Coaches

COACHES AND STAFF

UCF KNIGHTS

GEORGE O’LEARY

HEAD COACH • SIXTH YEAR AT UCF • NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1969 In only five years at UCF, George O’Leary has helped the Knights achieve dozens winner in 2006. of historic firsts including games in front of sellout crowds on campus, individual accolades for student-athletes, a conference championship and a trip to a pres�- Guiding the Knights Toward Prominence gious bowl game. For O’Leary, it has been business as usual.

The 2006 season featured several memorable moments for the Knights as they finished their Since taking over the program in 2004, O’Leary has made sure that the Knights final campaign at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Wide have reached new heights. On and off of the field, the veteran head coach has receiver Mike Walker had a record-breaking seamolded his program into a consistent winner. son. The Orlando na�ve broke the single-season school record for recep�ons with 90 and hauled in 1,178 receiving yards just a year His hard work contributed to the construc�on of Bright House Networks Stadium. removed from an ACL injury. He earned All-C-USA First Team honors and was one Interest in the program has never been higher. His student-athletes are enjoy- of five Knights recognized for their strong play by the league office. ing record success in the classroom, and the Knights are winning on the football field.

In 2005, O’Leary’s second season at UCF, he engineered one of the top turnarounds in the history of college football. Just one year removed from an 0-11 In 2007, O’Leary guided the Knights to arguably the finest campaign in program campaign, he guided the Knights to a historic season, complete with the program’s history. UCF won 10 contests, claimed the Conference USA Championship and par- first bowl appearance. �cipated in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in front of a na�onally-televised audience on ESPN. O’Leary led UCF to the fourth-best turnaround in NCAA history with a record of 8-5. The Knights went 7-1 in C-USA and claimed the league’s east division �tle. The There was li�le suspense as to who would garner C-USA Coach of the Year honors. squad became just the sixth team in NCAA history to go to a bowl game a year O’Leary was recognized with the award for the second �me in three campaigns. a�er going winless as the Knights par�cipated in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

For the Knights and their fans, 2007 was truly a year to remember. For the college football world, the season was more evidence that O’Leary has built the Knights The college football world took no�ce of into a powerful program. the turnaround. O’Leary was named the C-USA Coach of the Year. Both Helping UCF Arrive on the Na�onal Scene CBSsports.com and SportsIllusO’Leary has already le� his stamp on the Knights’ program. When he arrived in trated.com named him the naOrlando in 2004, UCF was not a factor on the regional or na�onal scenes. �onal coach of the year.

O’Leary rebuilt the program from the ground up. He lobbied for new facili�es, toured the state to gain publicity, restocked the Knights with top recruits and made sure his student-athletes excelled in their studies.

The growth of the program was no more evident than in 2007. UCF posted a school-record seven-game winning streak during the season. The conference championship was the first in program history.

The 10 wins during the year established a program record at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. Na�onally, only 19 teams won at least 10 contests during the year.

O’Leary helped tailback Kevin Smith post one of the most dominant single-season rushing performances. The junior rushed for 2,567 yards, good for second all-�me in NCAA history, and 29 touchdowns. He became the only rusher in the state of Florida and the 12th all-�me in the NCAA FBS to eclipse the 2,000-year mark in a season.

The 2008 season saw Joe Burne� also earn first-team All-America honors as he sha�ered the school and C-USA punt return records and graduated ranked 19th in NCAA history in career punt return yards.

Excellence off the Field O’Leary has reshaped the UCF program in every facet, including improved results in the classroom. The Knights turned in a successful effort in the classroom during the 2008 campaign, registering the highest in-season gradepoint-average in program history at 2.782. A total of 55 student-athletes recorded a GPA of least 3.0 during the fall 2008 semester.

Defensive lineman Keith Shologan became the first player in school history to receive ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team honors in 2007. Both Shologan and defensive back Sha’reff Rashad were selected to the C-USA Football All-Academic Team.

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In 2008, Rashad was named to the league all-academic squad for the second-consecu�ve year. In 2007, he was named the UCF Male Scholar Athlete of the Year, becoming the second-straight football player to earn the honor.

Rashad was twice named to the Na�onal Football Founda�on and College Hall of Fame’s Hampshire Honors Society. Offensive lineman Dan Veenstra was the award

Facing an 11-game schedule with just four home games, his squad became just the fourth team in NCAA history to earn a bowl berth

while playing seven road contests. Even more remarkable, the turnaround was made with a team of mostly underclassmen.

Pipeline to the Pros O’Leary has experience coaching on the professional level and, as a result, has helped several Knights move on to the NFL. Six Knights who played under O’Leary have been selected in the NFL Dra�.

Burne� was a fi�h-round pick of the Pi�sburgh Steelers in 2009. Smith was one of three UCF players taken in the 2008 dra�. He was the first pick of the third round

by Detroit. Offensive lineman Josh Si�on went to Green Bay in the fourth round and Kansas City selected �ght end Mike Merri� with its seventh-round pick.

FOOTBALL

Under O’Leary’s direc�on, defensive tackle Chris Hovan emerged as one of the top players in the game at his posi�on. He finished the season with a team-high 36 quarterback hurries and was selected to the Sports Illustrated All-Pro squad.

The Vikings’ defense ranked 10th in the NFL in 2003. Prior to his s�nt with the Vikings, O’Leary le� Georgia Tech and was named head coach at Notre Dame in December of 2001.

O’Leary served as the defensive line coach for San Diego from 1992-93. In 1992, the defense had 51 sacks as the Chargers won the AFC West with an 11-5 record.

A�er his incredible senior season in 2006, Walker was selected by Jacksonville in the third round. In the previous year’s dra�, wide receiver Brandon Marshall was Denver’s fourth-round selec�on.

Moving Up the Ranks O’Leary had the first of two s�nts at Georgia Tech from 1987-91. He served as the defensive coordinator/defensive line coach. The team finished 11-0-1 in 1990 and won the na�onal championship, defea�ng Nebraska in the Florida Citrus Bowl.

Other former Knights who played under O’Leary, including defensive lineman Paul Carrington, tailback Alex Haynes, �ght end Darcy Johnson and kicker Ma� Prater, have also spent �me in the NFL.

A Long Island na�ve, O’Leary received his first coaching job at the collegiate level at Syracuse (1980-86). He coached the defensive line and was also the assistant head coach his final two seasons.

Success at Georgia Tech O’Leary was the head coach at Georgia Tech from 1994-01 a�er taking over as interim head coach for the final three games of the 1994 season. During his sevenyear s�nt at Georgia Tech, O’Leary guided the Yellow Jackets to a 52-33 record. The squad made five bowl appearances under O’Leary.

He started his coaching career at the high school level. From 1968-76, he coached at Central Islip (N.Y.) High School. O’Leary was the head coach at the school from 1975-76, before taking over as the head coach at Liverpool High School. He posted a 37-8-1 record in five seasons as a prep head coach, including a perfect 10-0 campaign in 1979.

