2022 Banneret Awards: Women’s Freshman 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 Freshman of the Year. Here are your nominees:

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Sophia Biolay

Women’s Tennis

UCF Athletics

2022 Stats: 9-5 in Singles Play, 17-5 in Doubles Play

UCF Women’s Tennis head coach Bryan Koniecko had little time to work with Sophia Biolay in person since the pandemic delayed her arrival on campus until January, less than a month before the dual-match season began. Even so, Biolay ended her season with the 3rd-most singles-play wins on the team, only behind All-AAC selections Evgeniya Levashova and Marie Mattel.

Resume:

• Her 16 doubles victories with Nandini Sharma tie for the 2nd-most single-season doubles victories in program history
• Defeated No. 122-ranked singles player in the nation
• Alongside Nandini Sharma, defeated Nos. 22, 25, 50, and 76-ranked doubles pairs in the nation

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Zoe Allaux

Women’s Golf

UCF Athletics

2021-22 Stats: Played all 11 tournaments / 73.00 Scoring Average / 2 Top 10s / 7 Top 20s

UCF Women’s Golf head coach Emily Marron said that thanks to the pandemic, she did not get the chance to see Zoe Allaux play while she was recruiting her. Upon her arrival, she finished her debut tournament under par and followed it up by shooting a second-round 65 in the next tournament, tying the program 18-hole record. Allaux concluded her season with the second-most individual Top 20 finishes on the team, only coming short of AAC Player of the Year, and her teammate, Tunrada Piddon.

Resume:

• AAC Freshman of the Year
• All-AAC Team Selection
• 6th-lowest season scoring average in program history
• Tied lowest 18-hole score in program history
• Ranked 135th in the nation (Golfstat)

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Ashleigh Griffin

C, DP- Softball

Noah Goldberg

2022 Stats: Played in 55 of 63 games (Started 53) / .281 Batting Average / 4 HRs / 36 RBIs / .387 On-Base Percentage

If AAC Player of the Year Jada Cody was not behind the plate, chances are it was Ashleigh Griffin. Whether it was as a catcher or designated player, head coach Cindy Ball-Malone got Griffin into the lineup for a majority of the season. This resulted in Griffin playing a crucial factor in three of the Knights’ biggest wins of the season:

• Two game-tying hits (a 2-run home run and an RBI double) that kept UCF in the game against Virginia Tech, which it would win in extra innings, 5-4.
• She gave the Knights their the first RBI against Michigan in the 11-inning thriller of the Orlando Regional.
• Her 3-RBI game in the Orlando Regional Final against Michigan helped UCF hold onto a comfortable lead and seal its 1st Super Regional berth.

Resume:

• AAC All-Rookie Team (unanimously selected)
• All-AAC 2nd Team
• 8th in the AAC in Walks (25)
• 10th in the AAC in RBIs
• Tied for 2nd on the team in doubles (10) and RBIs

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Micaela Macario

SS- Softball

Noah Goldberg

2022 Stats: Started 61 of 63 games / .286 Batting Average / 27 RBIs / 19 SB / .375 On-Base Percentage

Micaela Macario, AKA “Lala,” cemented herself as the softball team's starting shortstop from the beginning of the season. While her speed has lent herself to a couple of standout offensive moments, such as her game-tying 2-RBI single against Ole Miss or her 6-RBI game against James Madison, a majority of of her highlights come on defense.

Resume

• AAC Rookie of the Year
• AAC All-Rookie Team (unanimously selected)
• All-AAC 2nd Team
• 4th in the AAC in Fielding Assists
• 5th in the AAC in Stolen Bases (2nd on the team)

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