WOMEN’S TENNIS

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2009-10 UCF Wommenn’s TTennnnissGeneral Informati onLocati on Orlando, Fla.Founded 1963Enrollment 53,537Colors Black & GoldNickname KnightsAffi liati on NCAA Division IConference Conference USAPresident Dr. John C. Hitt Director of Athleti cs Keith R. TribbleNCAA Faculty Rep. Dr. Consuelo Stebbins

Team Informati onHead Coach Stephanie NickitasAlma Mater, Year Florida, 1999Nickitas Offi ce Phone (407) 823-6563E-mail snickitas@athleti cs.ucf.eduRecord at UCF 24-19 (Third Year)Career Coaching Record SameAssistant Coach Tony GiannoniAlma Mater, Year Florida, 2005Giannoni Offi ce Phone (407) 823-5853E-mail tgiannoni@athleti cs.ucf.eduStrength & Conditi oning Ben FlemingAthleti c Trainer Lauren Donnelly, Leah Schoen2008-09 Record 12-10Players R/L 6/3

Team HistoryAll-Time NCAA D-I Record 287-227Best Conference Finish First 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002ITA All-Academic Team Honors SevenITA Scholar-Athletes 21

CreditsThe 2009-10 UCF women’s tennis yearbook was writt en and edited by Brian Ormiston and Heather Lancaster. Editorial assistance provid-ed by Doug Richards and Joe Hornstein. Cov-ers designed by Heather Lancaster and Sarah Tarasewicz. Photography courtesy of Sideline Sports, UCF marketi ng and the women’s ten-nis team. Printed by DME, located in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Quick Facts 12009-10 Season Preview 2Head Coach Stephanie Nickitas 3Assistant Coach Tony Giannoni 42009-10 Roster 4Returning Knights 5-10Newcomers 11Academic Excellence 12The Opportunity of a Lifeti me 13-14Campus Life 15Dr. John C. Hitt , President 16Keith R. Tribble, Director of Athleti cs 17Living on Campus 18-19Athleti cs Faciliti es 20Strength & Conditi oning/Sports Medicine 21Welcome to Orlando 22Orlando Sporti ng Opti ons 23Conference USA 24

Athleti cs Communicati onsAssistant Director Brian OrmistonOffi ce Phone (407) 823-2409Cell Phone (407) 920-1233Fax (407) 823-5293E-mail bormiston@athleti cs.ucf.eduStudent Assistant Heather LancasterCell Phone (954) 465-3979E-mail hlancaster@athletics.ucf.eduWeb Site UCFAthleti cs.com

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Table of Connteennttss

UCF’s Match Point Club is the offi cial fund raising and support group for the women’s tennis program. Donati ons help go towards travel, equipment and recruiti ng, and they have a direct impact on the lives of UCF’s student-athletes.

There are also several other benefi ts for join-ing one of fi ve levels of the club. For more in-formati on, contact the Golden Knights Club at (407) 882-2270.

UCF would like to thank the following mem-bers for their special contributi ons: David McNicol Jill Mickle Keith & Terri Tribble Graham L. Wilson Jaime Quick

MMatcch Pooinntt CCCluubbb

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Entering her third season with the Knights, Stephanie Nickitas is looking forward to another great year. The team fi nished with a respectable 12-10 record for the 2008-09 season.

Nickitas has the comfort of having six well-rounded returners as well as the fourth-best mid-major recruiti ng class in the nati on.

Nickitas helps preview the upcoming season with the following Q&A ses-sion.

What has your team learned from the fall and how do you plan on im-plementi ng that in the spring?The team did a great job last fall of working hard and doing the things we asked them to do in practi ce, and then we were able to implement those things in tournaments. The fall was really part of a building process, and individually they showed quite a bit of improvement. In the spring, everything is going to come together as a whole. We have done a lot of training and worked very hard, while also asking a lot from some of the new players and given them a ton of new informati on that they have had to digest. They have done a great job adapti ng and growing in the fall and it’s a good base for the spring.

Tony Giannoni is the new assistant coach this year. How has he helped this team?Tony has made a tremendous impact on the team in just a few short months. He has a vast knowledge of tennis and does a very good job communicati ng new ideas to the players. He brings a ton of coaching experience to the table having worked with professional players, top ju-niors, as well as a top-fi ve ranked college team. One of Tony’s strengths is on court coaching during matches which has already played a major role in our success during the fall. I am extremely excited to have him join the staff this year. He’s a big asset.

Kati e Orletsky is the lone senior on the squad but she was unable to compete in the fall. Will she be ready to go for the dual-match season?Kati e unfortunately had a couple of injuries this past fall but she is work-

ing extremely hard right now with our train-ers and strength and conditi oning coach Ben Gleming to get back into playing form. She has a great fi tness base that will help her in recovering for the spring, and is working dili-gently and putti ng in a lot of ti me to get her body ready. She is very eager and excited to play. I defi nitely expect her to contribute in the spring.

Jenny Frisell is starti ng her third year with the Knights. She has improved over the past two years, so what are her strengths going into 2010?Jenny has conti nued to improve each and every year that she is here, and this fall had a big of a breakthrough. She had some great

wins at the Florida tournament and also at ITA Regionals with some vic-tories over ranked players which will help build her confi dence. They cer-tainly weren’t surprising because I feel Jenny is at a level to play with the top-ranked players. It’s part of her confi dence process, learning about herself a litt le more and taking those wins and propelling her into the spring. She has been working hard on her serve, her fi tness, her volleys and being a leader in doubles. She is doing a great job all around.

There are four sophomores on the team, each of them had a terrifi c year last season. What are your expectati ons for them this season?Even though they are only sophomores, I expect Alexis Rodriguez, Christy Core, Andrea Yacaman and Taylor Dubins to step up as leaders. Overall, we sti ll have a very young team. We expect everyone to take a leadership role, and having one year under their belt is a huge help. They now have the knowledge of how to succeed through a long, hard season. Their ex-periences from last year have helped them mature and grow both on and off the court.

You have three newcomers this year. How well have they been able to get into the sync of things? What do you think they will bring to your squad?They have been doing a tremendous job, all three of them, individually and collecti vely. It’s a big adjustment coming to school and they all handled it extremely well. Genevieve Lorbergs, being from Australia, had a huge social and cultural change, and she has been remarkable at adapti ng. We have a great team bond which has helped Genevieve, Al-lison Hodges and Jenna Doerfl er mix in quite easily. I expect them to contribute in the spring and play in singles and doubles lineup spots. Genevieve has been working hard on her game and has already made huge im-provements in two and a half months. One thing I would say that all three of them bring is a great amount of personality, excitement and enthusiasm to the team. They all have very bubbly and outgoing personaliti es and that’s a huge help in the team atmosphere.