From 1995-01, Georgia Tech recorded five winning seasons in six years. His 1998 squad won the Atlan�c Coast Conference Championship and played in the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day. O’Leary’s Georgia Tech teams won at least seven games on four occasions , including a 10-win campaign in 1998 and nine victories in 2000.

The 2000 Bobby Dodd Na�onal Coach of the Year, O’Leary was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1998 and 2000.

O’Leary was born in Central Islip, N.Y., and a�ended Central Islip High School.

He a�ended the University of New Hampshire and earned his degree in physical educa�on. O’Leary and his wife, Sharon, have two daughters, Chris and Trish, and two sons, Tim and Marty. The O’Leary’s welcomed their first grandchild in 2006 as Tim and his wife Jennifer gave birth to a son named Tate. The couple had a second son, Cullen, in 2008.

One trademark of O’Leary’s tenure as a head coach has been the quality of his coaching staffs. While at Georgia Tech, he had three assistants who later garnered head coaching jobs. Ralph Friedgen (Maryland), Randy Edsall (Connec�cut) and Ted Roof (Duke) all served under O’Leary. Both Friedgen and Edsall have led their schools to BCS conference �tles.

NFL Experience Prior to coming to UCF, O’Leary served on Minnesota’s NFL coaching staff for two seasons. In 2003, he was the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. In his first season with the team in 2002, he guided the defensive line into becoming the strength of the Minnesota defense. He also served as the squad’s assistant head coach.

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UCF KNIGHTS

Fast Facts • Date of Birth: Aug. 17, 1946 • Hometown: Central Islip, N.Y. • Educa�on: New Hampshire, 1969 (B.S. in Physical Educa�on)

Year-by-Year Head Coaching Record Year School Record 1994 Georgia Tech 0-3 1995 Georgia Tech 6-5 1996 Georgia Tech 5-6 Coaching Experience 1997 Georgia Tech 7-5 • UCF, 2004-Present 1998 Georgia Tech 10-2 Head Coach 1999 Georgia Tech 8-4 • Minnesota Vikings, 2002-03 2000 Georgia Tech 9-3 Defensive Coordinator (2003), Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line (2002) 2001 * Georgia Tech 7-5 • Georgia Tech, 1994-01 2004 UCF 0-11 Head Coach (1995-01), Interim Head Coach (1994), Defensive Coordinator/Defen2005 UCF 8-5 sive Line (1994) 2006 UCF 4-8 • San Diego Chargers, 1992-93 2007 UCF 10-4 Defensive Line 2008 UCF 4-8 • Georgia Tech, 1987-91 at UCF 26-36 Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Overall 78-69 • Syracuse, 1980-86 Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line (1985-86), Defensive Line (1980-84) • Liverpool (N.Y.) High School, 1977-79 Head Coach • Central Islip (N.Y.) High School, 1968-76 Head Coach (1975-76), Assistant Head Coach (1968-74) Honors • 2007 Conference USA Coach of the Year • 2007 Atlanta Touchdown Club Conference USA Coach of the Year • 2005 Conference USA Coach of the Year • 2005 CBSSports.com Na�onal Coach of the Year • 2005 SportsIllustrated.com Na�onal Coach of the Year • 2005 Eddie Robinson Na�onal Coach of the Year finalist • 2005 Paul “Bear” Bryant Na�onal Coach of the Year finalist • 2000 Bobby Dodd Na�onal Coach of the Year • 2000 Atlan�c Coast Conference Coach of the Year • 1998 Atlan�c Coast Conference Coach of the Year • 1998 AFCA Region I Coach of the Year • 1998 Eddie Robinson Na�onal Coach of the Year finalist

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Bowl History Season Bowl 1985 Cherry 1991 Citrus 1991 Aloha 1997 Carquest 1998 Gator 1999 Gator 2000 Peach 2001* Sea�le 2005 Sheraton Hawaii 2007 AutoZone Liberty

Notes Interim head coach

Carquest Bowl Gator Bowl, ACC Co-Champs Gator Bowl Peach Bowl Sea�le Bowl Sheraton Hawaii Bowl AutoZone Liberty Bowl, C-USA Champs

Result Maryland 35, Syracuse 18 Georgia Tech 45, Nebraksa 21 Georgia Tech 18, Stanford 17 Georgia Tech 35, West Virginia Georgia Tech 35, Notre Dame 28 Miami 28, Georgia Tech 13 LSU 28, Georgia Tech 14 Georgia Tech 24, Stanford 14 Nevada 49, UCF 48 (OT) Mississippi State 10, UCF 3

(years as head coach in bold) * coached Georgia Tech for its first 12 games of the 2001 season, but did not coach the Yellow Jackets in the Sea�le Bowl

FOOTBALL

UCF SUCCESS UNDER GEORGE O’LEARY

Conference Championship Appearances The Knights have played in a pair of Conference USA Championship Games since joining the 12-team league in 2005. UCF hosted the �tle contest in 2007, defea�ng Tulsa at Bright House Networks Stadium. The Knights also hosted Tulsa in 2005 at the Florida Citrus Bowl.

Bowl Trips UCF has made trips to two bowl games under O’Leary. A�er winning the C-USA �tle in 2007, the Knights faced Mississippi State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. The program also par�cipated in the 2005 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, mee�ng Nevada.

Na�onal Award Winners Under O’Leary, UCF players have received several na�onal accolades. Most recently, Joe Burne� was an All-America pick in 2008 as a kick returner. The previous season, tailback Kevin Smith earned consensus All-America honors after his record-breaking 2007 campaign.

NFL Dra� Picks Six Knights have been selected in the Na�onal Football League Dra� since the 2005 campaign, including three in 2008. The list of UCF players who have been picked includes Joe Burne�, Brandon Marshall, Josh Si�on, Kevin Smith and Mike Walker.

Academic Excellence The Knights have also excelled off the field during O’Leary’s tenure, se�ng team grade point average records on several occasions. A�er the 2008 season, safety Sha’reff Rashad was awarded a Conference USA Postgraduate Scholarship.

He earned academic all-district honors twice.

Na�onal Spotlight UCF has appeared on na�onal television 27 �mes since O’Leary took over the program before the start of the 2004 season. In 2008, seven of the team’s games were aired on na�onal television. Five of those games were shown on the ESPN family networks.

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UCF KNIGHTS

SEAN BECKTON

DEFENSIVE BACKS • NINTH YEAR OVERALL AT UCF • UCF, 1993 A member of the UCF Athle�cs Hall of Fame, Sean Beckton is in his ninth year overall at UCF, where he serves as the program’s defensive backs coach. He is in the first year of his third s�nt as an assistant coach at his alma mater.

From 1996-03, Beckon served as UCF’s wide receivers coach. During that �me, he mentored some of the best wideouts in program history, including Siaha Burley, Doug Gabriel, Jimmy Fryzel, Brandon Marshall and Mike Walker. Gabriel, Marshall and Walker all played in the Na�onal Football League a�er concluding their collegiate careers.

