UCF Knights women's basketball
Encyclopedia
The UCF Knights
women's basketball team represents the University of Central Florida
located in Orlando, Florida
. The Knights compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Division I and the Eastern Division of Conference USA
(C-USA). They play their home games in the UCF Arena
located on the university's main campus. Joi Williams will be serving her fourth year as head coach of the Knights in the 2010–2011 season.
The Knights have appeared in the NCAA/AIAW Tournament
eight times, five as a Division I team and three times as a Division II program. The Knights also appeared in the Elite Eight
in 1980 and 1982, and won the 1980 AIAW
Division-II Small College National Championship. The Knights are the reigning Conference USA Tournament Champions, their second conference title in the last three years.
UCF began competing in AIAW
in 1977-78 in Division II. Although a member of the Sunshine State Conference
, it did not organize women's basketball within the conference until 1981. They moved up to AIAW Division I in 1981-1982, the last year of AIAW, and advanced to the Division I Tournament quarterfinals.
They moved to the NCAA in 1982-1983, initially in Division II with the rest of the Sunshine State Conference, and were promoted to Division I in 1984-85. In all three years playing for the Sunshine State Conference, the Knights won both the conference regular season and tournament titles all three years. In their first year in NCAA Division I, they had a 20-10 record, but were not given a tournament bid since they were non-conference that first year.
The team would struggle in Division I conference play with the New South Women's Athletic Conference (NSWAC) until 1990. After playing in the American South Conference in 1990-91, which merged into the Sun Belt Conference
in 1991, the team landed in the Trans-American Athletic Conference
(TAAC) in 1992-1993. Ironically, the NSWAC had merged into the TAAC the previous year. In 1995-1996, the Knights surprised everybody by winning the TAAC Tournament, and making its first appearance in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, though they were eliminated in the first round.
In 1996-1997, UCF hired Lynn Bria as their women's basketball head coach, and the team began to see more success. In 1998-1999, UCF finally arrived, winning the TAAC regular season title with a 13-3 record and winning the Conference Tournament, earning its second NCAA Tournament bid. Still, Bria was replaced as head coach by Gail Striegler following its NCAA Tournament ouster.
After two years of struggling, Striegler put together a string of four winning seasons both overall and in what had become the Atlantic Sun Conference
in 2001-2002. The team won the Atlantic Sun regular season title in 2002-2003 and 2004–2005, but failed to win the Conference Tournament, and thus never played in the NCAA Tournament.
In 2005-06, the Knights moved to Conference USA
, and the women's basketball team struggled mightily, resulting in Striegler being fired and replaced by Joi Williams. The team continued to struggle in 2007-2008 with a 10-20 record and a last place showing in the conference. But after a 2-11 start in 2008-2009, they surprised C-USA by dominating, tying with four other teams with the second-best in-conference record of 11-5 (falling to the fifth seed due to their out-of-conference woes). In the Conference USA Tournament, they beat Rice
(66-64), Houston
(79-66) and SMU
(62-51) in order to face Southern Miss in the Championship game. After fighting to a 52-52 tie in regulation, UCF dominated the overtime period, 13-2, to win the game, 65-54. It was UCF's first C-USA title, earning its third NCAA Tournament appearance. Ranked #14 in the Oklahoma City regional in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, they surprised the #3 North Carolina Tar Heels, ultimately losing 85-80.
After floundering in 2009-10 (10-15, 7-9), the Knights dominated the conference schedule in 2010-11 (22-10, 12-4), finishing 2nd in the regular season and winning their second C-USA title along with their fourth NCAA tournament appearance.
UCF Knights
The UCF Knights are the athletics teams of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. All of UCF's varsity sports teams are known as the Knights, with the women's teams sometimes referred to as the "Lady Knights." The Knights, which includes the university's 16 varsity sports teams,...
women's basketball team represents the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
located in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. The Knights compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division I and the Eastern Division of Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
(C-USA). They play their home games in the UCF Arena
UCF Arena
The UCF Arena is a multi-purpose arena complex located on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. It is the home to the UCF Knights men's and women's basketball teams...
located on the university's main campus. Joi Williams will be serving her fourth year as head coach of the Knights in the 2010–2011 season.
