American Athletic Conference Archives | 麻豆原创 News Central Florida Research, Arts, Technology, Student Life and College News, Stories and More Tue, 16 Apr 2024 20:52:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/blogs.dir/20/files/2019/05/cropped-logo-150x150.png American Athletic Conference Archives | 麻豆原创 News 32 32 麻豆原创 Scores Big Postseason Win Over Florida Gators /news/ucf-scores-big-postseason-win-over-florida-gators/ Thu, 16 Mar 2023 21:12:26 +0000 /news/?p=134305 The men鈥檚 basketball team advanced to the second round of the NIT after a 67-49 win in Gainesville.

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The 麻豆原创 men’s basketball team was victorious in its National Invitation Tournament (NIT) first round matchup, dominating their in-state foe Florida, 67-49.

The Knights will now visit Oregon, the top seed of the region, on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET inside Matthew Knight Arena. The first meeting in program history between the Knights and Ducks will be televised on ESPNU.

“I thought our guys came ready and prepared, I think both teams played hard,” said 麻豆原创 head coach Johnny Dawkins. “After they got off to a 9-2 start, I thought our guys really locked in and were really focused. We were able to turn them over which gave us some chances to get some easy baskets and really get some momentum to end the first half.”

The Knights had a stellar defensive effort to thank for their first win in Gainesville in program history. Florida鈥檚 49 points marked the Gators鈥 lowest scoring performance on their home court since Jan. 13, 1962.

麻豆原创 flustered the Gators into committing 18 turnovers when the final buzzer sounded, the most in 麻豆原创’s NIT history.

Senior guard C.J. Kelly led the way for 麻豆原创 on the stat sheet, scoring 21 points while adding four rebounds and two assists. Freshman standout Taylor Hendricks added 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks while senior guard Ithiel Horton scored 12 points with four rebounds and three steals.

The Knights are now 22-8 against opposing schools from The Sunshine State during the Dawkins era. Two wins were added to that tally earlier this year as 麻豆原创 beat Florida State 68-54 on Nov. 11 and topped Stetson 73-58 on Dec. 21.

In the three victories over Florida foes this season, 麻豆原创 has outscored them by an average of 15.7 points.

“To me, it’s a really good win,” said Dawkins. “We look at it as we have a really good state with a lot of talented teams and really good coaches, and so I think the opportunity to play each other is always good and I’m glad we had the opportunity to play against the Gators today.”

The Knights advance past the first round of the NIT for the second time in program history in three total attempts. 麻豆原创’s 2016-17 team punched their second-round ticket with a 79-74 win at home over Colorado six years ago to the day, representing the program’s first postseason win. That victory sparked the Knights’ run to the NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York that season. The Black and Gold are now 4-2 all-time in the NIT.

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AAC Announces Plans for 2020 Fall Sports Seasons /news/aac-announces-plans-for-2020-fall-sports-seasons/ Wed, 05 Aug 2020 18:38:53 +0000 /news/?p=111617 “The health and safety of our student-athletes is our top priority as we face the challenges of the current global pandemic,” says American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco.

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The American Athletic Conference Board of Directors has announced the conference’s plan and timeline for the start of athletics competition for the Fall 2020 season.

Approval was unanimous after consultation with the conference’s COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group, athletic directors and senior woman administrators.

The plan calls for regular-season intraconference competition in football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball, capped by conference championship events in those sports, as well as men’s and women’s cross country. The American’s 12 member schools will be able to schedule nonconference competitions in fall sports at their discretion, but under the guidelines and protocols set by the Medical Advisory Group. The number of qualifying teams for conference championships in men’s soccer, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball has been reduced to four.

“The health and safety of our student-athletes is our top priority as we face the challenges of the current global pandemic,” says American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco. “With the guidance and advice of our Medical Advisory Group, which has done an outstanding job developing health and safety protocols, we have developed a collaborative and comprehensive plan that will allow us safely and sensibly to play our fall sports. Our plan provides us with the flexibility to adapt to potential disruptions to our schedules. I want to thank our board of directors, our Medical Advisory Group, athletic directors and senior woman administrators for their thoughtful input and approach to what is one of the most challenging situations we will face.”

