Pop quiz: Name the five youngest universities among the current Power 5 conferences.

All before the invention of bubble gum, you’ve got UCLA in 1919, Texas Tech in 1923, Miami in 1925 and Houston in 1927.

By far and away the youngest is ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, founded in 1963. Initially named Florida Technological University, it was established to provide a pipeline of talent for the United States space program at nearby Cape Canaveral.

It’s impossible to appreciate the journey of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Athletics without a timeline that exhibits the youth of the institution and the manner in which the athletics program has skyrocketed to success.

• In 1963 ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ was founded.
• In 1968 the first classes were held.
• In 1969 the first varsity athletic event was held β€” a men’s basketball game at Massey Institute in Jacksonville. And several other sports began competition in the 1970s.
• Ten years later, in 1979, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ played football for the first time at the Division III level with no scholarships in its first three years. Its first game was held in a muddy cow pasture.
• In 1984-85, the majority of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s sports programs were playing at the Division I level.
• Four decades of a rollercoaster ride β€” including the football team’s first FBS game (the current highest Division I level) in 1996 β€” led to national notoriety
• On July 1, 2023, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ begins an exciting new chapter as one of four schools to join the Big 12 Conference.

β€œA lot of the national powers right now were playing (football) at the turn of the 20th century. … And to understand what you’ve got to make up in that time, it’s generations of donors, it’s generations of parents taking their kids to games, it’s generations of players growing up watching the team play and say, β€˜I would give anything to play for that team,” says Andy Staples, senior writer for The Athletic

β€œΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, without the advantage of decades and generations of all this, has put itself in position to be very competitive in its new league,” Staples says.

Sunshine State Conference (1975-84)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s first conference affiliation was with the Sunshine State Conference, starting in 1975. The Knights were a charter member of the Division II league which included Biscayne College (now St. Thomas University), Eckerd, Florida Southern, Rollins and Saint Leo.

Following the 1983-84 season, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ withdrew from the Sunshine State Conference and moved to the NCAA Division I level in the majority of its programs. The Knights competed as an independent until 1990.

Highlight of the Sunshine State Era: ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ won six Sunshine State championships in men’s basketball, three in men’s tennis, two in men’s golf and one in baseball.

New South Women’s Athletic Conference (1986-90, Women’s Only)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ was a charter member of the New South Women’s Athletic Conference, the forerunner of the Atlantic Sun. The women’s cross country, basketball, golf, tennis and volleyball teams competed in the conference. During ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s stint in the league, Florida A&M, FIU, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Mercer and Stetson were members.

Highlight of the NSWAC Era: ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ women’s soccer’s Michelle Akers ’89 helped lead the Knights to the 1987 NCAA Final Four and was honored with collegiate soccer’s top honor, the Hermann Trophy, a year later. Akers went on to be recognized as the FIFA Women’s Player of the Century after a longstanding and decorated career with the U.S. Women’s National Team.

American South Conference (1990-91)

In 1990, the Knights joined the American South Conference, its first Division I league affiliation for all sports except football. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ spent one campaign in the league which also featured Arkansas State, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, New Orleans, Texas-Pan American and Southwestern Louisiana.

Highlight of the American South era: The American South Conference provided a home for the first time for both the men’s and women’s programs at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½.

Sun Belt Conference (1991-92)

Following the 1990-91 academic year, the American South merged with the Sun Belt (which retained its name), forming an 11-institution league. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ competed in the league for just one year against the likes of Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas State, Jacksonville, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, New Orleans, South Alabama, Louisiana, Texas Rio Grande Valley and Western Kentucky.

Highlight of Sun Belt era: ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ was crowned with the women’s golf title thanks in part to individual champion Liz Earley ’92, who won the individual title in a sudden-death playoff. Jannet and Mike Shumaker were recognized with the Coach of the Year award.

Atlantic Sun Conference (1992-05)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ joined the Atlantic Sun (then known as the Trans America Athletic Conference) in 1992. During ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s tenure in the league, membership changes occurred frequently. Including ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, 16 institutions were part of the conference since 1992 β€” including ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s biggest rival at the time, Stetson, located just up the road in DeLand.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ was extremely successful in the ASUN β€” winning nine league titles in women’s soccer, eight each in baseball and women’s outdoor track and field, seven in volleyball, five in women’s tennis, four in men’s basketball, three each in men’s soccer, men’s golf, women’s golf and men’s tennis, two in women’s basketball, one in softball (who fielded its first team in 2002).

Highlight of the ASUN era: The 2001 baseball team (pictured below) that climbed to its highest national ranking in program history (No. 7, Baseball America) and earned the top seed in the NCAA Columbia Regional. From 2000-02, the Knights dominated the league with a combined record of 67-17 against ASUN opponents.