Jenna Doerfl er (above), Jenny Frisell (left ) and Kati e Orletsky look to have an excellent

year.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

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Nickitas is entering her third season as head coach

In only her third season with the Knights in 2009-10, Stephanie Nickitas conti nues to build a program through recruiti ng, and chal-

lenging her team by competi ng against quality opponents.

In 2008-09, the Knights faced seven ranked foes and welcomed three top-15 teams to the UCF Tennis Complex. This spring, the Black and Gold will batt le highly-ranked programs such as Ala-bama, Illinois, Florida, Florida State and SMU. It also will face several other schools from across the country like New Mexico, Michigan State and Harvard.

Coaching in her second year at UCF, Nickitas led the Knights to a 12-10 mark facing a diffi cult schedule. The doubles pair of Jenny Frisell and Elvira Serrot was slott ed together by Nickitas on Feb. 13 against Georgia Southern and quickly rose in the nati onal ranks all the way to No. 27 aft er defeati ng the No. 11 and No. 33 ranked teams from Duke and NC State, respecti vely.

Under the guidance of Nickitas, Kati e Orletsky, a transfer from Arizona, anchored the No. 6 slot for the Knights posti ng a 12-5 record and cap-turing the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year award. The honor was the fi rst specialty award handed to a UCF women’s tennis player since joining C-USA in 2005.

In her fi rst year at the helm of the Knights, Nickitas guided the squad to a 12-9 record and a 57.8 singles winning percentage in 2007-08. But more impressively, UCF dominated on the doubles courts by going 60-30 for a 66.7 clip.

Meanwhile, four student-athletes on the 2008-09 roster were selected to the C-USA Commis-sioner’s Academic Honor Roll. Among those Knights were Frisell and Elvira Serrot, who were voted onto the All-C-USA Second Team as a doubles tandem. Frisell as a sophomore was additi onally recognized by the coaches as a singles player on the All-C-USA Second Team.

Combined with Nickitas’ fi rst season, the Knights have had 11 selecti ons to the presti gious honor roll. Three singles play-ers and a doubles team were chosen for the conference second and third teams under the watch of Nickitas.

And the leader of the Knights also has received plenty of other praise as well. Nickitas was elected as a regional repre-sentati ve on the 2009-11 ITA Women’s Division I Operati ng Committ ee. She is also a member of the the Division I Southeast Regional Committ ee.

Since she fi rst arrived in Orlando in the summer of 2007, Nickitas’ recruiti ng classes have been worthy of att enti on as well. Her incoming class for 2009-10 was ranked as the fourth-best mid-major class in the nati on by TennisRecruiti ng.net. That was the highest of any C-USA program. A year earlier, her fi rst UCF class climbed all the way to sixth in the rank-ings. And for 2010-11, fi ve-star player Courtney Griffi th is already on tap to join the Knights.

Nickitas was a standout player at Florida from 1996-99, earning All-America recog-niti on six ti mes for the Gators. She went on to be selected for The 1999 NCAA Top VIII Award, which honors the most-de-serving eight student-athletes from across the country in all sports for their athleti c, academic and leadership achievements.

A member of the Gators’ 1996 and 1998 NCAA nati onal championship squads, Nickitas won 128 singles matches during her career and earned All-Southeastern Conference First Team honors all four years. She won four collegiate Grand Slam ti tles as well, while that 1996 squad was ranked seventh of the Top 25 Gator Teams released in 2009.

Nickitas also was the 1996 and 1997 NCAA Doubles champion with Dawn Buth, becoming the fi rst duo in Division I history to claim back-to-back ti tles. She currently ranks fi rst in single-season doubles winning percentage (41-1, 97.6 percent), and second all-ti me at UF with a ca-reer mark of 89.5 percent (128-15).

Prior coming to Orlando, Nickitas spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Duke Univer-sity and three at Harvard University.

With Nickitas on the staff , Duke advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championships in 2007. The Blue Devils fi nished the season ranked ninth nati onally and went 20-8 overall and 9-1 against Atlanti c Coast Conference op-ponents.

Before working at Duke, Nickitas spent three years as an assistant at Harvard. In her three campaigns with the Crimson, Nickitas helped the Crimson claim three Ivy League champion-ships. Harvard made two appearances in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and went undefeated in Ivy League play during Nickitas’ tenure.

Following the 2005 season, Nickitas was named the Intercollegiate Tennis Associati on East Re-gion Assistant Coach of the Year.

Nickitas is a nati ve of Tampa and earned her bachelor’s degree in business administrati on from Florida in 1999, and is pursuing her mas-ter’s degree at UCF. She received GTE Academic All-America honors in 1998 and was awarded with the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship fol-lowing her senior campaign.

Resides: Orlando, Fla.Educati on: University of Florida, 1999 B.A. in Business Administrati onCoaching Career: Head Coach - UCF, 2007-present Assistant Coach - Duke University, 2005-07 Assistant Coach - Harvard University, 2002-05Coaching Honors: 2009-11 ITA Women’s D-I Operati ng Committ ee 2008-11 ITA South Region Committ ee Member 2007 Women’s Coaches Academy Graduate 2004-05 Intercollegiate Tennis Associati on East Region Assistant Coach of the YearPlaying Career: WTA Tour, 1999-00 University of Florida, 1996-99 USTA Junior Nati onal Team, 1993-94Playing Honors: 1999-00 NCAA Top VIII Award 1999 Univ. of Florida Female Athlete of the Year 1996 and 1998 NCAA Team Champions 1997 NCAA Doubles Champion 1996 NCAA Doubles Champion 1996-99 All-SEC First Team All-America selecti on six ti mes Won four collegiate Grand Slam ti tles

TThe NNickkitaass FFFilleee

UCF KNIGHTS

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20009-100 UCCFF Knnigghtts RRoostterrName Height Class Hometown/Previous School

Christy Core 5-8 So. Charlott e, N.C./Covenant Day School

Jenna Doerfl er 5-5 Fr. Winter Park Fla./Winter Park

Taylor Dubins 5-8 So. North Miami Beach, Fla./Dr. Michael Krop

Jenny Frisell 5-9 Jr. Gothenburg, Sweden/Katrinelun Gymnasiet

Allison Hodges 5-7 Fr. Germantown, Tenn./Houston HS

Genevieve Lorbergs 5-11 Fr. Victoria, Australia/McKinnon Secondary

Kati e Orletsky 5-9 Sr. Titusville, Fla./Arizona

Alexis Rodriguez 5-5 So. Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish River

Andrea Yacaman 5-9 So. Cartagena, Colombia/Boca Raton Prep (Fla.)