FOOTBALL

In football, the plan calls for conference competition to begin Sept. 19 and for each of The American’s teams to play eight conference games on their originally scheduled dates. Nonconference games may be played at the discretion of the individual schools, with the understanding that the opponents will strictly adhere to protocols and standards for testing, pregame, in-game and postgame operations set by The American’s Medical Advisory Group. Depending on the need to potentially reschedule regular-season games, The American Football Championship will be played on either Dec. 5, 12 or 19 at the stadium of the regular-season champion. A decision regarding the date of the championship game will be made no earlier than Nov. 1.

CROSS COUNTRY

Institutions may schedule regular season cross country competitions at their discretion on or after Sept 1. The American Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31, at 4 Mile Creek Resort in Augusta, Kansas.

MEN’S SOCCER

The American’s six men’s soccer teams will play a 10-match double-round-robin schedule of conference matches. Conference matches will be played on Saturdays, beginning Sept. 5, but may be moved to Friday or Sunday if a conflict with a home football game exists. Midweek matches against nonconference opponents may be scheduled on or after Sept. 1 only if the opponent meets the standards and testing guidelines set by The American’s Medical Advisory Group. Midweek matches may not be scheduled if an institution would have to utilize air travel and/or an overnight hotel stay. The four-team 2020 American Men’s Soccer Championship will be held either Nov. 12 and 14 or Nov. 13 and 15 at the site of the No. 1 seed based on regular-season standings. In the event that the No. 1 seed is unable to host the championship due to travel restrictions or state or local regulations, the site shall be the campus of the next-highest seed.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

The American’s nine women’s soccer teams will play an eight-match single-round-robin schedule of conference matches. Conference matches will be played on Sundays, beginning Sept. 6. Midweek matches against nonconference opponents may be scheduled on or after Sept. 1 only if the opponent meets the standards and testing guidelines set by The American’s Medical Advisory Group. Midweek matches may not be scheduled if an institution would have to utilize air travel and/or an overnight hotel stay. The four-team 2020 American Women’s Soccer Championship will be held Nov. 6 and 8 at the site of the No. 1 seed based on regular-season standings. In the event that the No. 1 seed is unable to host the championship due to travel restrictions or state or local regulations, the site shall be the campus of the next-highest seed.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

The American will feature a two-division format in which each team will play the other teams in its division twice at the same site. The East Division will consist of 麻豆原创, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Temple and USF. The West Division will include Houston, Memphis, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State. Conference play will begin during the Sept. 24-27 weekend and will conclude the weekend of Nov. 12-15. Conference matches may be scheduled between Thursday and Sunday. Three weekends will be available for nonconference opportunities, on or after Sept. 1. The 2020 American Women’s Volleyball Championship will be held Nov. 21-22 at Fifth Third Arena on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. The top two teams from each division, based on regular-season standings, will qualify for the championship.

OTHER SPORTS

Decisions regarding Fall 2020 competition in the sports of baseball, softball, women’s lacrosse, women’s rowing, men’s and women’s golf and men’s and women’s tennis will be announced at a later date. Decisions for potential modifications to The American’s winter sports (basketball, swimming and diving, indoor track and field) will also be announced at a later date.

The American’s health and safety protocols developed by its Medical Advisory Group will be announced at a later date. The conference’s Medical Advisory Group will continue to meet regularly regarding protocols for the safe return of fall competition.

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麻豆原创 Places Record 302 on AAC All-Academic Team /news/ucf-places-record-302-on-aac-all-academic-team/ Thu, 30 Jul 2020 17:16:45 +0000 /news/?p=111487 In the spring, 麻豆原创 student-athletes extended their streak to 25 consecutive semesters with a department grade-point average of 3.0 or better.