Milestone: Knights Head to FBS (1996)

Although the football team remained independent from conference affiliation until 2002, quite likely the biggest move in ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Athletics history came in 1996 when the football team first began competing at the NCAA FBS level. Below are excerpts from the April 1993 press release announcing that jump (at that time ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ had only been playing football for 14 seasons). Many of the same sentiments still ring true for ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s transition to the Big 12:

The ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ will upgrade its football program to the NCAA Division I-A level beginning with the 1996 season, President John C. Hitt announced today.

“Just as a great city needs a great university, a big-league city like Orlando should have a big-league college football program,” Hitt said in making the announcement at the Florida Citrus Bowl, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s home field. …

“We expect to reap a number of benefits by making the move to major college football,” Hitt said. “Historically, many elements of the community first become involved with a university through quality intercollegiate athletic programs and then expand that involvement into other areas of the university.”

β€œIn addition to increased revenues, the elevation of the football program is expected to result in greater national visibility for the university and Central Florida, increased alumni and donor activity, increased interest and camaraderie among the student body, and easier recruitment of student-athletes and students in general, the president said. Local merchants should also benefit financially through increased fan support at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ athletic events and therefore the support of the business community, including the major attractions, should increase dramatically,” he said.

β€œThis change isn’t something that will just happen; we will have to earn it,” Hitt said. β€œOne of key requirements in moving up to Division I-A is for us to reach an average attendance of 17,000 per game prior to 1996. For this to happen, we will need support from all of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s friends, from the student body and the campus community to alumni, community leaders and business leaders throughout Central Florida.”

This was also the era of Daunte Culpepper, a Central Florida standout out of Ocala Vanguard High School, who put ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ on the map nationally (literally β€” in 1998, the Knights made their first national television appearance on ESPN against Purdue). Culpepper finished his career as the Knights’ first NFL first-round draft pick.

β€œDaunte Culpepper helped ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ become a bigger thing than it had been because it was just getting into the FBS at the time, coming out of I-AA,” Staples says. “It made people sit up and take notice and then Daunte goes to the NFL and has this long, productive pro career as well. Now you’re thinking, β€˜OK this is a program that can produce that kind of player, that can nurture that kind of player, get them to the NFL and then they can be successful in the NFL.’ ”

Mid-American Conference (2002-04, Football Only)

After 24 seasons as a football independent, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ joined the Mid-American Conference in 2002 as a football-only member. While it may not have made sense geographically to be playing teams like Kent State, Toledo and Western Michigan as conference opponents, options for joining a league were slim and it provided ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ stability and reliability in its scheduling.

Conference USA (2005-12)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ became an all-sports member of Conference USA in 2005 and advanced to the inaugural football championship that same year. It was a period of transition for CUSA, with Marshall, Rice, SMU, Tulsa and UTEP also joining the league in 2005.

The ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ men’s basketball team made immediate strides on the court in a competitive league, finishing second during the 2006-07 regular season and saw Kirk Speraw named conference coach of the year. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s Jermaine Taylor was also a bright spot for the Knights from 2005-09. He was chosen as the conference’s Player of the Year his senior season and selected in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ won five CUSA titles in women’s soccer, four in women’s outdoor track and field, three in men’s golf, two each in football, women’s basketball and women’s indoor track and field, and one in softball.

Highlight of the CUSA era: The excellence of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s women’s teams. Women’s soccer advanced to NCAA Sweet 16 in 2011 for first time in nearly three decades and was ranked among the top 10 nationally the following year in its final year as a member. The track and field team’s dynasty of six indoor and outdoor championships in three years resulted in the first NCAA individual champion in school history and a top-five finish at the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championship. Women’s basketball returned to the NCAA Tournament twice thanks to two tournament titles and softball earned a bid to the NCAA regional with its second conference championship in program history in 2008.

American Athletic Conference (2013-23)

In 2013 ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ joined Houston, Memphis and SMU in leaving Conference USA for the American Athletic Conference β€” featuring members of the BIG EAST who played football. It also kickstarted the War on I-4 rivalry with nearby conference foe South Florida. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ went a perfect 7-for-7 in the annual all-sports standings before exiting The American in 2023.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ concluded its 10-year tenure in the AAC with more league titles during that decade than any other conference member. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ teams won 52 AAC titles from 2013-14 through 2022-23 β€” 21 regular-season crowns and 31 more via conference postseason tournaments, league title games or other conference champion designations.

β€œWithout question that level of success (in the AAC) played a major role in our opportunity to join the Big 12 Conference.” β€” Terry Mohajir, vice president and director of Athletics

β€œWe take great pride in the tremendous accomplishments of our teams during their 10 years in the American Athletic Conference,” says ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Vice President and Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir. β€œWithout question that level of success played a major role in our opportunity to join the Big 12 Conference.”