The Knights have appeared in the NCAA/AIAW Tournament
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
eight times, five as a Division I team and three times as a Division II program. The Knights also appeared in the Elite Eight
NCAA Women's Division II Basketball Championship
Division II women's basketball champions for the NCAA The finals are played at St. Joseph Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Missouri.-Championships:- Schools ranked by titles :-See also:*NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship...
in 1980 and 1982, and won the 1980 AIAW
Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships. It evolved out of the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women . The association was one of the biggest...
Division-II Small College National Championship. The Knights are the reigning Conference USA Tournament Champions, their second conference title in the last three years.
History
Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships. It evolved out of the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women . The association was one of the biggest...
in 1977-78 in Division II. Although a member of the Sunshine State Conference
Sunshine State Conference
The Sunshine State Conference was originally formed in 1975 as an NCAA Division II men's basketball conference. It has since expanded to sponsor championships in 14 sports, including men's and women's basketball, baseball, men's and women's golf, women's rowing, men's and women's soccer, softball,...
, it did not organize women's basketball within the conference until 1981. They moved up to AIAW Division I in 1981-1982, the last year of AIAW, and advanced to the Division I Tournament quarterfinals.
They moved to the NCAA in 1982-1983, initially in Division II with the rest of the Sunshine State Conference, and were promoted to Division I in 1984-85. In all three years playing for the Sunshine State Conference, the Knights won both the conference regular season and tournament titles all three years. In their first year in NCAA Division I, they had a 20-10 record, but were not given a tournament bid since they were non-conference that first year.
The team would struggle in Division I conference play with the New South Women's Athletic Conference (NSWAC) until 1990. After playing in the American South Conference in 1990-91, which merged into the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
in 1991, the team landed in the Trans-American Athletic Conference
Atlantic Sun Conference
The Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference...
(TAAC) in 1992-1993. Ironically, the NSWAC had merged into the TAAC the previous year. In 1995-1996, the Knights surprised everybody by winning the TAAC Tournament, and making its first appearance in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, though they were eliminated in the first round.
In 1996-1997, UCF hired Lynn Bria as their women's basketball head coach, and the team began to see more success. In 1998-1999, UCF finally arrived, winning the TAAC regular season title with a 13-3 record and winning the Conference Tournament, earning its second NCAA Tournament bid. Still, Bria was replaced as head coach by Gail Striegler following its NCAA Tournament ouster.
After two years of struggling, Striegler put together a string of four winning seasons both overall and in what had become the Atlantic Sun Conference
Atlantic Sun Conference
The Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference...
in 2001-2002. The team won the Atlantic Sun regular season title in 2002-2003 and 2004–2005, but failed to win the Conference Tournament, and thus never played in the NCAA Tournament.
In 2005-06, the Knights moved to Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
, and the women's basketball team struggled mightily, resulting in Striegler being fired and replaced by Joi Williams. The team continued to struggle in 2007-2008 with a 10-20 record and a last place showing in the conference. But after a 2-11 start in 2008-2009, they surprised C-USA by dominating, tying with four other teams with the second-best in-conference record of 11-5 (falling to the fifth seed due to their out-of-conference woes). In the Conference USA Tournament, they beat Rice
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
(66-64), Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
(79-66) and SMU
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
(62-51) in order to face Southern Miss in the Championship game. After fighting to a 52-52 tie in regulation, UCF dominated the overtime period, 13-2, to win the game, 65-54. It was UCF's first C-USA title, earning its third NCAA Tournament appearance. Ranked #14 in the Oklahoma City regional in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, they surprised the #3 North Carolina Tar Heels, ultimately losing 85-80.
After floundering in 2009-10 (10-15, 7-9), the Knights dominated the conference schedule in 2010-11 (22-10, 12-4), finishing 2nd in the regular season and winning their second C-USA title along with their fourth NCAA tournament appearance.