Beckton’s success with the Knights included a four-year run where the Knights had a receiver ranked in the top six in the na�on in recep�ons per game each season.

Before re-joining the UCF staff under George O’Leary, Beckton spent �me as an assistant for the Orlando Predators in the Arena Football League.

A na�ve of Daytona Beach, Beckton was a star wide receiver for the team from 1987-90. He concluded his career as the program’s career leader in recep�ons with 196 and receiving yardage with 2,493. Against Texas Southern as a senior, Beckton threw a touchdown pass, ran for a touchdown, caught a touchdown and also scored on a punt return.

A�er brief s�nts with the Chicago Bears and the Cincinna� Bengals in the Na�onal Football League, Beckton returned to UCF in 1992-93, serving as an offensive graduate assistant coach, where he mainly worked with the Knights’ �ght ends. From 1993-96, Beckton coached and taught history at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach. He helped Mainland to a pair of state championships, and in his role as a basketball coach, also helped mentor current Na�onal Basketball Associa�on star Vince Carter.

Beckton, who also played for the Predators from 199394, was inducted into the UCF Athle�cs Hall of Fame in 2000. He graduated from UCF in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and a minor in physical educa�on. Along with his many football accomplishments, he has also served as the physical educa�on department chair at Mainland.

Beckton and his wife, Zorana, have a son, Sean, Jr., and a daughter, Zaria.

Coaching Experience • UCF, 2009-Present Defensive Backs • Orlando Predators, 2008 Wide Receivers • UCF, 1996-03 Wide Receivers • Mainland (Fla.) High School, 1993-96 Assistant Coach • UCF, 1992-93 Offensive Graduate Assistant

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FOOTBALL

GEOFF COLLINS

LINEBACKERS/RECRUITING COORDINATOR • SECOND YEAR AT UCF • WESTERN CAROLINA, 1994 Geoff Collins is in his second year at UCF, where he serves as the program’s linebackers coach and recrui�ng coordinator. In his first campaign in Orlando, Collins helped UCF’s defense rank second in Conference USA in total and scoring defense.

The Knights also paced the conference, and ranked third na�onally, in tackles for loss. Two of the linebackers that Collins mentored – Derrick Hallman and Lawrence Young – received All-C-USA Honorable Men�on recogni�on.

A na�ve of Conyers, Ga., who a�ended Rockdale County High School, Collins earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina in Sport Management and Exercise Science in 1994 and then completed the Educa�on curriculum in 1995.

He did postgraduate work in psychology at Fordham University and Georgia Tech.

He is married to the former Jennifer Haynes.

Before joining the Knights’ staff, Collins spent a year as the director of player personnel at Alabama. While at Alabama, Collins’ was responsible for bringing in the best recrui�ng class in the history of the school along with being ranked the SEC’s and na�on’s consensus No. 1 recrui�ng class. The previous year at Georgia Tech, Collins’ efforts led to the Yellow Jackets best recrui�ng class in their storied history.

The class finished as the na�on’s 11th-ranked class overall and first in the ACC. In 2002, Collins became the defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at his alma mater, Western Carolina, and inherited one of the worst defensive units sta�s�cally in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. In 2003, under Collins’ direc�on, the Catamount defense emerged as one of the best in the na�on.

Despite playing two NCAA FBS teams and three of the FCS top 15 rushing teams, Western led the Southern Conference in rushing defense for the first �me since joining the league in 1976, while ranking 14th na�onally.

In 2004, Western Carolina’s defense only allowed 301.91 yards per game to end the season ranked 12th na�onally, which was the school’s highest na�onal ranking at season’s end. In addi�on, Western ranked 15th in the na�on in pass defense, allowing just 163.64 yards per game. It marked the first �me since 2001 WCU was ranked among the na�on’s top 20 in pass defense.

Coaching Experience • UCF, 2008-Present Linebackers/Recrui�ng Coordinator • Alabama, 2007 Director of Player Personnel • Georgia Tech, 2006 Director of Player Personnel • Western Carolina, 2002-05 Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Backs (2002-04) • Georgia Tech, 1999-01 Tight Ends (2001), Graduate Assistant (1999-00) • Albright, 1997-98 Defensive Backs (1998), Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers (1997) • Fordham, 1996 Outside Linebackers • Franklin (N.C.) High School, 1995 Defensive Backs • Western Carolina, 1993-94 Student Assistant

While Western allowed just 138.27 yards per game against the run, the Cats held four of na�on’s top rushing teams to a combined 118.5 yards below their season average, including Georgia Southern (first in FCS), Wofford (second in FCS), Nicholls State (10th in FCS) and Furman (14th in FCS). In addi�on to tackle Albert Reid earning first team All-SoCon honors, defensive backs Primus Glover and Bruce Lee were named to the all-league team.

In 2005, the Western Carolina defense was ranked No. 1 na�onally in pass defense along with being ranked 18th na�onally in total defense. Collins’ unit also finished ranked first in the Southern Conference in total defense and pass defense along with several other defensive categories. Francis Brown, Mitchell Dukes, Albert Reid, Rico Reese and Felipe Foster were all named to the league’s all-conference team.

Prior to returning to Western Carolina, Collins spent three years with current UCF head coach George O’Leary at Georgia Tech. Collins began his career on the Flats as the defensive graduate assistant working with the linebackers in 1999 and with the defensive backs in 2000. In his final year at Georgia Tech, Collins helped �ght end Russell Matvay post career highs with 22 recep�ons for 245 yards, while the Yellow Jacket offense led the ACC in passing offense.

Before his days at Georgia Tech, Collins spent two years as the defensive coordinator and linebackers and secondary coach at Albright College in Reading, Pa. In 1997, the NCAA Division III program boasted the leading defense in its conference and ranked in the top 10 na�onally in all defensive categories. In 1998, the Lions’ defense ranked among the top three in their league.

In 1996, Collins served as an assistant coach at Fordham, working with the outside linebackers while also serving as the junior varsity defensive coordinator. He also spent one season (1995) as an assistant coach at Franklin (N.C.) High School while student teaching in the Macon County Public Schools.

During his playing days at Western Carolina, Collins tallied 194 tackles as an outside linebacker and defensive back from 1989-92. He was the team’s fi�h leading tackler as a junior with 68, while registering six tackles for losses. As a senior, he helped Western to a 7-4 record, logging 62 total takedowns and five tackles for a loss. He began his coaching career as a student assistant on the Western Carolina staff in 1993, when the Catamounts were the preseason No. 1 team in the FCS.

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UCF KNIGHTS

GEORGE GODSEY

RUNNING BACKS • SIXTH YEAR AT UCF • GEORGIA TECH, 2001 In his sixth year at UCF, George Godsey is in his first campaign as the Knights’ running backs coach. He spent the previous four campaigns as UCF’s quarterbacks coach, helping the Knights to a pair of bowl games. Godsey came to UCF in the fall of 2004 as the offensive graduate assistant coach to work under his former head coach at Georgia Tech – George O’Leary.