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麻豆原创 placed a school record 302 student-athletes on the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team, which was announced by the league on Thursday.

The American’s All-Academic Team for 2019-20 features 54 members of the Knights’ rowing roster, 52 from the football team, 37 from track and field, 28 from women’s soccer, 23 from softball, 20 from baseball, 19 from men’s soccer, 12 each from women’s basketball, cross country and volleyball, eight from women’s tennis, seven from men’s golf鈥攑lus six each from women’s golf, men’s tennis and men’s basketball.

In May, 麻豆原创 student-athletes extended their record-setting streak in the classroom to 25 consecutive semesters with a department grade-point average of 3.0 or better. In addition to the 25 consecutive semesters of a 3.0 GPA, 麻豆原创 student-athletes also posted their seventh straight semester of a 3.2 GPA or better as a department.

Since 麻豆原创 Vice President and Director of Athletics Danny White’s arrival in Orlando, the Knights have not turned in a semester below a 3.0, starting at 3.01 in the spring of 2016. 麻豆原创 has posted a department-wide听GPA of 3.3 or better four times in the last five years. The top six marks in school history have come over the last seven semesters.

To be eligible for the American Athletic Conference All-Academic team, student-athletes must have competed in a conference-sponsored sport, attained a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 for the preceding academic year and completed a minimum of two consecutive semesters of academic work.

For a complete list of the Knights recognized on the all-academic teams, visit ucfknights.com.

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5 麻豆原创 Football Kickoff Times for 2019 Now Official /news/five-ucf-football-kickoff-times-2019-now-official/ Thu, 30 May 2019 18:00:23 +0000 /news/?p=97963 The Knights will start the year with primetime matchups on CBS Sports Network.

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Kickoff times and television plans for five 麻豆原创 2019 football games听鈥 including the Knights鈥 first three contests of the season听鈥 were announced today.

CBS Sports Network will broadcast the first two 麻豆原创 games, both in prime time. 麻豆原创’s season opener against Florida A&M on Thursday, Aug. 29, at Spectrum Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Campus will close at 2 p.m. that day, and more information about the closure, tailgating and parking will be announced closer to game day.

The Knights will then travel to Florida Atlantic for a 7 p.m. ET matchup Sept. 7.

麻豆原创’s Sept. 14 home game against Stanford will kick at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be shown by ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 (that network decision will be made after the second week of games).

Times for two other Friday night road games were announced: 8 p.m. ET at Cincinnati (Oct. 4) on ESPN and 7 p.m. ET at Tulsa (Nov. 8) on ESPN2.

The War on I4 rivalry matchup against South Florida will air on ABC or ESPN, with the kick time to be determined.

麻豆原创 enters the season as the back-to-back reigning conference champion.听If the Knights again qualify for the American Athletic Conference Championship on Dec. 7, that game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be shown on ABC.

Family weekend is scheduled for 麻豆原创’s Sept. 28 conference opener against UConn, and the Knights will face ECU for their Homecoming weekend matchup Oct. 19. 麻豆原创 will once again host the fan-favorite Space Game on Nov. 2 against Houston.

Here鈥檚 a complete look at the 麻豆原创 schedule for 2019 (home games listed in bold):

Thursday, Aug. 29: vs. Florida A&M (7:30 p.m. ET | CBSSN)

Saturday, Sept. 7: at Florida Atlantic (7 p.m. ET | CBSSN)

Saturday, Sept. 14: vs. Stanford (3:30 p.m. | ABC or ESPN or ESPN2)

Saturday, Sept. 21: at Pittsburgh (Time and Network TBD)

Saturday, Sept. 28: vs. UConn (Time and Network TBD)

Friday, Oct. 4: at Cincinnati (8 p.m. ET | ESPN)

Saturday, Oct. 19: vs. ECU (Time and Network TBD)

Saturday, Oct. 26: at Temple (Time and Network TBD)

Saturday, Nov. 2: vs. Houston听(Time and Network TBD)

Friday, Nov. 8: at Tulsa (7 p.m. ET | ESPN2)

