| UCF Knights Softball | |
| Founded: | 2002 |
| University: | University of Central Florida |
| Conference: | Big 12 Conference |
| Conference Short: | Big 12 |
| City: | Orlando |
| Stateabb: | FL |
| State: | Florida |
| Coach: | Cindy Ball-Malone |
| Tenure: | 4th |
| Stadium: | UCF Softball Complex |
| Capacity: | 600[1] |
| Nickname: | UCF Knights |
| Super Regional: | 2022 |
| Ncaa Tourneys: | 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Conference Tournament: | 2005, 2008, 2015, 2022, 2023 |
| Conference Champion: | 2014, 2015, 2022 |
The UCF Knights softball program represents the University of Central Florida in the sport of softball. The Knights compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the Big 12 Conference. The Knights play their home games at the UCF Softball Complex on UCF's main campus in Orange County, Florida near Orlando.[2] The Knights are coached by head coach Cindy Ball-Malone.[3] In the twenty two year history of the program, the Knights have won three American regular season championships, five conference tournament championships, and have eleven appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
The UCF softball program was founded in 2002 under Renee Luers-Gillispie.[4] The Knights played their first games on February 2, losing the first contest 2–3 to Bethune–Cookman, and winning their second game against Arkansas, 6–5.[5] The program played its first four seasons in the Atlantic Sun Conference (now known as the ASUN Conference). In their last year in the conference, the Knights won their first conference tournament championship, defeating Troy twice in one day, and made their first NCAA tournament appearance.[5] In 2005, UCF moved to Conference USA, where they remained until joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013.[6] UCF joined the Big 12 Conference after the 2023 season.[7]
The UCF Softball Complex opened on March 14, 2006, with the Knights winning two games that day, a 10–9 victory over Marshall and a 7–3 win over Furman.[5] [8] In 2008, Gillespie would lead the Knights to their second conference tournament championship, their first in C-USA, and their second appearance in the NCAA tournament, by defeating #9 Houston. During the tournament, UCF defeated #1 Florida 1–0. In both 2010 and 2012, Gillespie led the Knights to the NCAA tournament.[5]
In the past decade, the Knights own nine no-hitters, including two perfect games.[5] The first two no-hitters in program history were perfect games, and four no-hitters were pitched by Allison Kime.[5] Stephanie Best holds the club record for batting average with .384, home runs with 71 and triples with 13.[5] After their careers at UCF, three Knights have played in the National Pro Fastpitch League (NPF); Stephanie Best, Allison Kime and Breanne Javier.[5]
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