for a match against Arizona State Friday at 9 p.m. ET before heading slightly south to compete against Arizona Sunday at 2 p.m. After a challenging start to Big 12 play, the Knights have found their rhythm within the conference, running on a three-game win streak against Houston, West Virginia and Texas Tech. Both matches are set to be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available on StatBroadcast.
Back in the Win Column
The Knights secured their first three Big 12 wins of the season in a trio of strong displays. For the second consecutive season, UCF bested the Cougars in Houston in five sets, as the Black and Gold tallied 14 blocks, their second most of the season. Sophomore Mikayla Porter boasted a career-high 51 assists in the road win. Back at home, the Knights took care of business in four sets against West Virginia on the back of a season-high 11 service aces. On the road once more, UCF swept Texas Tech in dominant fashion, while Sasha Cohen tallied five kills on a .455 clip.
Setting the Stage
The Knights hit the road once more this weekend, venturing to #10 Arizona State Friday before heading to Arizona Sunday. UCF will look for its first win against the pair of schools since joining the Big 12. The Sun Devils were voted ninth in the latest AVCA poll, dropping just two matches in league play, while the Wildcats are still looking to get their second Big 12 win of the season.
Head-to-Head
The Knights have a statistical advantage against both the Sun Devils and Wildcats in points per set, with the Black and Gold ranked fifth in the league at 17.25, ASU ranked sixth with 17.23 and Arizona ranked 15th with 14.87. UCF also towers above the Arizona teams in hitting percentage sporting .289 per match, compared to Arizona State and Arizona’s .246 and .191, respectively.
Non-Conference Recap
The Knights concluded their non-conference play with an 8-2 record, which included six sweeps and an overall set clip of 26-8. For the first time since 2022, the Black and Gold fired off four consecutive sweeps, defeating Davidson, Stetson, Virginia and UAlbany in commanding fashion. Against Power Four opponents, UCF went 2-2, which was highlighted by a pair of sweeps over NC State and Virginia and a 2-1 mark against ACC opponents.
Hitting Percentage
The Knights rank second in the Big 12 and 10th in the nation in hitting percentage, boasting a .289 clip through 12 matches. The mark is in large part due to the efforts of UCF’s middles, Ella Chapman and Sasha Cohen. Cohen ranks third in the league with a .402 clip, while Chapman is firing on a .400 clip of her own. The Knights have hit .280 or higher in 12 matches this season and have eclipsed .300 on nine occasions. The .289 team clip would be the best hitting percentage for the Black and Gold since the 2022 season, when the program tallied a .315 clip that ranked third in the nation.
Freshman Sensation
Freshman Natasha Casey has made her mark through her first 19 collegiate matches, and stands as the NCAA leader in aces per set (0.81). The Orlando native has downed two or more aces in 10 matches and three or more in nine contests. Against Kansas, Casey tallied six aces in four sets, while her career high of seven against Virginia came in just three sets. Casey is one of two freshmen in the top-15, and the national leader is looking to follow in Skylar English’s footsteps, who led the NCAA in 2025 with 0.71 aces per set.
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.