Head Coach: Stephanie Nickitas (Florida, ‘99) - Third Season

Assistant Coach: Tony Giannoni (Florida, ‘05) - First Season

Athleti c Trainer: Leah Schoen, Lauren Donnelly

Strength & Conditi oning: Ben Fleming

Academic Advisor: Lindsay Black

Opening up his fi rst season with the Knights in 2009-10, Tony Gi-annoni was hired as UCF's assistant coach on June 26, 2009. He comes to Orlando aft er spending two seasons as the University of

Florida's volunteer assistant coach.

"I'm thrilled to have this opportunity. I've spent a lot of ti me working on this goal of getti ng an assistant coaching job," said Giannoni. "I feel like I'm in a great place. We have several ladies who have proven themselves here and have been ranked which is huge if we want to conti nue to move forward."

A graduate from Florida in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in psychology, Giannoni helped the Gators reach the Sweet Sixteen in last year's NCAA Tournament and the Final Four in 2008. A nati ve of Miami, he also was a tennis instructor at the DB Racquet Club in Gainesville beginning in 2005 and assisted the Florida men's team as a stringer in 2005-06.

Resides: Orlando, Fla.Educati on: University of Florida, 2005 Cum Laude B.S PsychologyCoaching Career: Assistant Coach - UCF 2009-present Volunteer Assistant Coach - UF 2007-09Playing Career: Grew up playing in South Florida Was coached by Alex Bogomolov Sr.Favorite Player: Roger Federer, “the guy is silky smooth, and his preparati on and his anti cipati on are second to none”

The GGiannnooni FFiillee

WOMEN’S TENNIS

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Singles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2008-09 -- -- -- -- 2-1 12-5 14-6 3-6 17-12 .586Totals -- -- -- -- 2-1 12-5 14-6 3-6 17-12 .586

Doubles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2008-09 -- 1-1 11-8 12-9 3-3 15-12 .556Totals -- 1-1 11-8 12-9 3-3 15-12 .556

Orlletsky’’s Caareeer Sttatiistiics

2008-09 Prior to UCF• Captured the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year award aft er

transferring from Arizona• Honored on the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and as a

Scholar-Baller for maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA• Provided a solid presence for the Knights in fi nishing the season at

17-12 overall in singles and with a 16-13 doubles mark• Began the dual-match season with a six-match win streak all in

straight sets, including knocking off No. 13 Miami’s Alessa Waibel and No. 75 NC State’s Pender Sessoms

• Captured a four-match win streak from March 25-April 4 with Christy Core and Kenza Belbacha, including a victory against USF’s Jessica Zok and Allyn Mueller

• With Core, toppled Tulane’s Marcella Fonseca and Jessica Lange 8-4 at the C-USA Championship

• Spent the fi rst two years at the collegiate level at the University of Arizona

• Recorded 11 singles victories as a sophomore and six as a fresh-man

• Earned a No. 58 nati onal ranking and No. 14 in the state of Florida while at Titusville High School

• Served as the No. 1 singles player as a freshman and a sopho-more before not competi ng on the high school level her fi nal two seasons

• Claimed district ti tles and advanced to the state tournament both years

Personal• Born Kati e Elizabeth Orletsky in Titusville, Fla.• Parents are Brian and Lyn Orletsky• Has one older brother, Nick• Majoring in business

ll k ’’ C SSSS

UCF KNIGHTS

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Singles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2007-08 6-2 3-4 1-1 -- -- -- 10-7 7-2 17-9 .654 2008-09 3-8 1-1 2-0 -- -- -- 6-9 4-6 10-15 .400Totals 9-10 4-5 3-1 -- -- -- 16-16 11-8 27-24 .529

Doubles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2007-08 9-9 -- -- 9-9 8-1 17-10 .6302008-09 12-4 1-2 -- 13-6 4-6 17-12 .586Totals 21-13 1-2 -- 22-15 12-7 34-22 .607

FFrissell’s CCareeer Statiistics

• Named to the All-Conference USA Second Team as a singles and doubles player

• Honored on the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and as a Scholar-Baller for maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA

• Ended the season with a 10-15 overall singles mark and a 17-12 doubles record

• On Feb. 13 against Georgia Southern, Elvira Serrot teamed up with Frisell at No. 1 doubles and they fi nished the season with a 12-4 record and ranked No. 61 in the Campbell/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings, but rose up to No. 27 when they broke into the poll on March 17

• A six-match win streak is how the duo started including upsets in back-to-back matches against No. 75 NC State and No. 4 Duke highlighted the spring campaign

• Announced as the C-USA Players of the Week for their dominant doubles performance on March 10

2007-08

2008-09

• Earned a spot on the All-C-USA Third Team in fi rst season at the Division I level

• Also a member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll• Racked up a 17-9 singles record as a freshman with a 6-2 mark at

No. 1 and a 3-4 showing at No. 2• Went 7-2 before the dual-match season began, highlighted by fi ve-

straight tournament wins to open her career• That winning streak featured opponents claiming just eight games,

as she won all three matches at the C.L. Varner Memorial Invita-ti onal and the fi rst two at the ITA Southern Regionals

• Collected singles wins at No. 1 vs. Florida A&M, Tennessee Tech, Rice, UTEP, UAB and Stetson

• Had a 17-10 overall doubles record• Paired with Kyla McNicol to win the Florida Gulf Coast MLK/Johan

Kriek Classic doubles tournament• During that event, the duo gained 13 points by going a perfect 4-0• They completed the season with a 12-9 record together with an

8-9 mark at No. 1 doubles

Prior to UCF• Graduated from Katrinelun Gymnasiet in Gothenburg, Sweden• Ranked in the top 24 of the women’s open category in Sweden,

posti ng a 12-2 singles record• Both of those losses came against players in the top 150 in the WTA• Also ranked in the top four in the U-18 division, winning over 20

matches• In the U-18 age group, consistently ranked No. 1 or No. 2 fi ve-

straight years• Claimed two Swedish nati onal championships and was a runner-up

four ti mes• Winner of more than 20 regional tournaments

Personal• Born Jenny Viktoria Frisell in Gothenburg, Sweden• Parents are Goran and Annethe Frisell• Has a twin sister, Anna• Majoring in interdisciplinary studies -

pre-med track

WOMEN’S TENNIS

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Singles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2008-09 -- -- -- 3-1 7-6 -- 10-7 8-7 18-14 .563Totals -- -- -- 3-1 7-6 -- 10-7 8-7 18-14 .563

