An eventful weekend for UCF Knights sports includes a thriller for Men’s Soccer, an undefeated weekend for Volleyball and Media Day Honors for Women’s Basketball.

Men’s Soccer at #4 in RPI after OT victory over Tulsa

Record: 8-1-2, 2-0-1 in The American (T-1st)

Ranking: #11 in United Soccer Coaches, #3 in Top Drawer Soccer

RPI: #4

It wasn’t as easy as it should have been on paper last Saturday, but after coughing up a 2-0 lead and going to a second overtime, Gino Vivi finally ended the evening with a Golden Goal to give UCF a 3-2 win over Tulsa at home.

Here are some highlights, complete with play-by-play from our own Eric Lopez:

Vivi was named The American’s Rookie of the Week.

With Memphis losing over the weekend, SMU and UCF, who drew in a wild thriller last weekend, are now tied atop The American.

Perhaps even more significantly from a national standpoint, the first RPI rankings of the 2019 season came out and UCF is at #4, behind only #1 Virginia, #2 St. John’s and #3 Wake Forest, whom UCF lost to in Winston-Salem, 2-1 in the opener.

As far as we know, this is the highest UCF has ever been in the RPI, and shows that UCF is not only a contender for a bye in the NCAA Tournament, but a clear national championship contender.

Games Left: 5

• 10/20 at UConn (7th)
• 10/26 at South Florida (4th)
• 10/29 vs. Stetson (1st in A-Sun)
• 11/1 vs. Memphis (1st)
• 11/5 at Cincinnati (6th)

Volleyball wins War on I-4, posts undefeated weekend

Record: 12-6, 5-1 in The American (2nd place, East Division)

Ranking: Not ranked

RPI: #29 (down one spot)

UCF Volleyball went 2-0 on their split weekend in conference play, winning at South Florida in four and sweeping Memphis.

On Friday, it was the Knights’ blocking that won the day over the Bulls. After dropping the first set 26-24, UCF rolled through the next three sets for the win. UCF recorded 9 blocks to South Florida’s four.

UCF remains 8th in the nation in blocks per set.

On Sunday, it was more of the same against a struggling Memphis squad (0-6 AAC), as UCF out-blocked the Tigers 9-5 and out-hit them .420-.162. McKenna Melville put up 12 kills and 10 digs, along with 11 kills from Anne-Marie Watson, and Alli Sabol, who has not seen overly much action in her senior season, pitched in with 10 kills and three block assists.

Melville earned conference Player of the Week honors with 30 kills and 21 digs over the two matches.

Matches Left: 10

Kay Kay Wright named The American Preseason Co-Player of the Year

UCF Women’s Basketball senior Kay Kay Wright was named The American’s Preseason Co-Player of the Year, along with UConn guard Crystal Dangerfield.

The announcement came at Basketball Media Day for the conference.

UCF was picked third in the preseason behind UConn and South Florida, despite returning only five players from last season’s roster.