In 2007, the Knights won 10 contests, claimed the Conference USA Championship for the first �me and par�cipated in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

Godsey stressed efficiency to his quarterbacks and those efforts showed up in the UCF record books. Kyle Isreal and Steven Moffe�, who both started parts of two seasons under Godsey’s watch, rank in the top four in the UCF record books in the category of intercep�ons-to-a�empts ra�o. Moffe� is �ed for first at .030 (26/860), while Israel is fourth at .032 (17/517).

Under Godsey’s guidance in 2006, Israel posted two of the school’s top-10 singlegame passing percentages, including a 19-of-22 (86.4 percent) showing in the season-ending victory over UAB. Israel’s effort versus the Blazers was second all�me, trailing only Daunte Culpepper, who completed 14-of-16 (87.5) in a win over Samford in 1995.

Both Moffe� and Israel finished their careers ranked in the top five on the career charts in pass efficiency as well under Godsey’s guidance. Moffe� is fourth on the charts with a 133.68 clip, while Israel is fi�h at 128.70.

During Godey’s first campaign as the team’s quarterbacks coach, UCF went 8-5 in 2005. The Knights finished first in C-USA’s East Division and headed to the Pacific to compete in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

As a quarterback at Georgia Tech from 1998-01, Godsey set the program record for career comple�on percentage (63.3) and ranked second in career pass efficiency ra�ng (143.64). The ra�ng is also the fi�h-best in the Atlan�c Coast Conference annals. As a senior in 2001, Godsey set a Georgia Tech record with 249 comple�ons.

He is third all-�me at the school with 41 touchdown passes, fourth with 6,137 yards and 484 comple�ons and fi�h in a�empts (765).

The Tampa na�ve concluded his career in the top 20 in ACC history in career passing yards (15th) and total offense (19th). Godsey garnered All-ACC Second Team honors in 2000 and was an all-conference academic selec�on in 2001.

Following his collegiate career, Godsey played one season in the Arena Football League with the Tampa Bay Storm. He was part of the 2003 team that won the Arena Bowl �tle.

Coaching Experience • UCF, 2004-Present Running Backs (2009), Quarterbacks (2005-08), Graduate Assistant (2004)

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DAVE HUXTABLE

FOOTBALL

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR • SIXTH YEAR AT UCF • EASTERN ILLINOIS, 1979 One of the longest-tenured members of the UCF coaching staff, Dave Huxtable is in his second season as the program’s defensive coordinator. A�er spending four years as UCF’s linebackers coach and special teams coordinator, Huxtable moved into his new role in 2008 and immediately guided the Knights to success.

Last season, the squad ranked first in Conference USA in three categories – rushing defense, pass efficiency defense and tackles for loss. UCF recorded 8.62 tackles for loss per game, which ranked third in the country. The Knights were second in the league in total defense, holding foes to just 333.75 yards a contest.

Several UCF defensive players received individual honors from C-USA, including defensive backs Joe Burne� and Sha’reff Rashad, who were all-league first team selec�ons.

During Huxtable’s �me at UCF, the Knights have par�cipated in a pair of bowl games, including the 2007 AutoZone Liberty Bowl. That season the team claimed the C-USA Championship �tle.

Under Huxtable’s tutelage, several linebackers shined for the Knights during the 2007 campaign. Chance Henderson was third on the team with 74 total tackles, followed by Cory Hogue (72). A pair of rookies – Derrick Hallman (45 tackles, three sacks) and Darius Nall (22 tackles, one sack) – were named to the All-C-USA Freshman Team.

Coaching Experience • UCF, 2004-Present Defensive Coordinator (2008-), Linebackers/ Special Teams (2004-07) • North Carolina, 2001-03 Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers (2002-03), Linebackers/Special Teams (2001) • Oklahoma State, 2000 Linebackers/Special Teams • East Carolina, 1998-99 Defensive Line (1999), Linebakcers (1998) • Georgia Tech, 1992-97 Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers (1996-97), Linebackers/Special Teams (199294) • East Carolina, 1990-91 Linebackers/Special Teams • Western Kentucky, 1985-89 Defensive Line/Linebackers • Independence CC, 1984 Defensive Coordinator • Iowa State, 1982-83 Graduate Assistant

Huxtable and O’Leary worked together at Georgia Tech during the 1990s. While serving as the Yellow Jackets’ linebackers coach from 1992-97, Huxtable also spent �me as the program’s defensive coordinator (1996-97) and special teams coordinator (1992-94). Under O’Leary, he was part of the staff that coached Georgia Tech to a 35-30 win over West Virginia in the 1997 Carquest Bowl.

From 2001-03, Huxtable worked at North Carolina. He coached the linebackers for three seasons and also served as the team’s defensive coordinator for the final two years of his s�nt in Chapel Hill. In 2001, he also was North Carolina’s special teams coordinator.

Huxtable helped guide a unit that finished first in the Atlan�c Coast Conference and 15th in the na�on in 2001 in total defense. In addi�on, he molded a group of inexperienced linebackers into one of the top units in the ACC. Under Huxtable’s instruc�on, former walk-on David Thornton earned All-ACC honors in 2001 a�er leading the Tar Heels with 131 tackles. That same season, fellow linebacker Quincy Monk was second on the team with 125 stops. Thornton (fourth round) and Monk (seventh round) were both selected in the Na�onal Football League Dra�.

Prior to North Carolina, Huxtable spent a year as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Oklahoma State. Before coaching the Cowboys, he spent two years on the East Carolina staff. Huxtable worked with the Pirate linebackers in 1998 and defensive line in 1999.

He also worked at East Carolina in the early 1990s, coaching linebackers and special teams from 1990-91. Huxtable was on the staff when the Pirates defeated NC State in the 1991 Peach Bowl.

Prior to his �me at Georgia Tech, he coached at Western Kentucky from 1985-89 and was the Hilltoppers’ defensive coordinator in 1989.

He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Iowa State in 1982 and then served as the defensive coordinator at Independence Community College in Kansas.

During his career, Huxtable has coached a pair of players who were selected in the first round of the NFL Dra�: Robert Jones at East Carolina (Dallas, 1991) and Keith Brooking at Georgia Tech (Atlanta, 1997).

A 1979 graduate of Eastern Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in educa�on, Huxtable and his wife Vicki have a daughter, Shea, and a son, Jake. Shea played tennis at Georgia Southern and Jake is a sophomore on the UCF baseball squad.

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UCF KNIGHTS

DAVID KELLY

WIDE RECEIVERS/ASSISTANT HEAD COACH • FOURTH YEAR AT UCF • FURMAN, 1979 David Kelly is in his third campaign as UCF’s wide receivers coach. Kelly joined the UCF staff in 2006 as the program’s director of high school rela�ons. He has over 30 years of experience coaching on the prep and collegiate levels. Kelly also serves as the Knights’ assistant head coach.