β€œEvery time some more stuff happened (with conference realignment), ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ happened to be playing very good football and people noticed,” Staples says. “That’s why when the Big 12 lost Texas and Oklahoma, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is coming off its most successful period in its history. And it was an easy choice. It was obvious where the Big 12 should go.”

Highlight of the AAC era: The football team’s historical 25-0 run over a span of 745 days from 2017-19. The accomplishment is listed in the NCAA record book among the longest win streaks ever recorded and marks the fourth-longest win streak this millennium (Miami, 34 – 2000-03; Florida State, 29 – 2012-14; Alabama, 26 – 2015-16).

Big 12 Conference (2023-present)

The Big 12 announced in September 2021 that ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ would join BYU, Houston and Cincinnati as future members. The Big 12 does not sponsor men’s soccer, so the Knights will compete in the Sun Belt Conference (which features fellow Power 5 programs West Virginia, Kentucky and South Carolina) in that sport.

Below are excerpts from the Sept. 10, 2021, announcement when the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Board of Trustees voted unanimously to accept an invitation for ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ to join the Big 12. Mohajir was quoted:

β€œThis is a landmark day for anyone ever associated with ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ or ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Athletics. As we anticipate a future move to the Big 12 Conference, we first owe a vote of thanks to all those at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ who have gone before us. There’s a long list of student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, university presidents and support staff, fans and donors and, of course, our student body, plus so many others whose hard work and successes have helped pave the way for today’s announcement. The bases were already loaded, and I feel very blessed and honored to get to step up to the plate on behalf of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½.

β€œI speak for all of us at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ in expressing our excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead. I’m confident our Knight teams will rise to the challenges to come.

β€œHere at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ we are in the business of providing the best possible opportunities for our student-athletes to thrive while they are here and to have post-collegiate career success. We are convinced that competing as a member of the Big 12 Conference absolutely will help us accomplish those goals.

β€œIn addition, Orlando is one of the most vibrant cities in the world β€” and the NIL (name, image, likeness) opportunities for our student-athletes here are endless compared to many college towns.”

β€œΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ has always kind of looked at the next step. If these programs are thinking that ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is going to come in and just try to fit in, that’s not going to be how it goes.” β€” Andy Staples, Β The Athletic senior writer

β€œΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ has always kind of looked at the next step. If these programs are thinking that ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is going to come in and just try to fit in, that’s not going to be how it goes,” Staples says. “ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is going to come in and try to take over. I think Cincinnati, Houston, BYU probably feel the same way, but you’ve seen it with ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½. When ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ went into the American, it was a step up in competition β€” but it didn’t take long before ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ was one of the best programs in the league. It’s got everything it needs to be successful. It has all the ingredients.”

β€œJust because Oklahoma and Texas are gone (in 2024 to the sec), no one is going to be able to walk through this league,” says Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic. “We’ve seen Kansas State and Baylor and different teams make Big 12 title games recently, but I would not be surprised if ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is competing to win this league pretty soon after getting there.”

The No. 6 ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ men’s golf team entered the final round of the 3M Augusta Invitational tied with No. 19 Texas. The Knights edged the Longhorns by one stroke Sunday at the Forest Hills Golf Club to take the one-shot victory. The Knights topped 13 other squads as well, en route to their second consecutive victory – and fourth of the season.

The 3M Augusta Invitational featured five Top 20 teams and 12 Top 50 squads, including No. 13 Virginia Tech, No. 9 Illinois and No. 27 Baylor, which rounded out the top five finishers in the event. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ also defeated No. 8 Houston, No. 22 New Mexico, No. 23 South Carolina, No. 28 Clemson, No. 42 Purdue, No. 43 Tennessee and No. 46 TCU.

β€œWhat a fantastic win for ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½,” Knights head coach Bryce Wallor said. β€œThis was clearly the best of the 15-team tournament victories we’ve had in the last five seasons. I’m so proud of the total team effort this week. Every player made an important scoring contribution. This is positive momentum going into the postseason.”

In addition to the Knights’ second straight team victory, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ picked up individual medalist honors at the 3M Augusta Invitational.

After Ricardo Gouveia won last week, senior Greg Eason stepped up this week. Eason was 11-under for the tournament. He opened with a red-hot 66 Saturday to grab the lead and he never relinquished it. Eason followed up with a 71 in the second round and was 4-under with a 68 Sunday. Eason birdied four of the last nine holes Sunday to pull out the win, his six career victory and his second this season.

Gouveia was solid once again this weekend, as well. The senior finished sixth at 7-under for the tournament. Of the 75 players entered, only seven were under par in each round. Eason and Gouveia were two of them. Gouveia fired a 1-under 71 Sunday.

