Through two seasons as members of the Sun Belt Conference, UCF men’s soccer head coach Scott Calabrese has firmly entrenched his squad within the upper echelon of the program’s new league.
The Knights in 2024 concluded their second campaign with at least seven wins since joining the Sun Belt prior to the 2023 season, and in just two years in the conference have accumulated one MLS SuperDraft selection (Anderson Rosa), three major conference post-season award winners (Calabrese – 2023 Coach of the Year; Clarence Awoudor – 2023 Newcomer of the Year; Saku Heiskanen – 2023 Freshman of the Year), seven All-Conference selections, four United Soccer Coaches All-Region appointments, and two top-three regular-season conference finishes.
UCF has also demonstrated its ability to compete with the nation’s best in that span, going undefeated in four of its eight contests against ranked opponents with each match finishing with a score margin of two or fewer goals.
On the heels of the team’s seven-win 2024 slate, UCF boasts an aggregate .609 win percentage in its first two seasons in the Sun Belt, accompanied by a dominant 10-4-2 mark in 2023 that saw the Black and Gold, most notably, earn the first national No. 1 ranking, and later unanimous national No. 1 ranking, in a regular-season poll of any athletics program in school history.
The Knights’ depth was on display throughout the fall ‘24 campaign, as 13 different players scored at least one goal, highlighted by a pair of braces by players in their first collegiate seasons and a hat trick by one of the more prolific goal-scorers in program history, Lucca Dourado.
Dourado and fellow senior Jonas Fritschi both earned in-season league honors as well, garnering Sun Belt Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week for their efforts in UCF’s 4-0 win over South Carolina on Senior Night. The pair joined Zane Bubb, Juanvi Muñoz and Robbie Soronellas as the fourth and fifth players in the last two seasons to be recognized in the league’s weekly honors.
Calabrese, who played a pivotal role in bringing Dourado and Rosa to Orlando prior to their respective collegiate debuts in the 2020-21 season, saw Rosa complete his college career without missing a single match. The defender finished the 2024 season as the program’s all-time leader in career games played, appearing in each of the Knights’ 76 matches over his five seasons.
The Knights kicked off their inaugural season in the Sun Belt in 2023 with an immediate statement victory, toppling the eventual 2023 National Champion and then-No. 9 Clemson Tigers on the road in their Aug. 24 season-opener by a 2-1 final score.
The winning effort, coupled with UCF’s 4-0-2 start overall, would help vault the Knights into the United Soccer Coaches national rankings from week one through the end of the season.
En route to earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth since the 2020-21 season, the Black and Gold also earned ranked draws with then-No. 4 West Virginia (2-2) and then-No. 11 FIU (2-2) before rattling off a season long six-game win streak Sept. 29–Oct. 27.
Rosa aided in keeping his program within national headlines even after the conclusion of the season, when he became the 13th in program history to be selected in the MLS SuperDraft with his second-round selection by the Colorado Rapids Dec. 19, 2023. He was also the sixth to be drafted in Calabrese’s UCF tenure, joining Gino Vivi (2023, LA Galaxy), Nick Taylor (2022, Orlando City), Yanis Leerman (2022, Chicago Fire), Cal Jennings (2020, FC Dallas) and Jonathan Dean (2020, Orlando City).
The early and immediate success for Calabrese’s Knights in the Sun Belt comes on the heels of a strong final six years as members of the American Athletic Conference from 2017-2022. UCF earned four AAC conference titles (three regular season, one tournament) under Calabrese, while authoring two double-digit win seasons, four seasons with at least nine wins and five with at least eight wins.
The most successful era of Calabrese’s run in The American came between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, when UCF produced 13-3-3 and 15-3-2 records, respectively, en route to consecutive AAC regular-season championships and NCAA Tournament berths. With Calabrese’s guidance, the Knights earned two Offensive Player of the Year awards (Jennings 2x), two Midfielder of the Year awards (Louis Perez, 2018; Yoni Sorokin, 2019), two Goalkeeper of the Year awards (Yannik Oettl 2x), one Freshman of the Year award (Gino Vivi, 2019), and two Coaching Staff of the Year awards (2018-19) in that span.
Calabrese spent the previous three seasons before coming to UCF at FIU, taking the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in over 10 years by capturing the 2015 Conference USA Championship. He helped the Panthers to consecutive appearances in the finals at the C-USA Championship.