In Kelly’s first year as UCF’s wide receivers coach, the Knights recorded one of the best seasons in program history in 2007. The squad went 10-4, claimed the Conference USA Championship and played in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

In 2007, he helped three UCF wideouts record at least 20 recep�ons. Rocky Ross paced the team with 50 catches and Kamar Aiken also had a strong season. The true freshman recorded 33 recep�ons and a team-high five receiving touchdowns.

Fellow rookie A.J. Guyton totaled 23 recep�ons and two touchdowns as well for the Knights.

Kelly originally joined the UCF staff in 2006, serving as the program’s director of high school rela�ons. In that role, he helped the Knights make recrui�ng inroads in Florida and in the southeast. Before coming to Orlando, Kelly served as the associate head coach and wide receivers coach at Duke during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

From 2000-01, Kelly worked under George O’Leary at Georgia Tech as the Yellow Jackets’ wide receivers coach. In Kelly’s two years at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets went 17-8 and made trips to a pair of bowl games.

At Georgia Tech, he mentored Kelly Campbell, who completed his career as the school’s all-�me leader in recep�ons, receiving yards and touchdown catches. Campbell was an All-Atlan�c Coast Conference First Team selec�on in 2001.

Kelly served as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator at Stanford from 2002-03 and also held assistant coaching posi�ons at Louisiana State (199600) and Georgia (1994-96). While at Georgia, he served as the running backs coach and worked with Terrell Davis and Robert Edwards, who both went on to produc�ve careers in the Na�onal Football League.

Before entering the collegiate ranks, Kelly was the head coach at Dunwoody High School in Georgia from 1984-93. His teams went 80-36-1. In 1993, he led Dunwoody to a 15-0 mark, the state championship and a No. 3 ranking in the final USA Today na�onal poll. That season, Kelly was named Georgia’s coach of the year by the Atlanta Journal-Cons�tu�on.

Kelly graduated from Furman in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in educa�on. He was a four-year le�erwinner with the Paladins, playing wide receiver, running back and cornerback. Kelly earned his master’s degree from Furman in 1981. Kelly and his wife, Belinda, have a daughter, Bri�any.

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Coaching Experience • UCF, 2006-Present Wide Receivers (2007-), Assistant Head Coach (2007-), Director of High School Rela�ons (2006) • Duke, 2004-05 Associate Head Coach/Wide Receivers • Stanford, 2002-03 Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator • Georgia Tech, 2000-01 Wide Receivers • LSU, 1996-00 Wide Receivers • Georgia, 1994-96 Running Backs • Dunwoody (Ga.) High School, 1981-93 Head Coach (1984-93), Assistant Coach (1981-83) • Furman, 1979-80 Graduate Assistant

BRENT KEY

FOOTBALL

OFFENSIVE LINE • FIFTH YEAR AT UCF • GEORGIA TECH, 2001 In his fi�h campaign at UCF, Brent Key is in his first season as the program’s offensive line coach. Key spent the last two years as the Knights’ �ght ends/special teams coordinator. He originally joined the Knights prior to the 2005 season as the offensive graduate assistant coach.

While with the Knights, Key helped �ght end Mike Merri� develop into a professional prospect. Merri� had 14 catches for 161 yards as a senior in 2007 and was a seventh-round selec�on of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2008 Na�onal Football League Dra�. Merri� proved to be one of the best run-blocking �ght ends in the country, helping the Knights set a program record with 3,287 rushing yards in 2007.

Corey Rabazinski also had a strong campaign for the Knights in 2007. He totaled 10 catches for 66 yards with two scores. Working with Key in 2006, Rabazinski developed into one of UCF’s top receiving threats as a true freshman when he recorded 12 catches for 145 yards.

During Key’s �me in Orlando, the Knights have par�cipated in a pair of bowl games, including the 2007 AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The 2007, the squad went 10-4 and claimed the Conference USA Championship.

A former standout at Georgia Tech under George O’Leary, Key was a four-year starter (1997-00) for the Yellow Jackets at right guard. During his career, he helped Georgia Tech rank in the top three in the Atlan�c Coast Conference in rushing all four years.

Key started 44 games for the Yellow Jackets and was part of a senior class that earned four-straight bowl berths, a first for the program since the 1950s. During Key’s sophomore year in 1998, Georgia Tech went 102, earned a share of the ACC �tle and par�cipated in the Gator Bowl.

In 2000, Key was an All-ACC selec�on. He helped Georgia Tech rank in the top-20 na�onally in total offense, passing offense and scoring offense. Key was also part of an offensive line that led the league in fewest sacks allowed with 16, including only 14 by the star�ng five. He earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors a�er his performance against Maryland, when he helped the Yellow Jackets record 547 yards of total offense. Following his senior season, Key played in the Rotary Gridiron Classic in Orlando.

Key began his coaching career at Georgia Tech in 2001 as the offensive graduate assistant coach under O’Leary. Prior to joining the staff at UCF, he worked at Western Carolina in 2004, coaching the �ght ends and fullbacks.

Coaching Experience • UCF, 2005-Present Offensive Line (2009-), 9-), Tight Ends/Special Teams (2008), Recrui�ng Coordinator (2007), Graduate Assistant (2005-06) • Western Carolina, 2004 Tight Ends/Fullbacks • Georgia Tech, 2001-02 Graduate Assistant

139

UCF KNIGHTS

JIM PANAGOS

DEFENSIVE LINE • THIRD YEAR AT UCF • MARYLAND, 1993 Jim Panagos is in his third campaign in Orlando, serving as UCF’s defensive line coach. He came to the Knights a�er spending four years as an assistant in the Na�onal Football League.

In 2008, UCF’s defensive line was one of the strongest in the country. The group helped the Knights rank first in Conference USA in three categories – rushing defense, pass efficiency defense and tackles for loss. UCF recorded 8.62 tackles for loss per game, good for third in the country. The team ranked second in C-USA in total defense, holding foes to just 333.75 yards a contest. Defensive lineman Torrell Troup garnered a spot on the All-C-USA Second Team.

UCF experienced immediate success in Panagos’ first year, going 10-4 in 2007, winning the C-USA Championship crown and par�cipa�ng in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The Knights’ defensive front showed great improvement during the season.

The squad recorded 39 sacks on the season, which ranked first in C-USA and 24th na�onally.

Panagos helped three Knights gain individual honors during the campaign. Leger Douzable (49 tackles, 7.5 sacks) was an All-C-USA First Team pick and fellow senior defensive lineman Keith Shologan (33 tackles, 2.5 sacks) was named to the allleague second team. Defensive end Bruce Miller totaled 38 tackles and 7.0 sacks and was named to the All-C-USA Freshman Team.

Both Douzable (Minnesota) and Shologan (San Diego) signed free-agent contracts with Na�onal Football League squads in April. Shologan was also the fourth overall selec�on in the Canadian Football League Dra� by Saskatchewan.

