Knights Look to Follow Up Historic 2025 Season
The UCF Knights Rowing team is coming off a historic season in only its second year under its new head coach.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Knights as they start their 2026 season:
Who’s in Charge?
Mara Allen – 3rd season as Head Coach
Mara Allen was a part of eight Big 12 titles and two NCAA Championships on the Texas Longhorns’ staff under her old college coach, Dave O’Neil. Last season, she got her first Big 12 title heading up her own program.
Hear what she had to say at the Rowing team’s 2026 Media Day below:
Last Season
Big 12 Champions; 15th at NCAA Championships
The 2025 season was one for the history books for the Knights. Not only did they capture their first Big 12 title, the first Big 12 Postseason Championship in UCF history, but they also finished a program-record 15th in the NCAA Championship.
This Season
The Knights are starting where they left off last season at #15 in the CRCA Rankings.
Rowers to Watch
Hannah Lovejoy
Last season, Hannah Lovejoy became the Knights’ first All-American honoree since Julie Poulsen in 2019.
This season, she’s back for her senior campaign.
Brigitte Kapplerand Luna Kuiper
Both Brigitte Kappler and Luna Kuiper join Lovejoy as returning All-Big 12 rowers from last season.
Check out the Banneret’s 2026 Rowing Media Day Playlist for more Media Day interviews.
New Faces To Know
Julia Schultz
Schultz is the Knights’ lone addition from the transfer portal over the offseason, coming from Mercyhurst.
Roster Breakdown
- 17 Freshman
- 16 Sophomores
- 15 Juniors
- 9 Seniors
- 2 Fifth Years
- International Rowers (Denmark, Australia, Chile, South Africa, Canada, France, Spain, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Serbia, Hungary and Finland)
| Name | Class | Position | Hometown | Previous School | 2025 Accolades |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Izzy Bate | Junior | Port/Starboard | Warrington, United Kingdom | UCF | |
| Makayla Baxley | Junior | Port/Starboard | Ocala, Fla. | UCF | |
| Kendall Bovino | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Palm Coast, Fla. | UCF | |
| Maci Brede | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Lenoir City, Tenn. | Webb School of Knoxville | |
| Cecelia Britten | Freshman | Coxswain | Ames, Iowa | Ames High School | |
| Kesha Bruinette | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | London, England | UCF | |
| Lucy Buckingham | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Luton, England | UCF | 2025 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, All-Big 12 Team |
| Melanie Carlson | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Parrish, Fla. | Parrish Community High School | |
| Coralie Detre | Redshirt Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Dampmart, France | UCF | |
| Leighann Franklin | Junior | Port/Starboard | Corpus Christi, Texas | UCF | |
| Hana Garey | Junior | Coxswain | Pompano Beach, Fla. | UCF | |
| Aileen Ghomian | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Houston, Texas | William P. Clements High School | |
| Rylie Gillis | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Largo, Fla. | Clearwater Central Catholic | |
| Krista Gretz | Junior | Port/Starboard | Naples, Fla. | UCF (Rowing Club) | |
| Edith Herndon | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Chickamauga, Ga. | Baylor School | |
| Shiloh Hicks | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Lorton, Va. | South County High School | |
| Deanna Jones | Redshirt Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Kansas City, Kan. | UCF | |
| Claire Kaminski | Fifth Year | Port/Starboard | Melbourne, Fla. | UCF | |
| Vilma Kangasmäki | Junior | Port/Starboard | Porvoo, Finland | UCF | |
| Brigitte Kappler | Junior | Port/Starboard | Johannesburg, South Africa | UCF | All-Big 12 Team |
| Sophia Keller | Senior | Port/Starboard | Edgewater, Md. | UCF | |
| Alexa Konowal | Junior | Port/Starboard | Philadelphia, Pa. | UCF | |
| Lujza Kovács | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Budapest, Hungary | Berzsenyi Dániel Gimnázium | |
| Karin Kudmani | Junior | Port/Starboard | Windermere, Fla. | UCF | |
| Luna Kuiper | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Haarlem, The Netherlands | UCF | All-Big 12 Team |
| Aisling Landers | Freshman | Port/Starboard | San Francisco, Calif. | St. Ignatius College Prep | |
| Julia Latham | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Egg Harbor Township, N.J. | Egg Harbor Township High School | |
| Hannah Lovejoy | Senior | Port/Starboard | Marietta, Ohio | UCF | CRCA All-American Honorable Mention, 2025 Big 12 Rower of the Year, All-Big 12 Team |