Doubles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2008-09 -- 0-1 10-6 10-7 7-6 17-13 .567Totals -- 0-1 10-6 10-7 7-6 17-13 .567

Corre’s Caareerr Staatissticss

2008-09• Finished the season with an 18-14 overall singles record and a 17-

13 mark in doubles• Began the year with a 6-5 record in singles play, including winning

her fi nal two matches at the Miami Fall Invitati onal• Dominated the C.L. Varner Memorial Flight B singles bracket, win-

ning all four decisions to pick up the ti tle• Went 10-7 in dual-match singles playing mostly at No. 5• Posted a key three-match winning streak from March 9-14, includ-

ing a three-set triumph over Tulane’s Caroline Gerber to seal the victory over the Green Wave

• Named Conference USA Player of the Week for her performance against Tulane

• Partnered with Jenny Frisell, Kenza Belbacha, Alexis Rodriguez and Kati e Orletsky in doubles and fi nished the fall with a 7-6 overall record

• With Belbacha, the duo breezed through the C.L. Varner Memorial Invite by winning all four matches to earn the championship

• Teamed up with Orletsky at No. 2 for the dual-match season; the duo ended the season with a 9-6 record picking up victories against Florida Gulf Coast, Eastern Michigan, No. 65 South Florida and two wins against Tulane

Prior to UCF• Competed for Covenant Day School in North Carolina• Helped the Lady Lions win the conference ti tle and place second in

the state fi nals as a senior• Claimed the No. 1 singles and doubles state championships that

season• Named all-state and all-conference in singles and doubles the fi nal

two years• Selected to the all-state team as a freshman• Earned second place in the girls 18s doubles event at the USTA

Nati onal Opens in February 2008• Went 3-2 in singles at the USTA Nati onal Opens in February 2007

and advanced to the fi nals of the doubles bracket• Competi ng at the 2007 Nati onal Open in Georgia, went on to claim

the doubles ti tle with an 8-1 win over the No. 2 seed• Represented North Carolina and the south region in the nati onal

clay court and hart court championships in four separate age divi-sions

Personal• Born Christi na Leigh Core in Charlott e, N.C.• Parents are Hap and Paula Core• Has an older brother, Andy, and a younger sister, Kati e• Majoring in business

UCF KNIGHTS

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Singles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2008-09 -- -- -- -- -- 1-0 1-0 -- 1-0 1.00Totals -- -- -- -- -- 1-0 1-0 -- 1-0 1.00

Doubles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2008-09 -- 0-1 -- 0-1 -- 0-1 .000Totals -- 0-1 -- 0-1 -- 0-1 .000

2008-09• Broke into the lineup against Louisiana-Lafayett e on March 27 at

No. 2 doubles, teaming up with Alexis Rodriguez• Recorded fi rst collegiate win as a singles player against Stetson in

straight sets

Prior to UCF• Played three varsity sports all four years of high school: tennis, soc-

cer and volleyball• Helped her team win the state championship in tennis her junior

and senior year, the school’s fi rst state championships• Won the athlete of the year Award in 2008• Was fi rst team All-Dade by the Miami Herald in 2007 and 2008• Was a doubles and mixed doubles Florida state champion with Brit-

tany Dubins and Jeff rey Morris

Personal• Born Taylor Lynn Dubins in North Miami Beach, Fla.• Parents are Ross and Veronica Dubins• Has a younger sister, Britt any• Majoring in communicati on sciences and disorders

DDubins’ Careeer Sttattistticcs

WOMEN’S TENNIS

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Singles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2008-09 -- -- 3-1 8-9 -- -- 11-10 6-7 17-17 .500Totals -- -- 3-1 8-9 -- -- 11-10 6-7 17-17 .500

Doubles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2008-09 -- 6-12 2-0 8-12 4-5 12-17 .414Totals -- 6-12 2-0 8-12 4-5 12-17 .414

2008-09• Racked up an even 17-17 overall singles record during freshman

campaign and a 12-17 doubles mark• Amassed six singles victories during the fall• Earned three straight-set wins at the C.L. Varner Memorial en

route to the fi nals of the Flight B bracket• During the dual-match season, posted an 11-10 singles record

primarily in the No. 4 slot• Strung together a fi ve-match win streak from March 27-April 16

that was snapped against No. 38 Tulsa at the C-USA Championship• Entered the spring partnered with Jenny Frisell collecti ng a 2-1

record at the FGCU/Johan Kriek Tennis Classic• Joined Christy Core, Frisell, Andrea Yacaman and Taylor Dubins

throughout the spring dual-match season combining for an 8-12 record

Prior to UCF• Selected as the 2007 Boca News Player of the Year and the 2005

Sun Senti nel Player of the Year while at Spanish River High School• A member of the Junior Fed Cup Team, and earned a No. 17 rank-

ing in the Florida Secti on• Advanced to the fi nals of the 2007 Class 4A Division 1 singles draw• Named to the Palm Beach Post All-Area First Team as a sophomore

thanks to a 10-1 record with district and regional ti tles at No. 1 singles

• Eventually reached the semifi nals en route to helping her team claim the Class 4A state ti tle, and also was a singles champion and a doubles fi nalist as a freshman

• Parti cipated in the USTA G18 Nati onal Championships, the Nati onal Clay Court Championships and the Nati onal Opens in 2007

• Also posted four singles victories at the Florida Open Champion-ships and reached the fi nals of the Seminole County Fall Secti onal

Personal• Born Alexis Renee Rodriguez in New York, N.Y.• Parents are Angel and Wanda Rodriguez• Father is a tennis director at Boca Pointe Country Club and owns a

top-10 USPTA ranking• Has one older brother, Dion• Majoring in marketi ng

RRodriguezz’s Careeer Staatissticcs

UCF KNIGHTS

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Singles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2008-09 -- 8-6 4-2 -- -- -- 12-8 9-5 21-13 .618Totals -- 8-6 4-2 -- -- -- 12-8 9-5 21-13 .618