Prior to moving to Orlando, Panagos was on Minnesota’s staff in the NFL. In 2005, he served as the Vikings’ assistant defensive line and assistant special teams coach. During the 2004 campaign, Panagos helped rookies Spencer Johnson and Darrion Sco� take on star�ng roles at defensive tackle and defensive end, respec�vely. Panagos worked with Kevin Williams that season as the all-pro led all NFL defensive tackles with 11.5 sacks.

Panagos joined the Minnesota staff in 2002 as the offensive quality control assistant. He contributed to the Vikings’ record-breaking season on the ground. For the first �me in team history, the Vikings led the NFL in rushing with 2,507 yards.

From 1989-92, Panagos was a defensive lineman at Maryland. A two-�me letterwinner, he holds the school single-season record for blocked kicks with five in 1992. That same season, he led the Terrapins in sacks (5) and tackles for loss (12).

In 1993, he began his coaching career as the assistant defensive line coach at his alma mater. Before joining the Vikings, Panagos spent four years teaching mathema�cs and coaching football, as well as several other sports, at the C.R. James Alterna�ve School in Tampa, Fla. He also volunteered with Tampa’s YMCA football program.

Panagos worked in sales for the Safelite auto glass company from 1994-97. He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal jus�ce from Maryland in 1993.

A na�ve of Brooklyn, N.Y., he a�ended East Islip High School on Long Island, where he earned first-team all-state honors in football. Panagos and his wife Maureen have three children: Jack, Hayden and Olivia.

Coaching Experience • UCF, 2007-Present Defensive Line • Minnesota Vikings, 2002-05 Defensive Line Assistant/Special Teams Assistant (2004-05), Defensive Quality Control Assistant (2003), Offensive Quality Control Assistant (2002) • C.R. James (Fla.) Alterna�ve School, 1994-97 Assistant Coach • Maryland, 1993 Defensive Line Assistant 140

FOOTBALL

TIM SALEM

TIGHT ENDS/SPECIAL TEAMS • SIXTH YEAR AT UCF • ARIZONA STATE, 1985 Tim Salem, who is in his sixth year at UCF, is in his first campaign as the Knights’ �ght ends coach and special teams coordinator. Salem spent the previous five years as UCF’s offensive coordinator.

He guided UCF to one of the best seasons in program history during the 2007 campaign. Behind a high-powered offense, the Knights won 10 contests, claimed the Conference USA �tle for the first �me and par�cipated in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

Salem also spent �me as the program’s running backs coach. In that role in 2007, he helped Kevin Smith record one of the best seasons in college football history.

The consensus All-America tailback rushed for 2,567 yards, good for second all�me on the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision single-season list. He also found the end zone a na�on-leading 29 �mes on the ground.

Smith garnered C-USA Co-Offensive Player of the Year recogni�on and was a candidate for the Doak Walker and Walter Camp Awards. He was selected with the first pick of the third round in the 2008 Na�onal Football League Dra� by Detroit.

Under Salem’s direc�on, UCF set several school single-season records in 2007, including points (502), touchdowns (62) and rushing yards (3,287). The Knights averaged 35.86 points per game, which ranked 17th na�onally. The 2007 campaign was Salem’s first mentoring the running backs. The previous year, he coached UCF’s wideouts and the Knights ranked 30th na�onally in passing offense (233.75) and 34th in total offense at 373.17 yards per game. Wide receiver Mike Walker thrived in Salem’s system, garnering All-C-USA First Team honors a�er averaging 7.5 recep�ons, good for third in the country. Walker was selected by Jacksonville in the third round of the NFL Dra�.

Salem is a na�ve of Minneapolis, Minn., and starred at the prep level at St. Thomas Academy.

His father, Joe, was the head football coach at Minnesota from 1979-84. Salem and his wife Wendy have three children, sons Taylor and Landan and daughter Kylan.

Coaching Experience • UCF, 2004-Present Tight Ends/Special Teams (2009-), Offensive Coordinator (2004-08), Running Backs (2007-08), Wide Receivers (2006), Tight Ends (2005), Quarterbacks (2004) • Eastern Michigan, 2003 Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks • Ohio State, 1997-00 Quarterbacks • Purdue, 1991-96 Offensive Coordinator (1994-96), Quarterbacks (1991-93) • Colorado State, 1989-90 Running Backs • Phoenix College, 1987-88 Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks • Arizona State, 1985-86 Graduate Assistant

Several Knights posted impressive campaigns in Salem’s offense during the 2005 campaign, in which the Knights won the C-USA East Division championship and par�cipated in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. Smith was named the league’s freshman of the year a�er rushing for 1,178 yards and nine touchdowns. Brandon Marshall and Walker combined for 2,050 yards and 20 touchdowns.

During the 2005 season, Salem also tutored UCF’s �ght ends. That year, Darcy Johnson, who currently plays with the NFL’s New York Giants, had 36 recep�ons for 435 yards with two scores. In his first season in Orlando in 2004, Salem also coached the squad’s quarterbacks.

Salem has a strong background in college coaching, having spent a total of 21 years as an assistant. Prior to working at UCF, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Eastern Michigan in 2003.

From 1997-00, Salem served as the quarterbacks coach at Ohio State where he tutored Buckeye great Joe Germaine to the 1998 Big Ten Player of the Year honor. Germaine registered 10 300-yard passing games that season. Salem also worked for six seasons at Purdue as the quarterbacks coach, while also serving as the offensive coordinator for three years. The 1995 Boilermakers led the Big Ten in rushing.

Prior to Purdue, Salem spent two years at Colorado State (1989-90) as the running backs and special teams assistant coach and two seasons at Phoenix College (1987-88) as the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and assistant athle�cs director.

During his two seasons at CSU, Salem helped running backs Tony Alford (1989) and Brian Copeland (1990) each lead the WAC in rushing.

A 1985 graduate of Arizona State, Salem began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater for two seasons. Salem began his collegiate playing career at Minnesota where in 1980 he set the Big Ten record for consecu�ve pass comple�ons.

141

UCF KNIGHTS

CHARLIE TAAFFE

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR • FIRST YEAR AT UCF • SIENA, 1973 Charlie Taaffe is in his first campaign as UCF’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Taaffe came to Orlando a�er spending two seasons in the Canadian Football League where he served as the head coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He brings over 35 years of coaching experience, to the UCF staff.

In addi�on to his �me with the Tiger-Cats, Taaffe also served as the head coach at The Citadel from 1987-96 and with the Montreal Aloue�es in the CFL from 199900.

Taaffe most recently coached full-�me on the college level from 2001-05, serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Maryland. In his first campaign with the Terrapins, he helped guide the program to the 2001 Atlan�c Coast Conference Championship and a spot in the FedEx Orange Bowl. In each of his first two seasons at Maryland, the Terps broke their school record for scoring, registering 390 points in 2001 and then 451 points the following year.