Saturday, Nov. 23: at Tulane听(Time and Network TBD)

Friday, Nov. 29: USF听(Time TBD | ABC or ESPN)

 

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Knights Move Up Football Rankings, Prepare for AAC Championship on Saturday /news/knights-move-football-rankings-prepare-aac-championship-saturday/ /news/knights-move-football-rankings-prepare-aac-championship-saturday/#comments Mon, 27 Nov 2017 18:12:04 +0000 /news/?p=79675 The 麻豆原创 football team capped its first undefeated regular season in program history with a 49-42 War On I-4 win against USF on Friday night. The Knights (11-0, 8-0) moved up in the national polls to 11th and 12th on Sunday.

The Knights will put their perfect record on the line next Saturday in The American Athletic Conference Championship Game against Memphis at Spectrum Stadium. The game will be televised on ABC at Noon.

The Tigers were ranked 14th in the Coaches Poll and 16th in the AP Top 25. For tickets to the conference championship, call听(407) 823-1000.

The Black and Gold jumped onespot in both the USA TODAY Amway Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25 following the win over the Bulls, which gave the Knights the American Athletic Conference East Division crown.

The ranking of 11th by the Coaches Poll was the highest ever for the Knights, surpassing the previous mark of 12 from last week and at the conclusion of the 2013 campaign. The highest ranking for 麻豆原创 in the AP Poll was 10th at the end of the 2013 season.听Despite the loss last week, USF remained in the polls, checking it at 23rd in the Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.

The Knights have scored more than 30 points in all 11 games this season and boast one of the top offenses in the nation. The team ranks听first in scoring and total touchdowns, second in pass efficiency, third in completion percentage and sixth in total offense.

麻豆原创 has been featured in the Top 25 for the last nine weeks.

]]> /news/knights-move-football-rankings-prepare-aac-championship-saturday/feed/ 1 What You Need to Know: 麻豆原创 Takes On USF Before Sellout Crowd /news/need-know-ucf-takes-usf-sellout-crowd/ Mon, 20 Nov 2017 19:08:01 +0000 /news/?p=79628 The undefeated, 12th-ranked 麻豆原创 Knights football team will host 鈥淲ar on I-4鈥 rival 19th-ranked USF Friday, Nov. 24, in a game that will decide the American Athletic Conference East Division championship. Here are all the details you need to know.

The winner clinches the east division and advances to the conference championship against West Division champ and 16th-ranked Memphis.

Tickets

This game is a sell out. Those with free student tickets must present their ticket and student ID at student gates 6-9 before kickoff at 3:30 p.m. or risk not be allowed to enter. Those with student guest tickets also must enter the stadium before kickoff. Student gates open at 1:30 p.m.; and all gates will be open at 2 p.m.

Free student tickets听are available at the stadium box office until 5 p.m. Tuesday and at the Women’s Basketball game on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

Clear Bags Required

To provide a safer environment and expedite the entry process, 麻豆原创 will continue a clear bag policy that took effect last season. Fans are encouraged to not bring any bags, but if you do, visit www.麻豆原创GameDay.com and click on the clear bag graphic to see what bags are permitted.

Entertainment

IOA Plaza in front of Spectrum Stadium will have inflatables for kids, a monster truck display and more than a dozen sponsor tents with giveaways.

On the IOA Plaza Concert Series stage, catch performer Justin Grimes at 12:30 p.m. and Seth Ennis at 2:15. The Monster Motocross team will put on high-flying shows at 12:45, 1:45 and 2:45 p.m.

Fans won鈥檛 want to miss what is expected to be the biggest ever Knight Walk at 1:20 p.m., when the team arrives and enters the stadium. Later, at 2:30 p.m., the 麻豆原创 Marching Knights leads fans in the March to Victory to the stadium from the intersection of Gemini Boulevard and East Plaza Drive.

Parking, Towing and Traffic

Because the game falls on a weekday when the university is closed, 麻豆原创 will follow the usual policies for Saturday games.