Doubles Year No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 Dual Tour. Overall Pct.2008-09 1-2 6-8 1-0 8-10 7-5 15-15 .500Totals 1-2 6-8 1-0 8-10 7-5 15-15 .500

2008-09• Honored on the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and as

a Scholar-Baller for maintaining a 3.0 GPA or bett er• Earned a 21-13 overall singles mark and a 15-15 doubles record as a

freshman• Claimed a victory in her fi rst six singles matches of her career, help-

ing her be selected as the Conference USA Player of the Month on Oct. 14

• Without the benefi t of a bye in the fi rst round, won all four matches at the Gator Fall Classic for the Flight B singles championship

• Began the spring season at the No. 2 singles slot posti ng a 12-8 mark• Put together a three-match win streak from Feb. 13-26 that included

wins over players from Georgia Southern, Tulane and Penn State• Played with Elvira Serrot the enti re fall for fi ve doubles wins, which

included four-straight victories at the C.L. Varner Memorial for the Flight A tournament ti tle

• Started the dual-match season teamed up with Serrot at No. 1, but found success playing aside Kenza Belbacha and Alexis Rodriguez at No. 2 posti ng a 7-7 record

Prior to UCF• Began playing in Colombia and att ended Jorge Washington School

before moving to the United States and training at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton

• Went to Boca Raton Preparatory High School for her senior year• While at Jorge Washington, named the 2005 athlete of the tear• Finalist in the girls 18s at the 2008 Security and General Interna-

ti onal Tennis Federati on Junior Tennis Open in the Bahamas• Selected as the Colombian Tennis Associati on Player of the Year in

December 2005, and was No. 1 in the nati onal rankings in the G12, G14 and G16 divisions

• Then started competi ng in the Internati onal Tennis Federati on Juniors and held a No. 349 ranking

• Was the doubles champion in Copenhagen ITF G4 and the Illinois ITF G4 in 2007, a fi nalist at the Bahaman ITF Tournament in 2006 and a semifi nalist at the Arhus, Denmark ITF G4 and the Bermuda ITF Tournament in 2007 as well

Personal• Born Andrea Yacaman in Cartagena, Columbia• Parents are Humberto Yacaman and Olga Elena Burgos• Father played table tennis at the internati onal level• Has two younger siblings, Natalia and David• Plans to major in business

as two younger siblings, Natalia and Davidlans to major in business

YYaccamann’s Caareeer SStattistticss

WOMEN’S TENNIS

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Prior to UCF• Graduate of Winter Park High School• A fi ve-star recruit according to TennisRecruiti ng.net; held a No. 10

ranking in the state of Florida and a No. 57 ranking in the country• Was selected as the Orlando Senti nel 2007-08 Central Florida Girls

Tennis Player of the Year while competi ng for WPHS• Guided her team to the Class 4A state fi nals in each of the last

three seasons

Personal• Born Jenna Katherine Doerfl er in Winter Park, Fla• Parents are Glenn and Theresa Doerfl er, and both went to college

at UCF • Has a younger sister, Jillian• Undecided on a major

Personal• Born Allison Brooke Hodges in Germantown, Tenn.• Parents are Lincoln Hodges and Jill Wilson Hodges• Has a brother, Rees, and a sister, Hollie• Majoring in sport and fi tness training

Personal• Born Genevieve Grace Lorbergs in Adelaide, Australia• Parents are Sigurds and Jane Lorbergs• Has three brothers, Tobijs, Kristi an and Markus• Majoring in psychology

Prior to UCF• Playing for Houston High School outside of Memphis, won the Ten-

nessee Class AAA single championship in 2008-09• Her performance in 2008 allowed her to be named The Commer-

cial Appeal’s 2007-08 Pepsi Best of the Preps Girls Tennis Player of the Year

• Ranked fi rst in her state, was one of only two players in Tennessee to be listed as a four-star recruit by TennisRecruiti ng.net

• Also stood at No. 84 in the country at one point in her career

Prior to UCF• Graduated from McKinnon Secondary College in Victoria, Australia• Parti cipated in the 2009 KIA Amateur Australian Open and claimed

the doubles ti tle while fi nishing as the runner-up in the singles event

• In 2008, was selected to play at the highest level of competi ti on in Australia with the Victorian State Grade’s Beaumaris team and earned the best results on the squad

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCEUCF student-athletes are supported by a nine-person professional staff of advisors and pro-gram coordinators from the Offi ce of Academic Services for Student-Athletes (ASSA). The ASSA mission is to support student-athletes’ academic development while exceeding sati s-factory progress toward their degrees.

ASSA advisors coordinate tutoring, mentoring, study sessions, and priority class registra-ti on for all current student-athletes and assist new Knights through the recruitment pro-cess. UCF student-athletes receive specifi c academic and athleti c informati on at orientati on as well as study skills and ti me management instructi on through out the year. More than 50 computers are available for student-athlete’s use anyti me during the academic year.

During the 2008-09 academic year, UCF placed a league-record 224 student-athletes on the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll. Student-athletes must maintain a cumulati ve grade point average of 3.0 or bett er to earn a spot on the honor roll.

Thirty-four Knights earned the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal in 2008-09. The medals are awarded to student-athletes who achieve a cumulati ve GPA of 3.75 or bett er.

Jenny Heppert became the fi rst UCF volleyball player to garner ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® honors during the 2008-09 season. The middle blocker graduated with a 4.0 GPA and earned her degree in biology.

MAKING THE GRADE

NATIONAL HONORS

UCF - THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIMEUCF is the university that seeks opportuniti es, creates opportuniti es and brings them to fruiti on. The school’s culture of opportunity is driven by the diverse people it att racts, its Orlando environment, its history of entrepreneurship, and its youth, relevance and energy. Located in one of the most vibrant citi es in the world, UCF is among the fastest-growing re-search universiti es in the country.

One of Florida’s 11 public universiti es, UCF opened its doors to students in 1968. The school has grown quickly and UCF now off ers al-most 200 bachelor’s and master’s degrees and 29 doctoral programs. UCF began off ering a doctor of medicine degree program in 2009.

The M.D. Program enrolled an initi al class of 41 students and will eventually produce about 120 medical graduates each year.

UCF off ers degrees through its 12 colleges:College of Arts and Humaniti esCollege of Business Administrati onCollege of Educati onCollege of Engineering and Computer ScienceCollege of Graduate StudiesCollege of Health and Public Aff airsCollege of MedicineCollege of NursingCollege of Opti cs and PhotonicsCollege of SciencesRosen College of Hospitality ManagementThe Burnett Honors College

With a total enrollment of 53,537, UCF has the third-largest student populati on in the country and has become a promi-nent player in undergraduate educati on nati onwide off ering innovati ve corporate partnerships, world-renowned faculty, and cutti ng-edge technology and undergraduate research op-portuniti es.