Maryland played in three bowl games during Taaffe’s tenure, recording victories in the 2001 Peach Bowl over Tennessee and the 2004 Gator Bowl versus West Virginia. Under Taaffe’s tutelage, quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Sco� McBrien both garnered All-ACC honors. Taaffe spent the 2006 season at Pi�sburgh as an offensive assistant.

While serving as Montreal’s head coach, Taaffe was the CFL Coach of the Year in both 1999 and 2000. Montreal advanced to the CFL East Division �tle game in 1999. In his final campaign with the Aloue�es, Taaffe guided the squad to the 2000 Grey Cup final. Taaffe also worked as the team’s offensive coordinator from 199798 before taking over as head coach.

From 1987-96, he posted a 55-47-1 mark as the head coach at The Citadel, winning more games than any other head coach at the college. His best year came in 1992 when the Bulldogs went 11-2, advancing to the Football Championship Division quarterfinals. That year, The Citadel concluded the regular season ranked No. 1 in the na�on and Taaffe was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.

While at The Citadel, he led the Bulldogs to victories over Football Bowl Subdivision teams on six occasions, including upsets of South Carolina and Arkansas. Four of his squads were ranked in the final Football Championship Subdivision poll. In both 1988 and 1990 Taaffe was named both the Southern Conference Coach of the Year and the Kodak Region II Coach of the Year.

Taaffe was the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and running backs coach at various points in his tenure at Army from 1981-86. Taaffe’s �me at West Point included berths in the 1984 Cherry Bowl and the 1985 Peach Bowl, the only �me that the Black Knights have played in consecu�ve bowl games. In the three years that Taaffe served as Army’s offensive coordinator, the team posted a combined record of 23-13.

Taaffe was also an assistant at Virginia (1976-80), NC State (1975), Georgia Tech (1974) and Albany (1973).

A�er star�ng his collegiate career at Clemson, Taaffe played quarterback at Siena from 1970-72. He received his bachelor’s degree in educa�on in 1973 and was inducted into the school’s athle�cs hall of fame in 1990.

Taaffe and his wife, Jan, have a son Brian, who is a redshirt freshman quarterback for the Knights.

142

Coaching Experience • UCF, 2009-Present Offensive Coordinator • Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 2007-08 Head Coach • Pi�sburgh, 2006 Offensive Assistant • Maryland, 2001-05 Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks • Montreal Aloue�es, 1997-00 Head Coach (1999-00), Offensive Coordinator (1997-98)

• The Citadel, 1987-96 Head Coach • Army, 1981-86 Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks, Running Backs • Virginia, 1976-80 Running Backs, Linebackers, Special Teams • NC State, 1975 Graduate Assistant • Georgia Tech, 1974 Graduate Assistant • Albany, 1973 Running Backs

FOOTBALL

MARTY O’LEARY

OFFENSIVE GRADUATE ASSISTANT

ASSISTANT AD/FOOTBALL OPERATIONS • SIXTH YEAR AT UCF Marty O’Leary is in his fi�h year on the UCF football staff as the director of football opera�ons and sixth overall a�er spending one season as a graduate assistant.

O’Leary was promoted to assistant A.D. for football opera�ons in the spring of 2008 following the Knights run to the C-USA Championship �tle the previous season.

Prior to UCF, he worked in the financial field for Invesco Re�rement, Inc. O’Leary oversees the day-to-day operations of the football program from budget development, daily logis�cs of prac�ce, as well as the ins�tu�on of football policies and procedures.

For the past three summers, O’Leary has been in charge of managing the UCF Football Women’s Clinic, which has helped teach the game to more than 500 female fans of the program.

He also serves as a liaison between football and academic services, compliance and other campus governing bodies.

O’Leary graduated from Georgia Tech in 2002 with a degree in business management. He le�ered in football at Tech as a free safety.

SPECIAL ASST. TO THE HEAD COACH • SECOND YEAR AT UCF general manager and vice president of Tropical Ford Inc., turning the dealership from a 90-unit a month opera�on into a 600-unit a month opera�on, one of the largest in Orlando. Messegeur served as a pilot in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam era and remains instrument rated as a private pilot.

He is originally a na�ve of Miami and first moved to Orlando when sta�oned at McCoy Air Force Base.

Manny lives with his wife Madalana. They have three children and five grandchildren.

ALBERT BOONE

Michael Buscemi begins his second season as the offensive graduate assistant for the UCF football program.

The team’s long snapper, Buscemi concluded a three-year playing career at UCF in 2007.

In 2006, Buscemi was named to the Coaches’ All-Conference USA second team and in 2007, both the league’s media and coaches named him to the All C-USA first team.

ANDREW THACKER SECOND YEAR AT UCF Andrew Thacker begins his second season as the defensive graduate assistant with the UCF football program.

Thacker joined the UCF staff a�er finishing his collegiate playing career at Furman. A four-year starter at safety for the Paladins, Thacker was the 2004 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. He earned undergraduate degrees at Furman in poli�cal science and spanish.

Thacker is pursuing a master’s degree in poli�cal science at UCF.

OPERATIONS GRADUATE ASSISTANT

DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL • FIRST YEAR AT UCF Albert Boone is in his first season as the Knights’ director of player personnel. Boone focuses on assis�ng with UCF’s recrui�ng efforts.

In his new role, Boone manages UCF’s recruiting database, handles correspondence with recruits, helps coordinate recrui�ng travel and assist recruits during the admission process. He oversees all oncampus visits by recruits and direct events including junior day and high school coaches’ clinics.

Boone is no stranger to UCF Athle�cs. From 2005-08, he served as an assistant general manager for ISP Sports on campus. During his tenure at ISP, Boone handled adver�sing sales, sponsorships and marke�ng. He also assisted in the produc�on of UCF

SECOND YEAR AT UCF

DEFENSIVE GRADUATE ASSISTANT

MANNY MESSEGUER Manny Messeguer, who has missed only a couple games in UCF’s 30 years of football, begins his second year as special assistant to head coach George O’Leary.

Messeguer, who has met every UCF president, athle�cs director and football coach, began his associa�on with the program in 1979 as a fan and proud Orlando resident. In 1982 he became a donor leader and has served the program in numerous capaci�es, including as a radio network sideline reporter and a personal pilot for former head coach Gene McDowell.

Prior to formally joining the UCF program in February of 2008, Messeguer spent 18 years as

MICHAEL BUSCEMI

Sports Today with George O’Leary and the football weekly radio show.

Prior to joining the UCFISP Sports staff, Boone was an account execu�ve in the USF marke�ng and �cket sales office for one year. A�er gradua�ng from Florida State in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in marke�ng, Boone worked as an associate adjuster for USAA Insurance.

MARK CAMMACK FOURTH YEAR AT UCF Mark Cammack begins his second season as the opera�ons graduate assistant for the football program. Cammack had spent two previous seasons assis�ng with recrui�ng and opera�ons as a student assistant.

Cammack graduated in the summer of 2007 from UCF with a B.S. degree in Sports and Fitness and is currently pursuing a master’s in the same field.