Senior Kyle Wilshire also managed a Top 10 finish. He rebounded from a rocky first-round 75 to post scores of 67 and 70 in the final two rounds. That left Wilshire 4-under for the tournament and tied for eighth.

β€œOur three seniors stepped up big this week,” Wallor said of Eason, Gouveia and Wilshire.

Freshman Federico Zucchetti and junior Linus Vaisanen rounded out the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ lineup. Zucchetti tallied a 1-over 73 Sunday to finish 5-over and tied for 40th place. Vaisanen was tied for 63rd, going 10-over for the tournament.

The Knights will now enter preparations for the postseason. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ plays the American Athletic Conference Championship April 27-29 in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Team Leaders

1. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ 287-277-282=846 (-18)
2. Texas 284-280-283=847 (-17)
3. Virginia Tech 280-285-285=850 (-14)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Golfers

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s overall GSR was 89 percent, up four points from last year’s report. The Knights’ percentage was also seven points above the NCAA average of 82 percent.

The Knights rank No. 1 among public institutions in the State of Florida, second overall in the state and tied with Ohio State for 15th in the country among Football Bowl Subdivision institutions. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s GSR also ranks highest among current American Athletic Conference institutions.

Eleven of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s 14 programs (women’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field are combined) improved their GSR from the previous year’s report or maintained a 100 percent mark. Eleven of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s programs also came in above the national average for their sport.

Three Knights squads – women’s tennis, women’s basketball and men’s golf – were at a perfect 100 percent. It was the eighth consecutive season for women’s tennis to record a 100-percent score. Women’s soccer recorded the biggest improvement among Knights programs, jumping nine percentage points. Eight ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ programs were at 90 percent or better.

β€œWe have a group of high-achieving, hard-working student-athletes,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Todd Stansbury. β€œOur coaches and academic staff promote a culture of academic performance on a daily basis. Our graduation success rate is indicative of the emphasis our student-athletes put on academics.”

The football program finished 12 points above the national average, with an 83-percent mark, compared to 71 percent nationally. It was the seventh consecutive year the football program improved its GSR. Football’s 83 percent was a program-best score. In football, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ ranks No. 2 among American Athletic Conference schools.

β€œThese numbers are proof that our student-athletes, coaches and academic advisors are doing a great job promoting the goal of graduation,” said Kimya Massey, Associate Athletic Director for Academic Services. β€œIt’s very satisfying to work with a group that puts so much effort toward success in competition and in the classroom.”

The GSR data in this most recent report is for student-athletes who first enrolled in 2006.

The state has cut $144 million from ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s budget during the past five years, including $52 million this year. Tuition increases have made up for only a portion of those cuts.

β€œNone of us wants to impose additional burdens on our students, but we want to provide them with the best education possible,” said Olga Calvet, vice chair of the Board of Trustees. β€œWe cannot continue to pass on these costs to the students.”

Even with the increases, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s tuition costs would remain among the lowest in the nation. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ also has been named among the nation’s universities offering the best-value educations by Kiplinger and The Princeton Review, and 49 percent of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ students graduating last year left with no debt from their time at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ compared to 33 percent nationally.

Tuition and fees combined for an undergraduate in-state student taking 30 credit hours of courses would increase from $5,584 to $6,247 if the Florida Board of Governors votes next month to approve the amounts set by the Board of Trustees.

Tuition and fees for an in-state graduate student would increase 4 percent, bringing the total tuition and fees to $8,816 for a student taking 24 credit hours.

Trustees and administrators said nobody wants to raise tuition, but they said the impact on students would be severe if the university could not increase tuition and was forced to cut course sections in response to the state cuts. The 2012-13 tuition increase would raise about $20 million, which would support additional class sections, new faculty hires and need-based financial aid.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ already has made significant strides in operating as efficiently as possible. Administrative expenses total 39 percent less per student compared with the State University System average, and the university is saving $4.5 million annually by making campus buildings more energy efficient. However, trustees and administrators said they will continue to look for innovative ways to save money.

Smoke-Free Campus

Trustees also approved a policy to establish smoke-free campuses starting Aug. 20, the first day of classes in the fall. More than 600 other colleges and universities around the country already have smoke-free policies in place.

The new policy covers employees, students, visitors, vendors and others while on all ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½-owned or leased property, including in university vehicles. Out of concern for the health and safety of the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ community, President John C. Hitt laid the groundwork for the campaign last fall.

Groups such as the Faculty Senate, Student Government Association, USPS Staff Council and Greek Council have supported the initiative, which is designed to encourage a wholesome lifestyle and a change in behavior so that everyone’s right to clean air is respected. It is not designed as a punishment for those who smoke, as there are no fines or other penalties.