REFLECTION POND

FORGING AHEAD

UCF RECREATION &WELLNESS CENTER

UCF - THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIMEWe have a talented and unique student body.UCF has a diverse student body, with students coming from 63 Florida counti es, 50 states and 142 countries.

We have connecti ons.Internati onally known companies such as Disney, Universal, Google, Marriott , Anheuser-Busch and many others recruit on the campus regularly and are partners with the university.

We’ll help you land a job.Our career services professionals help students gain practi cal work knowledge during their collegiate experience at schools, hospitals, high-tech companies, local municipaliti es and in the entertainment industry. Students typically enjoy success in landing employment thanks to their due diligence, their preparati on at UCF and the university’s fi ne reputati on among employers.

University Profi leStudent Populati on: 53,537Undergraduate Enrollment: 42,910Graduate: 7,344Student/Faculty Rati o: 24 to 1

UCF STUDENT UNION

Don Reynolds’ statue, “The Charging Knight,” at the Insurance Of-fi ce of America Plaza outside Bright House Networks Stadium, sym-bolizes UCF’s excellence in academics, partnerships and athleti cs.

CHARGING KNIGHT

CAMPUS LIFE

UUCF’s 1,415-acre campus provides a safe, serene setti ng for learning with 600 acres of natural lakes and woodlands. At UCF, there is always something to do. Students att end Division I athleti cs events, concerts and shows at UCF Arena and are off ered a wide array

of cultural events and opportuniti es.

Personal development programs and acti viti es in a broad range of educati onal, recreati onal and social-awareness topics allow students a chance to expand their understanding of the world.

Among the things available to all students are an 85,000-square foot recreati onal fi tness center, a 181,000-gallon outdoor recreati onal pool and nine sandy beach volleyball courts. UCF’s exciti ng campus includes a variety of on-campus residenti al communiti es, and the additi on of new housing, a new alumni center and a full-service medical clinic provides expanded opportuniti es for acti viti es.

UCF LEISURE POOL

UCF’s Spirit Splash is one of the most unique Homecoming events in the nati on. Once a year, thousands of students gather in the Refl ecti on Pond at the center of campus for a pep rally and concert.

SPIRIT SPLASH

DR. JOHN C. HITT • PRESIDENT John C. Hitt became the fourth president of the University of Central Florida on March 1, 1992, aft er nine-teen years of administrati ve experience and a disti nguished academic career.

A nati ve of Houston, Texas, he graduated cum laude in 1962 from Austi n College in Sherman, Texas, earning a B.A. degree in psychology. He completed his M.S. degree in 1964 and his Ph.D. degree two years later, both in physiological psychology at Tulane University. His graduate study was supported by fellowships from the Danforth Foundati on and the Nati onal Science Foundati on.

Dr. Hitt served as an assistant professor of psychology at Tulane before moving to Texas Christi an University as an associate professor of psychology in 1969. Three years later, he became associate dean of the univer-sity. In 1974, he was appointed vice president of the Texas Christi an University Research Foundati on and was named dean of the graduate school in 1975.

In 1977, Dr. Hitt left Texas Christi an University to become provost and vice president for academic aff airs and professor of psychology at Bradley Uni-versity in Peoria, Illinois. In 1987, he moved to the University of Maine as vice president for academic aff airs and professor of psychology. In 1991, Dr. Hitt was named Maine’s interim president.

Early in his tenure, President Hitt outlined the following fi ve major goals for UCF:• off er the best undergraduate educati on in Florida• achieve internati onal prominence in key programs of graduate study and research• provide an internati onal focus to the curricula and research programs• become more inclusive and diverse• become America’s leading partnership university

Under President Hitt ’s leadership, enrollment at UCF has more than doubled, the number of doctoral degrees awarded each year has increased sevenfold, and research funding has increased from $6.2 mil-lion to $121 million a year. President Hitt has conferred more than 130,000 degrees during his presidency.

One of President Hitt ’s greatest achievements occurred when the Florida Board of Governors approved the UCF College of Medicine, and the Lake Nona Medical City was founded. This multi -billion dollar devel-opment includes new faciliti es for medical educati on, hospital care, and biomedical research. The Lake Nona Medical City will be a principal driver of the central Florida economy for decades to come.

President Hitt ’s current civic service includes membership on the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission Fundraising Campaign leadership cabinet and the MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando’s Council of Governors. He serves on the boards of the American Heart Associati on, Central Florida Part-nership, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, SunTrust N.A., and United Arts. Presi-dent Hitt is a member of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment Leadership Circle. He is also a member, vice-chair, and chair-elect of the Conference USA Board of Directors.

President Hitt is two-term past-chair of the State University Presidents Associati on, a member of the Florida Council of 100, and founder of the Florida High-Tech Corridor Council. He is a two-term past-pres-

ident of the Florida Associati on of Colleges and Universiti es. He chaired the Governor’s Select Task Force on Healthcare Professional Liability Insurance and was a member of the Florida Distance Learning Task Force. He was a member of the Orange County Chairman’s Transportati on Commission, and in 2008, he co-chaired the Orange County Underage Drinking Task Force.

President Hitt is a former member of the boards of the American Associati on of State Colleges and Universiti es, EDUCAUSE, Orlando Health, and the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce. He is a former member of the NCAA President’s Commission and the former Chair of Board of the Atlanti c Sun Athleti cs Conference.

In recent years, the Central Florida community has honored President Hitt with a number of presti gious awards. He was the recipient of the 2008 Junior Achievement Spirit of Achievement Award. He has been listed for a number of years among the Orlando Senti nel’s 25 Most Powerful People in Central Florida and the Orlando Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful People. He received the Seminole Chamber of Commerce Lifeti me Achievement award in 2007. In 2006, he received the Orlando Business Journal’s fi rst-ever Legacy Award, and in 2005 he was named the Orlando Senti nel’s Central Floridian of the Year. In 2002, he received the James B. Greene award from the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission; in 1999, he was awarded the Tree of Life from the Jewish Nati onal Fund and the Jack Halloway Star of Grati tude from United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida; and in 1998, he earned the John Young Award from the Greater Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce. President Hitt is an avid fi sherman and golfer. He has been married to the former Martha Halsted for 47 years, and they have two children and two grandchildren.