| Madison Lovejoy | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Marietta, Ohio | Marietta High School | |
| Cate Maloney | Senior | Port/Starboard | Halifax, Nova Scotia | UCF | |
| Brinn Marks | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Apopka, Fla. | UCF | |
| Amira Marquez | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Iquique, Chile | UCF | |
| Ines Martin | Junior | Port/Starboard | Barcelona, Spain | UCF | |
| Eleanor McCandless | Freshman | Coxswain | Tallahassee, Fla. | Homeschooled | |
| Alexandra Meserino | Sophomore | Coxswain | Carle Place, N.Y. | UCF | |
| Maja Misljenovic | Junior | Port/Starboard | Belgrade, Serbia | UCF | |
| Bella Montalvo | Fifth Year | Port/Starboard | King of Prussia, Pa. | UCF | |
| Sofia Naboni Nevado | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Almeria, Spain | UCF | |
| Gabriella Nichols | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Flagstaff, Ariz. | Flagstaff High School | |
| Sidney Norman | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Melbourne, Fla. | UCF | |
| Morgan Northey | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Debary, Fla. | UCF | |
| Sofia Palacios | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Cincinnati, Ohio | UCF | |
| Kaitlyn Ringvelski | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Tallahassee, Fla. | Lawton Chiles High School | |
| Lexi Sanchez | Junior | Port/Starboard | Tampa, Fla. | UCF | |
| Julia Schultz | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Baldwinsville, N.Y. | Mercyhurst | |
| Sofia Scott | Sophomore | Port/Starboard | Melbourne, Australia | UCF | |
| Eliza Shaffer | Senior | Coxswain | Orlando, Fla. | UCF | |
| Vianna Smith | Sophomore | Coxswain | McLean, Va. | UCF | |
| Reese Springer | Junior | Starboard | Tallahassee, Fla. | UCF | |
| Alina Tasman | Senior | Port/Starboard | Titusville, Fla. | UCF | |
| Amalie Thorsen | Senior | Port/Starboard | Humlebaek, Denmark | UCF | |
| Amber Tulloch | Junior | Port/Starboard | Melbourne, Australia | UCF | |
| Sophia Tursi | Senior | Coxswain | McLean, Va. | UCF | |
| Audrey Vilendrer | Senior | Coxswain | Inverness, Fla. | UCF | |
| Riley Vincent | Junior | Port/Starboard | Mamaroneck, N.Y. | UCF | |
| Natasjia Voulanas | Senior | Port/Starboard | Melbourne, Australia | UCF | |
| Avery Weiner | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Highlands, N.J. | Ranney School | |
| Olivia Werner | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Greenwood, Ind. | Center Grove High School | |
| Tea Zivkovic | Freshman | Port/Starboard | Belgrade, Serbia | Republic of Serbia Sports High School |
Schedule
| Day | Date | Opponent OR Event | Location | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | Mar. 13 | Jacksonville | Lake Pickett | Orlando, FL |
| Friday-Saturday | Mar. 27-28 | Sarasota 2K | Nathan Benderson Park | Sarasota, FL |
| Friday-Saturday | Apr. 3-4 | Ohio State Invite | Griggs Reservoir | Columbus, Ohio |
| Friday-Saturday | Apr. 17-18 | Orlando Invite | Lake Pickett | Orlando, FL |
| Saturday | May 2 | Princeton & Penn | Lake Carnegie | Princeton, NJ |
| Sunday | May 17 | Big 12 Championship | Nathan Benderson Park | Sarasota, FL |
The Last Time…
UCF made it to consecutive NCAA Championships: 2015-2019.
All-Quarter Century Boat
| Position | Name | Years | Accolades |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coxswain | Nicole Mayer | 2016-2020 | 2x All-AAC Honoree (2nd in 2018, 1st in 2019) |
| Starboard | Krystina Sarff | 2004-2008 | 3x CRCA All-American (2nd in 2006, 1st in 2007-2008), 3x CRCA All-Region First Teamer (2006-2008), UCF Athletics Hall of Famer |
| Port | Chelsey Lauzon | 2009-2012 | 2012 CRCA 2nd Team All-American, 4x CRCA All-Region First Team, 2x All-CUSA (2010-11) |
| Port | Julie Poulsen | 2017-2021 | 2024 Olympian (Denmark, Women’s Four), 2x CRCA All-American Honorable Mention (2018-2019), 4x All-AAC First Teamer (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021), Part of 2017 AAC Boat of the Year |
| Port/Starboard | Viktorija Senkute | 2015-2018 | 2024 Olympic Bronze Medalist (Lithuania, Single Sculls), 4x All-AAC Honoree (2nd in 2016-16, 1st in 2017-18), Part of 2 AAC Boats of the Year (2015 & 2017) |
| Starboard | Lauren Aiello | 2014-2017 | 3x CRCA All-Region First Team (2015-2017), 4x All-AAC First Teamer (2014-2017), Part of 2 AAC Boats of the Year (2015 & 2017) |
| Starboard | Marija Medelinskaite | 2016-2019 | 4x All-AAC Honoree (2nd in 2016, 1st in 2017-2019), Part of 2017 AAC Boat of the Year |
| Port/Starboard | Caitlin Pauls | 2004-2008 | 2x CRCA All-Region Honoree (2nd in 2006, 1st in 2007) |
| Port | Ashleigh Boyd | 2014-2017 | 2x All-AAC First Teamer (2016-2017), Part of 2017 AAC Boat of the Year |
Category: General Sports