To help those who want to stop smoking, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is offering cessation services and resources, including individual and group classes, support groups, telephone and online counseling, self-help materials and medications.

For details, visit www.ucf.edu/smokefree.

Honoring Valencia’s President

Trustees approved awarding an honorary doctorate to Valencia College President Sanford C. Shugart. Shugart has served as Valencia’s president since 2000, and Valencia was recognized nationally last year with the Aspen Award for Community College Excellence.

β€œPresident Shugart has been a long and valued partner of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½,” President Hitt said. β€œHis support and engagement with DirectConnect to ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ and the students served through that program are testimony to his commitment to provide access to baccalaureate education and to promote student success.”

Notebook

Trustees voted to grant tenure to more than 30 faculty members from eight colleges and the NanoScience Technology Center.

Navy Capt. William H. β€œRoto” Rooter IV gave a presentation about the impact of Team Orlando, a community of organizations including ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, that work together to improve human performance through simulation and provide high-quality training for military personnel. Central Florida is nationally recognized as a hub for modeling and simulation.

New Student Government Association President Cortez Whatley participated in his first Board of Trustees meeting. Whatley also has been elected chair of the Florida Student Association, and he will serve on the Florida Board of Governors.

Trustee Ida Cook was elected to her fourth one-year term as president of the Faculty Senate, and she will continue to serve on the Board of Trustees during 2012-13.

Manoj Chopra, former chair of the Faculty Senate and a former ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ trustee, has been elected chair of the Advisory Council of Faculty Senates of Florida. In this capacity, he also will serve on the Florida Board of Governors.

President Hitt congratulated the six winners of the Pegasus Professor Award, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s most prestigious faculty honor. They are Sudipta Seal and Donald Malocha of the College of Engineering and Computer Science; Stella Sung and Talat Rahman from the College of Sciences; Stella Sung from the College of Arts and Humanities; and Martin Richardson from the College of Optics and Photonics.

Trustees applauded students from the College of Engineering and Computer Science, who won the top prize of $100,000 in a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. Team members Brandon Lojewski, Johan Rodriguez, Cheng Li and Thomas Yang will compete in the National Clean Energy Business Plan Finals in Washington, D.C., in June.

Trustees recognized four Burnett Honors College spring graduates who have received prestigious national scholarships. The graduates are Jennifer Bencivenga, who was chosen for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship in Germany; Ashley Ewh, who won a National Science Foundation graduate fellowship and a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship; Christopher Frye, who earned the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship; and Gabriel Willman, who received the David L. Boren Scholarship for Undergraduate Studies to study in Israel.

President Hitt recognized several ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ teams for their success this spring. The women’s track team won the Conference USA championship; the men’s golf team placed fifth in the NCAA’s Stanford Regional and will compete next week in the national championships; and the softball and women’s golf teams also earned spots in their respective NCAA tournaments. The baseball team finished second in Conference USA and was ranked as high as No. 7 this season.

Head coach team concluded the regional at 5-under 835, just two shots ahead of sixth-place Tennessee. The top five teams at each of the six regional sites nationally advanced to the NCAA Championship, which is set for May 29-June 3 in Pacific Palisades, Calif. The Knights last played in the championship in 2009.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ entered the final round in eighth but carded a 2-under 278 Saturday, compared to 4-over for Tennessee. Four of the Knights’ five golfers had par or better rounds on the final 18, led by and , who both posted 1-under 69 rounds. Joia finished tied for eighth at 5-under 205, while fellow sophomore Gouveia tied for 18th (208, -2).

“We are ecstatic,” Wallor said. “Going into the last round, we knew we were ready to play. Our guys flat out got it done.”

and both recorded 70s (E) Saturday and tied for 27th at 211 (+1).

No. 2 California won the regional title at 815 (-25). No. 14 San Diego State placed second at 821 (-9), followed by UAB (830, -10) and No. 8 Stanford (832, -8).

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ was making its sixth-consecutive NCAA Regional appearance and its third under Wallor.

“I am very happy for our team. I am so proud of them for putting their nose down and doing that they needed to do,” Wallor said.

Then, as Brad makes his way down the fairway and follows drives that often travel 290 yards or more, the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ senior’s cover is immediately blown. How could it be, Jim Schneider wonders to himself, that Brad’s form over the golf ball is so natural and his swing is so beautiful, but simply walking sometimes looks awkward and painful?

Considering all that he’s been through, it’s a minor miracle that is even here leading ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ to its fourth consecutive NCAA Regional tournament. Despite suffering a horrific injury years ago that would have crippled many and one that forces him to limp today, Schneider’s golf swing still looks as if it belongs on an instructional DVD.

