2022 Banneret Awards: Women’s Breakout Athlete of the Year

It’s time for the 2022 Black & Gold Banneret Awards!

Each year we pass out a bunch of awards honoring the best athletes, coaches, teams, and moments of the previous UCF Knights athletic year. Our staff votes, and so do you, the fans.

Here’s how it works: We, the staff, put together our nominees for each award. You can listen to our nominations podcast episode here. Over the next couple of weeks, we will open fan voting for each award. Each staff member gets one vote, and the winner of the fan vote will get one vote. If there is a tie, the fan vote will be the tiebreaker. We will announce the winners in two weeks.

Our 2022 Black & Gold Banneret Awards continue with Women’s Breakout Athlete of the Year. Here are your nominees:

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Amber Olson

Setter — Volleyball

UCF Athletics

2020: Played 16 of 18 matches (starting 11), 328 assists

2021: Started in all 34 matches, 1,243 assists

Resume:

• AAC Setter of the Year
• All-AAC 1st-Team
• 14th in the nation in assists (Leads AAC)
• 3rd in AAC in Service Aces (41)
• 3rd in AAC in Assists Per Set (9.94 A/S)
• 3rd on the team in Digs (273)
• 4th-most career assists in program history (2,756)

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Destiny Thomas

Forward — Women’s Basketball

Noah Goldberg

2020-21: Played in 20 games (Started 0), 88 rebounds

2021-22: Played in 30 games (Started 20), 236 rebounds

Resume:

• 6th in the AAC in rebounds (4th in AAC in offensive rebounds)
• 5th in the AAC in rebounds per game (7.87 rebounds per game)

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Latasha Smith

Sprinter — Track and Field

UCF Athletics

2021 season bests: 55.19 (Indoor 400m), 53.75 (Outdoor 400m), 3:35.82 (Outdoor 4x400m Relay)

2022 season bests: 52.32 (Indoor 400m), 52.01 (Outdoor 400m), 3:31.88 (Outdoor 4x400m Relay)

Resume:

• Gold medalist in both Indoor and Outdoor 400-meter dash in AAC meets
• Achieved five podium finishes at AAC meets (2 Indoor, 3 Outdoor)
• Selected to NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship (400-meter dash)
• Set new program Indoor 400-meter dash record (Previous: Ashley Jocelyn, 53.45, 2/29/17)
• Set new program Outdoor 400-meter dash record (Previous: Afia Charles, 52.49, 5/12/13)
• Part of Outdoor 4x400-meter relay team that set new program record (Previous: 3:32.22, 5/30/15)
• 14th-fastest Indoor 400-meter dash in the nation
• 24th-fastest Outdoor 400-meter dash in the nation
• 27th-fastest Outdoor 4x400-meter relay in the nation

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Justene Molina

2B — Softball

Noah Goldberg

2021: .234 batting average/.278 on-base percentage

2022: .284 batting average/.406 on-base percentage

Resume:

• AAC Defensive Player of the Year
• All-AAC 1st Team
• 4th on the team and 7th in the AAC in Walks
• 3rd in the AAC in Fielding Assists

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Jada Cody

C, 3B — Softball

Noah Goldberg

2021: .324 batting average/.412 on-base percentage; 28 RBIs

2022: .361 batting average/.439 on-base percentage; 75 RBIs

Resume:

• Unanimous All-AAC 1st Team
• Set new school record for most RBIs in a single season
• 4th in the nation in RBIs
• 8th in the nation in RBIs per game (1.19 RBIs/G)
• 2nd in the AAC in RBIs and Hits
• 3rd in the AAC in Home Runs
• 5th in the AAC in Batting Average and Walks

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Vote for who you think is the 2022 UCF Women’s Breakout Athlete of the Year below: