What’s ahead for other major sports

Baseball

It’s a homecoming for Rich Wallace in his first year leading the program. He played at UCF from 2000-04 and had multiple stints as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for multiple schools, most recently at FSU, before returning. Wallace is tasked with replacing key seniors and freshmen who transferred.

UCF’s career home run leader Ben McCabe and Friday night starter Ruddy Gomez each graduated. UCF’s all-time freshman home run leader, shortstop Drew Faurot, and All-AAC freshman pitcher Cam Leiter transferred to FSU. Six of the Big 12’s nine baseball programs reached the NCAA Tournament in 2023.

Softball

Of UCF’s sports entering the new conference, softball may be the best prepared. It won back-to-backAACTournamentsandmadethe NCAA Tournament in three straight seasons.

The Knights reached the super regional for the first time in 2022 before running into the buzzsaw that is Oklahoma, which has won threeconsecutiveNCAAchampionships.With a strong senior class led by utility player Jada Cody and a pitching staff anchored by Sarah WillisandGraceJewell,they’rewell-positioned to compete in their inaugural Big 12 season.

Men’s basketball

No UCF sport will have a tougher path to becoming competitive. The Big 12 is one of the nation’s best conferences, with Kansas and Baylor being two of the last three NCAA champions. Texas, Houston and Kansas State also have become national contenders. Taylor Hendricks got drafted by the Utah Jazz, so UCF is minus its best player. With C.J. Kelly graduating and Ithiel Horton transferring, there are more questions than answers.

Go to OrlandoSentinel.com/sports for a look at other UCF sports’ outlooks.