“If you watch Brad walk, he actually plays golf better than he walks,” Jim Schneider said with amazement. “Even to this day, I can’t believe that there’s not an effect on his golf game. But Brad’s swing trainer, Todd Anderson, said the other day, `If (Brad) didn’t have shorts on you’d never know he had a bad ankle.’ Brad’s been able to overcome everything pretty well.”

By everything Jim Schneider is referring to a nightmarish series of events that not only nearly took away Brad’s ability to play golf, but to walk again. Brad’s story is one of pain and perseverance, labor and loyalty and ultimately hope for the future.

Five years ago — and just a couple of months after Schneider had accepted a scholarship to play golf at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ — a pick-up football game left him with a broken femur in his right leg. As if that weren’t bad enough for the aspiring golfer, Schneider suffered major nerve damage in both legs, and he had to endure several surgeries, four months in a hospital bed and not being able to walk without assistance for six months. Compartment Syndrome and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy developed in his left leg, causing most of the discomfort that persists today. But you’d never be able to tell by watching Brad’s sweet swing on the golf course.

There were dozens of dark days along the road to recovery, but as the most recent winner of the David Toms Award — which is given to the men’s collegiate golfer who has overcome adversity — Schneider feels fortunate to still be able to enjoy the game he loves so much.

“When the accident happened, all of those thoughts were floating through my head … `What’s going to happen? … How long will it take for me to come back?'” he remembers. “There were times when I was completely down in the dumps and questioning everything and wondering why this happened to me. I was wondering what I was going to do the rest of my life. I had those points, but fortunately I didn’t spend a lot of time alone. That kept me going and kept my drive and it helped me get back on the golf course.”

“The accident”
To this day, Schneider still refers to what happened on that November day in 2006 that changed his life forever as “the accident.”

Schneider had a big group of friends, ones with whom he regularly played baseball and golf while growing up in Valrico, outside of Tampa. Two months after agreeing to play college golf at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, Schneider rounded up 11 to 13 other friends for a game of boys-being-boys, roughhouse football the day before Thanksgiving.

After catching a pass and running for what he thought would be a touchdown, the 5-foot-6, 150-pound Schneider was pulled backward by his shoulders. His right leg was pinned underneath him as he fell back and the snapping of his femur was so grotesque and loud that it was heard by several of his buddies.

“My leg got caught back behind me really awkwardly, and I heard a snap and felt a lot of pain,” Schneider remembers. “It was the upper part of my leg, but I really didn’t know if it was my knee, my hip or my femur until the ambulance got there. There was just so much pain.”

He was rushed to the same Brandon hospital where his mother, Becky, worked as a nurse. Surgery followed on Thanksgiving Day to repair the fractured right femur, but it was actually just the start of Schneider’s medical issues.

Because he suffered such immense trauma, nerve damage hit his left leg the next day. Schneider ultimately developed compartment syndrome, a serious condition that involves increased pressure in a muscle compartment that can lead to muscle and nerve damage and blood flow problems.

Schneider said he doesn’t even remember what came next – and that’s probably a good thing. Over the next six days, he needed four more surgeries on his left leg. Doctors estimate that Brad lost 90 percent of the muscle and fascia tissue in his left leg because of the trauma. Later, he needed two more surgeries to block the nerves shooting down into his feet.

At that point, playing golf again was the furthest thing from the thoughts of the Schneider family. They simply hoped that their son’s pain would dissipate and he’d be able to walk again.

“We were in constant contact with the doctors about the prognosis. Our first worry, naturally, was walking and getting back to a normal life because at the time we didn’t know what was going to happen,” Jim Schneider said. “It was tough to watch.”

One thing that helped throughout the troubling time was the support of then-ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ golf coach , now a coach at Auburn. Clinard phoned Schneider on the day of the accident and promised that the spot on the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ golf team would still be there waiting for him after he recovered.

For a teenager just hoping to walk again, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s undying support meant everything.

“Coach Clinard he never lost confidence in me. He told me to get well and that he was still looking for me to come to ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½,” Brad said. “All of the support from everyone at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ has been huge for me, allowing me to come back and play again. I don’t know what would have happened at any other school. It was huge for Coach Clinard to stand by me and give me another chance. I had to get back and I think I surprised him.”

Back on course
Brad spent four months in a hospital bed, but was able to go home early because his mother was a nurse and could care for him. And even though it was six months before he walked for the first time without assistance, Brad was back around the golf course chipping and putting eight weeks later.

Schneider’s love for golf was passed down from three generations. For years, there were pictures in his grandfather’s Sun City home of a tiny Brad holding toy golf clubs in his hands.

Not long after that, he began to show an immense promise of someone well beyond his years on the golf course. Despite being small compared to others, Brad could crank drives longer than his friends and even started whipping his grandpa and father on the golf course at a young age.

“By 9 or 10 years old, I started playing a lot and started shooting some scores. I started breaking 80 and then I broke 70 the first time when I was 13,” Brad said in a matter-of-fact manner.