Beginning at 5 a.m. Friday, all unauthorized vehicles in Garages C, D, F and H, plus Lots B4, B7, C2-C3, D1-D2 and E1-E8 and on East Plaza Drive will be subject to towing.

For fans with proper parking permits, Baseball, Softball, E Lots and Garage F Lots open at 8 a.m. All other lots open at 9:30 a.m.

Tailgating spots on Memory Mall are all taken, but spots outside the mall don鈥檛 require reservations.

Cash parking in Garage H is available to all fans on game day, with proceeds supporting first-generation scholarships.

Gemini Boulevard North between East Plaza and West Plaza drives will be closed to vehicular traffic prior to and during tailgating each game day. The road will be reopened at the discretion of law enforcement following the conclusion of tailgating.

To expedite postgame traffic, North Orion Boulevard will only be open to traffic traveling from Gemini Boulevard to McCulloch Road starting at 5 p.m. until postgame traffic is cleared. Vehicles will not be able to enter campus from McCulloch Road during that time.

Stadium Information

Entering the Spectrum Stadium through the gate closest to your section will ensure fans can get to their seats quickly. To see what gate you should enter the stadium based on the section stated on your ticket, see Spectrum Stadium info.

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Women’s Soccer Clinches Regular Season American Conference Title /news/womens-soccer-clinches-regular-season-american-conference-title/ Mon, 30 Oct 2017 18:58:34 +0000 /news/?p=79395 The No. 7 麻豆原创 women’s soccer team clinched the American Athletic Conference regular season title after playing USF to a 1-1 double overtime draw on Friday night at the 麻豆原创 Soccer Stadium.

“I was actually really nervous for this game, because I want it so badly for this team and the seniors,” 麻豆原创 head coach听Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak听said. “I am so proud of the senior class. Watching them be happy is the best thing for me. I wanted this so badly for them tonight. It is just so sweet. I am proud to see them celebrating. They know that we are not done yet. We are not done yet at all. We made a lot of goals this season and they got that done.”

麻豆原创 (12-1-2, 7-0-2 The American) entered the match with a one-point lead in the American Athletic Conference standings. The Knights would clinch the regular season title, and the right to host the conference tournament, with a victory or a draw.

The Knights fell behind less than a minute before halftime when USF (11-3-1, 7-1-1 The American) converted a penalty kick.

Feeding off the energy of the crowd 鈥 a season-best 1,410, the Knights began their rally in the second half. In the 58th minute, senior听Morgan Ferrara听found freshman听Dina Orschmann听in the box, setting up the equalizer.

Junior听Vera Varis听came up with two saves in both overtime periods to keep it a tie game. After 110 minutes, the teams remained locked at 1-1, leading to the draw.

麻豆原创 and USF will each earn three points in the听War on I4听rivalry series. The Bulls now lead 9-3.

麻豆原创 captured its fourth title in The American.

  • Friday’s result led to the Knights third regular season conference championship in The American, and its fourth overall in the league.
  • 麻豆原创 won the regular season in both 2013 and 2014, while also capturing the 2013 tournament title.
  • The Knights have now won 22听conference championships in program history, dating back to 1993 when 麻豆原创 was in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
  • The Knights kept it rolling.

  • 麻豆原创’s unbeaten streak reached 14 matches with the result against USF.
  • The Knights have not lost a contest since the season opener on Aug. 18
  • 麻豆原创’s 14-match unbeaten streak is its longest since the 2013 campaign when the Knights posted a school-record 18-match unbeaten streak.
  • NEXT UP
    麻豆原创 will host the 2017 American Athletic Conference Championship beginning Nov. 1. The Knights return to action on Nov. 3 and will face the winner of the 4-5 matchup at 7 p.m.

    BECOME A PART OF THE WATCH
    Membership to Knights Watch, the official supporters group of 麻豆原创 Soccer, begins at $15 for students and $50 for fans. Packages include tickets to all home contests for men’s and women’s soccer, a Knights Watch T-Shirt, a soccer scarf and a variety of free catered tailgates.re.