FIVE GOALS

KEITH R. TRIBBLE • DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICSThe thread that has bridged together nearly three decades working in and around the collegiate community has been Keith Tribble’s history of building programs with strong foundati ons and dynamic structure.

Since his start as Director of Athleti cs and Executi ve Vice President for the University of Central Florida Athleti cs Associati on on June 6, 2006, Tribble has quickly taken hold of the program’s blueprints and promised to lead with a principle that everyone associated with the program will also share - to “fi nish.”

In additi on, the other focal point of his concentrati on is the oversight of the con-structi on, expansion and completi on of the noted UCF Athleti cs Faciliti es Master Plan. When fi nished, the plan will touch all areas of the student-athletes’ well-be-ing, including residenti al housing, academic and mentoring support faciliti es and state-of-the-art performance venues where UCF fans and supporters can cheer on the Knights. To date, Tribble has overseen $150 million in new constructi on and im-provements to UCF athleti c faciliti es since his arrival.

Through a renewed commitment, Tribble has been most proud of the record academic achievement of the UCF student-athletes during his fi rst two years in Orlando. The Knights, for the third-straight year in 2008-09, placed the highest number of student-athletes on the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll with 224 representati ves maintaining a 3.0 grade-point average or bett er.

Much of UCF Athleti cs went from transiti oning into Con-ference USA to competi ng for its ti tles in just a few short years. The football program has played for two C-USA

ti tles since 2005, winning the championship and coveted AutoZone Liberty Bowl berth in 2007. In 2007-08, other programs such as women’s soccer and soft ball, and members of women’s track and fi eld, claimed C-USA ti tles. In 2008-09, men’s golf reigned over the league, in additi on to a big Conference USA Tournament championship from women’s basketball. Over half of the programs have competed in NCAA postseason tour-naments the past two years.

Successful student-athletes start with top-notch coaching and at UCF the commitment to coaching excellence has been evident. Among Tribble’s transacti ons so far has been the renewal of several successful veteran coaches, including Amanda Cromwell (women’s soccer), Renee Luers-Gillispie (soft ball), George O’Leary (foot-ball) and Kirk Speraw (men’s basketball).

Additi onally, Tribble was instrumental in the hiring of several new head coaches, including Bryan Cunning-ham (men’s soccer), Todd Dagenais (women’s volleyball), Becky Cramer (women’s rowing), Stephanie Nickitas (women’s tennis), Terry Rooney (baseball), Caryl Smith-Gilbert (women’s track and fi eld/cross country) and Joi Williams (women’s basketball).

Tribble att ended the University of Florida where he played off ensive guard for three bowl teams. He gradu-ated in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism (public relati ons and marketi ng). Tribble and his wife, Terri, have a daughter, Carlyn, and a son, Kyle.

Keith Tribble is committ ed to the concept of the well-rounded student-athlete, emphasizing the importance of their academic prowess off the fi eld as well as championship results on.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION

COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE

David Chambers

David Hansen

Jeff Ulmer

Jessica Reo

NIKE AND HERCULES COMMUNITIES

The Nike and Hercules Communiti es are located at the Academic Village, which sits directly behind the Recre-ati on and Wellness Center, leisure pool, and next to the intramural fi elds. The Nike and Hercules Communiti es are comprised of residence halls and apartment buildings.

There is a large plaza space which joins the Nike and Hercules Communiti es at the Academic Village, and it holds several large events. Meanwhile, residents have the luxury of Internet access, cable TV and local telephone service within the commu-nity.

TOWERS AT KNIGHTS PLAZANumerous UCF student-athletes reside on campus at the Towers at Knights Plaza, modern apartment-style dormitories on the north side of campus which allow student-athletes to live within close proximity to UCF’s athleti cs faciliti es. The apartments feature common kitchen and living room areas as well as four single bedrooms with full-size beds. Each bedroom includes high-speed Internet access, cable television and local phone service.

The Towers at Knights Plaza feature 100,000-square feet of retail shops and restaurants. Tenants in-clude Barnes & Noble bookstore, Subway and Knightro’s cafeteria, where UCF student-athletes dine. The apartments are located near the major-ity of the athleti cs faciliti es, including Bright House Networks Stadium, the UCF Arena, The Venue at UCF, Jay Bergman Field, the UCF Soft ball Complex and the UCF Track and Field and Soccer Complex. The Towers at Knights Plaza are also in close prox-imity to the Wayne Densch Sports Center and Nicholson Fieldhouse.

The apartments in the Towers at Knights Plaza feature com-mon kitchen and living room areas as well as four single bed-rooms with full-size beds.

Students living in the Towers can dine and shop at establishments like Tailgaters Smoked-Grill Restaurant, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Knightro’s Cafeteria, Red Brick Oven Pizza, Jimmy John’s, Subway, Papa John’s and Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream.

APARTMENT-STYLE LIVING

SHOPPING CONVENIENCE

From Bright House Networks Stadium to the UCF Arena, UCF student-athletes play and train in top-notch venues. The school’s always growing and improving athleti cs complex is part of UCF’s commitment to provide student-athletes with excepti onal and modern facili-ti es. In the past few years, this commitment has assured that the UCF athleti cs faciliti es are not only among the best in Conference USA, but across the nati on.

The 45,000-seat Bright House Networks Stadium, the home of the UCF program, shared its debut season on campus in 2007 with another brand new facility - UCF Arena. Home to the Knights’ men’s and women’s basketball programs, the 10,000-seat venue also opened in the fall of 2007. The arena, which also hosts concerts and UCF commencement ceremo-nies, includes luxury boxes and suites, open concourse areas and numerous concession opti ons.

Other faciliti es that have seen upgrades in recent years are Jay Bergman Field – home to the baseball program - and The Venue at UCF, the renovated previous arena which now houses exclusive modern practi ce faciliti es and offi ces for the men’s and women’s basket-ball programs, as well as an equally-spacious home facility for volleyball. Off campus, two new faciliti es opened in 2009 - the UCF Intercollegiate Rowing Center and the UCF Golf Practi ce Facility.

UCF’s Faciliti es Master Plan includes numerous facility enhancements in the coming years, including the planned constructi on of a new stadium and entrance structure at the UCF Soccer and Track and the expansion of Jay Bergman Field. The vision for a new academic services center is imminent, one which will provide student-athletes greater access to resources near their new Athleti cs Village residences, and further assist their progress towards their degrees and post-graduate success.