Remarkably, it wasn’t long after learning to walk that Schneider was shooting similar under-par scores with the assistance of a brace on his left leg and ankle. Working daily with golf trainer Randy Meyers and later testing out a variety of braces that would allow him to incorporate the golf swing on wobbly legs, Brad started chipping and putting, worked his way to his mid irons and in a matter of weeks began driving the ball once again.

Getting back on the golf course was the fuel for his inner engine. It made him singularly focused, much the way he is now when he pounds balls for hours on the driving range on off days.

“The first time I stepped foot back on a golf course I was just chipping and putting because it was the easiest thing to do. But really I didn’t know how I was ever going to swing a golf club again,” Brad admitted. “I just had to find the right brace appropriate for the golf swing and walking the course. Gaining my strength back through all of the physical therapy and strength training was huge for me. Every day I’d work at it 2-to-3 hours a day on weight training, physical therapy and stretching on top of practicing so that I could hit the ball like I did before the injury.”

Not a chance, Jim Schneider thought originally. “I knew he’d find a way to play golf again someday, but to get back to competitive golf in college is just amazing.”

Brad Schneider even amazed himself during his first full round in 2007, not long after coming to ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ for his redshirt freshman season.

“The first time I played 18 holes, I played in a cart at (Rio Pinar) and shot two-under,” he said. “After that, playing more and walking more, I knew I could still do it. And all of my teammates were so supportive of everything that I was doing. I knew then, starting to hit the ball the way that I wanted and getting my strength back, it was very good for me.”

Leaving a legacy at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½
Schneider isn’t just one of the most inspiring athletes in the history of athletics at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½; he is also one of the most successful.

As a freshman, he helped ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ win the first of three straight Conference USA titles. And he saved his best golf for the NCAA Regional when he fired a final round 62 and finished with a three-day total of 13-under 200 that vaulted the Knights into the NCAA Championships.

Remarkable stuff considering that Schneider had to walk 18, and sometimes 36 holes, a day on legs still trying to recover from “the accident” and the surgeries that followed. And in college golf there are no caddies, so forays up the fairways are done with the loop of the golf bag thrown over his shoulder.

C-USA titles followed in 2010 and 2011, as Schneider emerged as ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s best golfer. And this past season was his finest as a Knight as he took medalist honors at the Northern Intercollegiate, shot 13 rounds at par-or-better and finished in the top five of events five times. Accomplishing so much while also overcoming such great odds helped him with the David Toms Award.

“I can’t really sum it up without getting emotional. Seeing all of the work that Brad did, I called him the other day and told him that he really deserved it all,” said Jim, who is a fixture at all of Brad’s tournaments. “To handle it the way that he did, he’s always been an inspiration to a lot of people around him. There are still times when I look at him out there and my stomach still gets in knots and my heart drops because of all that he went through. I’m the one who sometimes wonders, `Why him?’ But with Brad, I’ve never seen him like that. I’m just amazed at how he’s been able to handle it all.”

Starting on Thursday, Schneider will step to the tee box in a NCAA Regional for the fourth straight year. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is one of 13 squads that will compete in the Stanford Regional in California. Coach team, which won three tournament titles and once rose to as high as No. 6 in the national rankings, will be looking to finish in the top five to advance to the NCAA Championship (May 29-June 3 in Pacific Palisades, Calif.).

Regardless of what happens later this week, Brad feels like he’s already won. He’s back doing what he loves and back hitting the ball 270 yards in the air and 290 yards with the roll.

Shocking stuff, indeed, for someone barely 150 pounds. And even more shocking when playing partners hear stories of all that Brad has had to overcome. They see signs of it in his limp down the fairway, but not in a picture-perfect golf swing that doesn’t seem a bit bothered by all of the trauma suffered five years ago.

“Actually, my legs are as good now as they were in junior golf,” Brad said with a snicker, still somewhat amazed himself. “Walking 18 holes and walking 36 holes, I can do it and it’s not a problem at all. There are certain pains that come up on certain days, but they are something that everyone has. I knew I had to get better physically to play good golf. I did it and I’m able to do something I love again.”

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s medal winners represent ten sports programs. The women’s rowing team led the way with six student-athletes, followed closely by the women’s soccer and softball teams with five each.

At least 32 Knights have earned medals during three of the last four years.

“Achieving a GPA of 3.75 or higher is a tremendous accomplishment for our student-athletes, who work hard in their classes while balancing the rigorous demands of their sports,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Todd Stansbury. “The fact that so many of our student-athletes have earned academic recognitions from Conference USA is a testament to their determination and the support of our dedicated faculty members, coaches and academic advisors.”