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    Game Day Kickoff 2017: 20 Reasons to Get Excited for 麻豆原创 Knights Football /news/countdown-ucf-knights-kickoff-2017/ Sun, 27 Aug 2017 18:00:50 +0000 /news/?p=78569 Kickoff to the 麻豆原创 Football season is just days away. To whet your appetite for your first visit of the season to Spectrum Stadium, we’ve compiled a list of the Top 20 features that are new in 2017.听We’ve got virtually everything you could want in a college football game day covered. When you combine all the great previous elements of 麻豆原创 game day with all these amazing new items, Spectrum Stadium for 麻豆原创 Football is the place to be this fall.

    1. Stadium Club听We’ve converted the concourse area on the west side of the stadium into a new premium space and added chairback seats to many sections on the west side of Spectrum Stadium. Fans in these areas now have access to dedicated food and drink options, as well as plenty of other amenities.

    2. Expanded Carl Black and Gold Cabana听We’ve added a premium club space to the concourse on the east side of the stadium. This brand-new space, along with added chairback seats to many sections on the east side of Spectrum Stadium, serve as an expanded Carl Black & Gold Cabana. Fans in these areas now have even more access to dedicated food and drink options, as well as plenty of other amenities.

    3. Field Cabanas听Some of the best seats in the house will be on the field. These unique spaces combine great premium amenities with the ability to get closer to the action than ever before. Patrons of the field cabanas also have access to a new lounge space, available to them before, during and after the game.

    4. New student sections in both end zones听Our opponents will be facing the Knightmare no matter which direction their offense is heading. In addition, more of our student fans will be closer to the field than ever before.

    5. Reserved Student Knights Club (SKC) section听The SKC is our new student donor group.

    6. #麻豆原创lags听Fans are encouraged to plant and fly their flags at their homes, on their cars, at work and at their tailgates. And make sure to represent the Knights with the #麻豆原创lags hashtag on your favorite social media platform.

    7. New ribbon board听A new LED display has been installed above the south end of the stadium, giving fans at the north end a great view of the score, time remaining and other cool content.

    8. New concessions

  • Papa Johns Pizza will be available in two concession stands (between gates 5-6 and gates 14-15).
  • Boar’s Head sandwiches will be available in two concession stands (between gates 5-6 and gates 14-15).
  • 4 Rivers BBQ will be available in one concession stand (by gate 10).
  • Nathan’s hot dog kiosks will be set up in several locations on the concourse.
  • 9. New catering partner in premium areas听The food just got that much better if you’re sitting in the Carl Black & Gold Cabana, Roth Tower or the new Stadium Club.

    10. Student concessions specials听Hot dogs and bottles of water will be $2 each with your valid 麻豆原创 student ID at concession stands near Gates 9 and 16.

    11. More free ice water听There will now be four free ice water stations on the concourse 鈥 two in the OneStop Cool Zones and two provided by the Student Government Association under the student sections.

    12. More of your social content on the video and ribbon boards Share your game day fun on social media and see if your posts make the big screen.

    13. Season Ticket Holder of the Game听.

    14. New 麻豆原创 Knights App features听Additional features include game day maps, timelines, in-stadium push notifications and corporate sponsor discounts for fans.

    15. New performers for the free Tailgate Concert Series Headliners include Luke Combs, Drake White, Seth Ennis and many others. These free concerts begin two hours prior to kickoff and are held just west of Spectrum Stadium on IOA Plaza.

    16. New experiences on IOA Plaza
  • Supreme Party Machine Game Truck in IOA Plaza prior to Memphis game
  • Salsa dance lessons and Domino Tournament in IOA Plaza prior to Georgia Tech game
  • Splash Dogs competing on IOA Plaza prior to the Maine game
  • 17. The return of new OYO Sports 麻豆原创 figurines for Junior Knight Program
    OYO Sports are licensed collectible听mini-figures designed to be compatible with major building block toys, such as Lego.