The Newton, Conn., native has been known for building programs and started the program at East Tennessee State in 2008. In three short years, he guided the Bucs to the 2010 Atlantic Sun Championship behind 10 shutout victories, earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The 2010 NSCAA South Region Coach of the Year tallied four seasons with 10-or-more victories and aided ETSU to the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
Prior to taking the head coaching position at ETSU, Calabrese served four seasons as an assistant at Clemson from 2003-06. He aided the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 2005 College Cup and a No. 1 national ranking. He additionally worked as the director of the Clemson Soccer Academy, which hosts over 1,800 youth soccer players a year.
As a part of the coaching staff at North Carolina from 2000-01, he helped the Tar Heels to a pair of Elite Eight appearances, which included the 2001 National Championship and 2000 ACC Championship.
He has ties to the central Florida area, beginning his career as an assistant coach at Stetson from 1998-99.
Calabrese also has a connection to UCF women's soccer head coach Tiffany Roberts-Sahaydak, who he coached professionally as a member of the Carolina Courage (WUSA) coaching staff in 2002. He helped guide the Courage as an assistant coach to the Founder's Cup that season.
Calabrese graduated from Bryant College with a degree in business administration. He also holds an "A" coaching license and is a Level I and II certified goalkeeping instructor with the NSCAA.
The Calabrese File
Hometown – Newton, Conn.
Family – Wife, Farrell; Children Kai, Lucca and Kingsley
Education – Bryant College, 1995
Head Coaching Highlights
- Seven NCAA Tournament Appearances (2010, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020-21, 2023)
- Two NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Appearances (2019, 2020-21)
- Four Conference Tournament Titles (A-Sun – 2010, 2013; C-USA – 2015, American – 2020-21)
- Three regular-season conference titles (American – 2018, 2019, 2020-21)
- Three-time Conference Coach of the Year (A-Sun – 2010; C-USA – 2015, Sun Belt – 2023)
- Two-time Conference Coaching Staff of the Year (American – 2018, 2019)
- Nine years with 10+ victories
- 2010 NSCAA South Region Coach of the Year
- 2015 NSCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year
- Began ETSU program in 2008
Assistant Coaching Highlights
- Five NCAA Tournament appearances
- Advanced to two NCAA College Cups
- 2001 National Champion (at North Carolina)
- Directed the Clemson Soccer Academy
- Coached professionally with the Carolina Courage (WUSA) and captured the 2002 Founder's Cup
Coaching Record
| Year | Overall Record | Win Percentage | Conference Record | Conference Win Percentage |
| 2008 (ETSU) | 6-10-1 | .382 | 1-7-1 | .167 |
| 2009 (ETSU) | 6-9-3 | .417 | 4-4-1 | .500 |
| 2010 (ETSU) | 15-6-0 | .714 | 7-2-0 | .778 |
| 2011 (ETSU) | 10-7-4 | .571 | 3-4-1 | .438 |
| 2012 (ETSU) | 10-6-4 | .600 | 5-2-1 | .688 |
| 2013 (ETSU) | 10-6-4 | .600 | 5-2-1 | .688 |
| 2014 (FIU) | 6-9-1 | .406 | 2-6-0 | .250 |
| 2015 (FIU) | 12-7-1 | .625 | 3-4-1 | .438 |
| 2016 (FIU) | 10-7-2 | .579 | 5-2-1 | .688 |
| 2017 (UCF) | 8-6-2 | .563 | 4-2-1 | .643 |
| 2018 (UCF) | 13-3-3 | .763 | 5-1-1 | .786 |
| 2019 (UCF) | 15-3-2 | .800 | 6-0-1 | .929 |
| 2020-21 (UCF) | 9-4-1 | .679 | 7-3-0 | .700 |
| 2021 (UCF) | 9-8-0 | .529 | 6-4-0 | .600 |
| 2022 (UCF) | 6-7-0 | .462 | 3-6-0 | .333 |
| 2023 (UCF) | 10-4-2 | .688 | 6-2-1 | .722 |
| 2024 (UCF) | 7-6-3 | .531 | 5-4-0 | .556 |
| Total | 162-108-33 | .589 | 77-55-11 | .577 |