C-USA announced its academic honor roll (3.0 GPA or better) Tuesday, and 221 Knights were on the list. That total ranked second among all C-USA schools and first among the league’s public institutions.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s student-athletes have collectively achieved a GPA of at least 3.0 for each of the last eight semesters.

In October, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ posted a program-best 83 percent Graduation Success Rate, which tied with the University of Florida for the top rating among Florida’s public universities.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s academic medal winners are listed below in alphabetical order by sport:

Football: Jacob Bundy (Business Economics) andΒ Β (Social Science Education master’s program)

Men’s Golf: Μύ(΅ώ³ά²υΎ±²Τ±π²υ²υ-±θ±π²Τ»εΎ±²Τ²΅)

Women’s Rowing: Jesse Baldwin (Communication Science and Disorders), (Finance), (Elementary Education with a Coaching minor), Kelsey McCreary (Cinema Studies), Beatriz Merino (Pre-Clinical Allied Health with a Spanish minor) andΒ Β (Sport and Exercise Science/Psychology)

Men’s Soccer: Augusto Braccialli (Civil Engineering), (Psychology), (Molecular and Microbiology) and Μύ(±Κ²υ²β³¦³σ΄Η±τ΄Η²΅²β)

Women’s Soccer: (Biomedical Sciences), (Public Administration/Nonprofit Management), (Psychology), (Biology) andΒ Β (Communication Sciences and Disorders)

Softball: (Early Childhood Education), (Hospitality Management), (Elementary Education), (΅ώΎ±΄Η±τ΄Η²΅²β)Μύ²Ή²Τ»ε Β (Mathematics Education)

Men’s Tennis: (Finance-pending) and Β (Interdisciplinary Studies with a Math minor)

Women’s Tennis: Β (Communication Sciences and Disorders)

Track and Field: (Undeclared), (Athletic Training), (Elementary Education)Β and Μύ(±Κ³σΎ±±τ΄Η²υ΄Η±θ³σ²β)

Volleyball: (Marketing) andΒ  (Molecular Biology and Microbology)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s total ranked first among all Conference USA public institutions for the sixth-consecutive year.

Student-athletes named to the honor roll must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better. Student-athletes with a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or better also receive the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal. Those recipients will be announced Wednesday.

Tuesday’s announcement marked the latest of many accomplishments for the Knights in the classroom.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s student-athletes have achieved an overall GPA of at least 3.0 for each of the last eight semesters.

In October, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ posted a program-best 83 percent Graduation Success Rate, which tied with the University of Florida for the top rating among Florida’s public universities.

The Knights also have enjoyed success on the field in 2011-12. Six teams have earned national top 25 rankings: men’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s indoor track & field, women’s outdoor track & field and baseball. The women’s soccer team advanced to the Elite Eight, and the women’s indoor track & field team placed eighth at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Only one member of the 12-school Conference USA placed more student-athletes on the honor roll than ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½. Rice, an elite private school, had 232 student-athletes garner recognition.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s football team ranked No. 1 among all of the state’s public universities – and the men’s golf and women’s tennis teams posted perfect scores — in new graduation data released Tuesday.

The football team’s Graduation Success Rate released by the NCAA was 79 percent, 12 points above the national average. Within Conference USA, only Rice posted a higher GSR for football.

Overall, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ posted a program-best 83 percent Graduation Success Rate, tied with the University of Florida for the top rating among the state’s public universities.

β€œWe once again did very well across the board and continued to increase the academic achievement of our athletics program,” said Keith Tribble, director of Athletics. β€œI am very proud of our student-athletes, our coaches and dedicated academic support staff for their efforts year-round. No question the continued commitment from our university in graduating our student-athletes is evident in our annual increases.”

Women’s tennis posted a GSR of 100 for the sixth consecutive year. Men’s golf recorded a perfect score for the third time. Four other ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ teams – women’s basketball, rowing, volleyball and softball — recorded scores of 90 and above.

The NCAA releases updated graduation data every year. The data released Tuesday are for students who first enrolled in 2004.

β€œThese results are testament to the hard work by our student-athletes, coaches and academic advisors in promoting academic success and achievement,” said Kimya Massey, director of Academic Services for Student-Athletes (ASSA).Β  β€œThis shows that the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is not just maintaining athletics success on the field, but in the classroom as well.”

For more information, see the full story from ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Athletics.

Martin finished the three-round event at 8-under 208. During the final round, he carded a 6-under 66.

Martin concluded the event one stroke ahead of Alex Moore, who placed second at 209 (-7).

The tournament victory is the second of the summer for Martin. In late May, he took medalist honors at the Snohomish County Amateur in Washington.

Martin played in six tournaments for the Knights in 2010-11. His best showing came in the fall at the Adams Cup of Newport, where he tied for fourth in Rhode Island.