When UCF Athleti cs completes its Faciliti es Master Plan during the next decade, every sport and every student-athlete will have received the benefi t of an improved facility to practi ce, train and compete for championships in.

BRIGHT HOUSENETWORKS STADIUM

UCF ARENA

ATHLETICS FACILITIES

UCF SOFTBALLCOMPLEX

UCF SOCCERCOMPLEX

UCF ROWINGCENTER

UCF GOLFPRACTICE FACILITY

JAY BERGMANFIELD

THE VENUE AT UCF

NICHOLSONFIELDHOUSE

UCF TRACK &FIELD COMPLEX

UCF TENNISCOMPLEX

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING/SPORTS MEDICINE

SwimEx resistance pools off er a complete isokineti c aquati c therapy system - putti ng rehabilitati on programs into a new league. Starti ng with 0 to 30,000 gallons per minute water fl ow, pati ents in initi al stages of rehab can begin aquati c therapy sooner due to the buoyancy of water. Aquati c therapy treatment can extend into a full range of training and conditi oning.

The strength and conditi oning program is an integral component of UCF’s 16-sport athleti c fam-ily. The most visible sign of the Knights’ commitment in this area is an 11,200-square foot weight room located in the middle of the Wayne Densch Sports Center. The state-of-the-art facility contains the fi nest free weight and machine equipment, cardio equipment and treadmills. UCF also houses a weight room in The Venue, which is uti lized by the men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball programs. Five certi fi ed strength and conditi oning coaches monitor the progress of UCF’s student-athletes.

The UCF sports medicine faciliti es are fully equipped with the most up to date technology, including a SwimEx aquati c therapy pool, used to aid in advanced rehabilitati on of the elite student-athlete. The main athleti c training room is located in the Wayne Densch Sports Center with additi onal locati ons at The Venue, Jay Bergman Field, the UCF Soft ball Complex and the brand-new UCF Intercollegiate Rowing Center. The sports medicine staff consists of six full-ti me athleti c trainers, seven graduate assistant athleti c trainers and approximately 60 undergraduate athleti c training students.

SWIMEX THERAPY

WELCOME TO ORLANDO

One of the area’s biggest att racti ons is its year-round mild weather. At the heart of the Sunshine State, the region’s average annual temperature is a comfortable 72.4 degrees.

UCF students have easy access to one of the world’s most vibrant citi es – Orlando. Looking for theme parks, att racti ons, museums, world-class shopping, great restaurants, golf courses, jogging trails and nature pre-serves? You can fi nd it all here in Orlando.

Orlando is one of the most popular vacati on desti nati ons in the world. In 2007, 48.8 million visitors trav-eled to the region. Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando and Sea World are just a short drive away from the UCF campus. The Kennedy Space Center, state parks and sandy beaches off the coast of the Atlanti c Ocean are also all nearby.

Orlando is a frequent desti nati on for today’s top nati onal musical acts, who visit popu-lar venues like Hard Rock Live at Universal’s CityWalk and House of Blues, which is located at Downtown Disney. The city’s world-renowned theme parks have added a variety of new entertainment experiences, including Disney’s Cirque de Soleil and Uni-versal’s Blue Man Group performances.

Beyond the theme parks, downtown Orlando features an ever-changing skyline, fi ne dining opti ons and a newly developed arts district. Cultural desti nati ons in the city include the Orlando Museum of Art, the Orange County Regional History Center and Lake Eola Park.

SUNSHINE STATE

ORLANDO SPORTING OPTIONSWith top-notch events occurring year round, Orlando is a premier desti nati on for sports fans. The region is home to professional franchises, college football bowl games, world-famous auto races, several professional golf tournaments and much more.

The Orlando Magic of the Nati onal Basketball Associati on brought excitement to the city last season with a tremendous run to the NBA Finals. The Magic will open the 2010-11 season in a new arena in downtown Oralndo.

The region’s sports calendar is busy with baseball each spring as Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex hosts the Atlanta Braves for Major League Baseball spring training. The Houston Astros train in nearby Kissimmee and the Washington Nati onals prepare for the regular season close to UCF in Viera.

The Florida Citrus Bowl, the former home of UCF football, hosts a pair of college bowl games each winter - the Champs Sports Bowl and the CapitalOne Bowl. The stadium has also been the site of World Cup and Olympic soccer contests. In 2006, the World Baseball Classic held part of its inaugural event in Orlando.

In additi on to UCF athleti cs events, the region also fea-tures the most prominent NASCAR race, the Daytona 500. Several other NASCAR races, PGA Tour golf tournaments and numerous acti on sports championships are also held in Central Florida.

HOMETOWN PRIDE

CONFERENCE USAConference USA features 12 nati onally prominent, traditi on-rich members in East Carolina, Houston, Marshall, Memphis, Rice, SMU, Southern Miss, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UCF and UTEP. All C-USA insti tuti ons sponsor football, along with several other men’s and women’s athleti c programs, many which compete regularly for NCAA Championships.

C-USA sponsors completi on in 19 sports – nine for men (baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis and indoor and outdoor track and fi eld) and 10 for women (basketball, cross country, golf, soft ball, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and fi eld and volleyball).

The conference’s footprint is concentrated with 12 members in nine states and a combined area populati on of nearly 17 million. Along with the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC, C-USA is one of the seven conferences having signifi cant representati on in the NCAA governance structure.

C-USA was formed in 1995 and quickly emerged as one of the nati on’s top conferences. The league’s charter members included Char-lott e, Cincinnati , DePaul, Houston, Louisville, Marquett e, Memphis, Saint Louis, Southern Miss, Tulane, UAB and USF. The league’s headquarters were established in Chicago and aft er nine years, relocated to the current offi ce in Irving, Texas. Britt on Banowsky was

named commissioner in 2002.

Aft er celebrati ng is 10th anniversary during the 2004-05 season, C-USA began a new chapter the following year when its current membership came together to form the new look of the league.

Behind the play of junior Simon Ward and freshman Blayne Barber, the UCF men’s golf team claimed the 2009 Conference USA Cham-pionship at the RedTail Golf Club. The league tournament champi-onship was the fi rst for the Knights.

Emma Cannon’s 16 points and 15 rebounds led the UCF women’s basketball team past Southern Miss in overti me, 65-54, to claim the 2009 Conference USA Women’s Basketball Championship.

C-USA CHAMPIONS

C-USA CHAMPIONS