    18. Ride share听Ride-sharing drivers will drop off and pick up patrons near the stadium. The rides-share lot (E3) located in front of the Wayne Densch Sports Center (football building).

    19. Additional Waterfront parking in the Softball Lot

    20. Updated game day Park & Ride and Courtesy Shuttles from all sides of campus

    Bonus听The Knights will add many more uniform combinations this year, with the addition of two new jerseys and a new color for pants.

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    Knights to Begin Tailgating for Weekend Basketball Games /news/knights-begin-tailgating-weekend-basketball-games/ Fri, 06 Jan 2017 20:43:36 +0000 /news/?p=75560 Tailgating isn’t just for football anymore. 麻豆原创 fans will now have the opportunity to tailgate prior to weekend basketball games in January and February, vice president and Director of Athletics Danny White announced Friday.

    “Not many campuses across the country have the kind of weather to make tailgating a possibility during basketball season,” White said. “This is going to give our fans a unique experience that can be found very few places, if any, throughout the collegiate basketball landscape.”

    Tailgating for men’s basketball games will take place on Memory Mall and open four hours before tip-off.听There are four weekend American Athletic Conference games on the schedule, beginning with the Knights’ Jan. 14 game against Houston.

  • Saturday, Jan. 14, vs. Houston (4 p.m. game, tailgating opens at noon)
  • Saturday, Feb. 4, vs. Memphis (5 p.m. game, tailgating opens at 1 p.m.)
  • Saturday, Feb. 11, vs. UConn (6 p.m. game, tailgating opens at 2 p.m.)
  • Sunday, Feb. 26, vs. Cincinnati (3 p.m. game, tailgating opens at 11 a.m.)
  • Registration for each tailgate will be open to 麻豆原创 students and anyone with a ticket to that day’s game (season or single game). Registration will open at 6 p.m. on the Sunday prior to the games. Fans can register at Knightsonthemall.com.

    A live DJ will be featured on the mall, and 麻豆原创 fans are encouraged to bring tents, chairs, food and coolers to enjoy the experience.

    The first 500 students in attendance at the tailgate on Jan. 14 will receive a Knightmare T-shirt for the game against the Cougars.

    For tickets call 407-麻豆原创-1000 or click听here.

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    Basketball Team’s Student Manager Plays in Game to Help Bench /news/knight-basketball-teams-student-manager-plays-game-help-depleted-bench/ Thu, 22 Dec 2016 19:10:59 +0000 /news/?p=75472 鈥淐atotti, untuck your warm-up, you鈥檙e going in.鈥

    Those words from 麻豆原创 Director of Player Development Ricardo Greer with just under three minutes to play in Wednesday night鈥檚 71-41 rout of Bethune-Cookman may have been the most memorable in the life of Knights junior Anthony Catotti.

    A student manager with the 麻豆原创 men鈥檚 basketball team since his freshman year, Catotti was added to the roster and began suiting up with the Knights鈥 for their third game of the season, a 60-40 win over Charleston, back on Nov. 18.

    Because of a number of transfer players sitting out, and a couple of injuries early in the season, 麻豆原创 is working with a depleted bench. With that in mind, 麻豆原创 head coach Johnny Dawkins made the decision to give Catotti the opportunity to be on the team.

    鈥淚t was the greatest moment of my life until last night,鈥 Catotti said of finding out he was going to be a member of the team. 鈥淭here鈥檚 never been anyone more proud to put on the 麻豆原创 uniform than I was that first game. Every time I put it on, it鈥檚 everything.鈥

    Still, through nine games putting on that jersey, Catotti had yet to go through an entire warm-up with the team, let alone get into the game.

    On Wednesday night he participated in warm-ups with his teammates. And with less than three minutes to play and the game out of reach, he overheard Dawkins tell his assistant coaches, 鈥渨ith two minutes left, I want Anthony to go in the game.鈥

    It was still a surreal moment for Catotti.听 Not until Greer told him to untuck his jersey did he realize what was happening.

    The crowd and his teammates on the bench roared when he first stepped on the court, but Catotti didn鈥檛 want it to end there.听 More than ever before, the student manger-turned-walk-on took the words so often uttered by his coach, and put them to good use.

    鈥淚t鈥檚 not about how many minutes you play, it鈥檚 about what you do with your minutes,鈥 Dawkins said again last night in the post-game press conference.

    听He brought energy. He was in the right places at the right times.听 And yes, when his opportunity to take a shot came with 55 seconds remaining, he took advantage.听 His layup off of a pass from Nathan Laing went straight through the hoop and an even bigger cheer erupted.

    鈥淚t was all instinct,鈥 Catotti said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 remember much of it. I don鈥檛 remember the catch and I don鈥檛 remember jumping. I just remember being in the air and thinking to myself 鈥榤ake this layup.鈥欌

    After the final buzzer sounded, Catotti鈥檚 teammates charged at him, creating a pile worthy of a national championship victory.

    鈥淭hat felt incredible. Unlike anything else,鈥 Catotti said. 鈥淭he greatest feeling ever was seeing those guys all lineup as the clock was ticking down and storm the court. All of the sudden the team is rushing at me. I stagger back with the force of a stampede. To have those guys be as happy for me as I am every single day to be a part of this team.听 It was an incredible feeling and something I鈥檒l cherish my entire life.鈥

    鈥淚 was so happy for him,鈥 Dawkins said following the game. 鈥淚 know he had a lot people here for him. It was fun to see. The basket was one thing, but just the energy he played with down the stretch, he came in and he tried to make an impact. He made that impact through effort.鈥

    Hard work leading to success is nothing new for Catotti, an Oviedo native.听 A National Merit Scholar out of Seminole High School, he had planned on attending Duke or an Ivy League institution, but when offered a full academic scholarship to attend 麻豆原创, he couldn鈥檛 say no.

    Since arriving on campus two and a half years ago, Catotti can鈥檛 imagine being anywhere else.

    鈥淚 never imagined going to 麻豆原创 before my senior year of high school, but since I got to campus I鈥檝e fallen in love with this school.鈥

    Now in his third year at 麻豆原创, Catotti is a double major in business management and sport and exercise science with a minor in coaching.听 And yes, he also holds a 4.0 GPA.

    His work ethic has transferred to the basketball court as well. Having only started playing basketball on the junior varsity team at Seminole as a sophomore in high school, Catotti fell in love with the game later than most.听 But his love has only grown over the past five years, and his desire to be a part of the 麻豆原创 family grows with it.

    鈥淪ince I started playing I dreamed about playing college basketball,鈥 Catotti said. 鈥淚 went in with the goal of playing for the team. This year, with a new coach, a new hope, I made it my life to train and make the basketball team.

    鈥淯nfortunately, I was cut at tryouts during the off-season. But that didn鈥檛 stop me.听 Just before we went to the Charleston tournament, Coach Greer and [Director of Basketball Operations] Jimmy Drew told me they were considering adding me to the roster. That was everything.鈥

    At least that was everything until Wednesday night happened.

    Social media blew up with his story and he was on multiple airings of ESPN鈥檚 SportsCenter.

    鈥淚t鈥檚 insane,鈥 Catotti said of his SportsCenter appearance. 鈥淚 got a call from my high school coach, who was watching TV and saw me on SportsCenter. He said congrats and I hadn鈥檛 even seen it yet.鈥

    At the end of what may have been the best day of his life, Catotti, a true teammate, brought everything back to his fellow Knights, his family.鈥

    鈥淚鈥檓 just so happy that we鈥檙e getting recognition. These guys deserve it. It鈥檚 about how united this team is, how together we are, and how ready we are for conference play.鈥

    Catotti and the Knights begin American Athletic Conference action Dec. 28 at Tulane. If the comraderie on display Wednesday night is any indication of things to come, 麻豆原创 may be in store for more memorable moments like this.

     

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