An Oviedo, Fla., na�ve, he le�ered at Oviedo High School in football, track and field and weightli�ing.

143

UCF KNIGHTS

MARY VANDER HEIDEN

HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER/FOOTBALL • 10TH YEAR AT UCF Mary Vander Heiden begins her 10th year as an athle�c trainer for UCF and third as the head football trainer.

Vander Heiden completed her master’s of art degree in exercise physiology in 2001 from UCF while serving as a graduate assistant athle�c trainer for the football team.

A 1998 graduate of Wisconsin Eau-Claire, Vander Heiden earned a B.S. degree in kinesiology, with a minor in exercise management and a concentra�on in sports medicine.

Prior to her gradua�on, Vander Heiden a�ended the Wisconsin-Stout where she played so�ball from 1993-97.

As part of her gradua�on requirements at UW

Eau-Claire, Vander Heiden worked with the University of Minnesota football team as a student athle�c trainer.

Vander Heiden served as the associate head athle�c trainer for the annual Gridiron Classic from 1999-2004. She was an instructor in the NATABOC Accredited Athle�c Training Program at the University of Central Florida from 2001-2004, teaching Intro to Pharmacology, and Field Applica�ons and assis�ng with Biomechanics and Modali�es as a lab instructor. Vander Heiden remains a clinical instructor.

Vander Heiden is a na�ve of Port Washington, Wisc.

JUD FANN

ASSISTANT ATHLETIC TRAINER • THIRD YEAR AT UCF Jud Fann embarks on his third season at UCF serving as the top assistant on the Knights’ athle�c training staff. Fann coordinates all day-to-day athle�c training opera�ons for UCF football.

Fann came to UCF from Stetson where he served as an assistant athle�c trainer from 2005-07, working with the Ha�ers’ men’s basketball team. He also served as an assistant strength and condi�oning coach while at Stetson.

A na�ve of Safety Harbor, Fann graduated from UCF in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in athle�c training and also worked as a student athle�c trainer while an undergraduate. He earned a master’s degree in exercise science from Tennessee. While in

Knoxville, Fann served as a graduate assistant athle�c trainer for UT’s intramural and club sports.

He is a member of NATA, the NSCA, ATAF and SETA.

ASSISTANT ATHLETIC TRAINER

ED WOODLEY SECOND YEAR AT UCF Ed Woodley starts his second season as an assistant athle�c trainer working for the Knights’ football team. He helps in a full-�me capacity with all day-to-day athle�c training components of the UCF football program.

Woodley first came to the Sunshine State as an athle�c training intern at the University of Florida where he worked mainly with the Gator football and men’s tennis teams. He spent the 2006-08 seasons as a graduate assistant at Southern Miss working with the so�ball, football and track and field and cross country teams in Ha�esburg.

He also worked a summer internship with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2008 and as a student athle�c trainer at the United States Air Force Academy for the fall 2003 semester.

GA ATHLETIC TRAINER

MARCO ZUCCONI SECOND YEAR AT UCF Marco Zucconi is in his second year as the UCF football team’s graduate assistant athle�c trainer. Zucconi assists in all of the team’s day-to-day athle�c training needs including injury care and preven�on while also instruc�ng in the athle�c training educa�onal program.

Zucconi came to UCF from San Diego State where he served as a student athle�c trainer. He was the primary trainer for the Aztecs’ cross country and track and field teams while also working with football, baseball and basketball. He also spent the 2007-08 year interning with the San Diego Chargers.

Zucconi received a bachelor’s degree in exercise nutri�onal science with an emphasis in athle�c training in 2008 from SDSU. He is working on a master’s in sport leadership and coaching with a concentra�on in exercise physiology from UCF. He is a member of NATA, ATAF, SETA and CATA.

2009 ATHLETIC TRAINING STAFF 144

DR. KENNETH KRUMINS, M.D. TEAM PHYSICIAN

Kenneth A. Krumins, M.D. has been an Orthopaedic Surgeon since 1997 and has been part of the Winter Park/ Orlando community ever since. Dr. Krumins has been the head team physician for UCF since 2003.

He has been trained in and is extremely successful in Arthroscopic & Reconstruc�ve Surgery of the Knee, Sports Medicine and General Orthopaedics.

Krumins serves as the Chairman of Orthopaedics at Winter Park Hospital.

A�er earning a bachelor’s degree from DePauw

in 1986, Krumins a�ended The Medical College of Pennsylvania, gradua�ng in 1990. He was both an intern and resident at West Chester County Medical Center in New York while also doing a residency at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse. He first came to Florida in 1997 as a fellow at Jewi� Orthopaedic Clinic in Winter Park.

DR. DANIEL MONETTE, M.D. TEAM PHYSICIAN

Dr. Daniel Mone�e has been with UCF since 2002, while he also assists with Seminole High School and Seminole Community College. An associate clinical professor at Florida State, Mone�e works at the North Seminole Family Prac�ce and Sports Medicine in Sanford.

Throughout his career, Mone�e has been associated with the athle�cs scene. In 1999, he was a spectator urgent care physician for NASCAR and worked at Daytona Interna�onal Speedway from

2001-02 as an a�ending physician. He also has spent �me with Embry-Riddle, Daytona Beach Community College and Bethune-Cookman University.

A graduate from the University of Colorado in 1994 with a bachelor of arts in African American studies, Mone�e received his medical doctorate from the UC Health Sciences Center in 1998.

UCF ALL-TIME ASSISTANT COACHING ROSTER Aldridge, Miles .................................................... 2004-06 Amman Richard ................................................... 1981-82 Anderson, Jerry ................................................... 1983-84 Barbour, Bernie .........................................................1980 Barresi, Jamie ...................................................... 2001-03 Beckton, Sean..........................................1996-2003, 09 Bennet, Bruce ...................................................... 1986-88 Bernhardt, Jim ..................................................... 2005-06 Blackney, Gary ...........................................................2008 Bland, Tommy .................................................. 1979-1980 Brady, Dave ................................................................1979 Carter, Aaron .............................................................1985 Carter, Doug .................................................... 1985-1986 Chandler, Ernie ..........................................................1979 Chandler, Wes...................................................... 1994-95 Chizik, Gene ..................................................... 1998-2001 Coa�a, John ...............................................................1985 Collins, Earnest ..........................................................2007 Collins, Geoff .................................................... 2008-09 Coso, Nick ........................................................ 1983-1984 Costan�ni, Lorenzo .............................................. 2000-03 Cox, Andy............................................................. 1996-99 Crossman, Danny ................................................. 1997-98 Cubit, Bill ............................................................. 1983-85 D’o�avio, Bill ....................................................... 1999-03 Dorrell, Karl ...............................................................1989 Ector, Robert ........................................................ 1991-93 Engelberg, Lewis “Bugsy” ..........................................1980 Flournoy, Melvin .................................................. 1987-88 Fontes, John ........................................................ 2002-03 Forbes, Reggie ...........................................................1981 Fountain, Sco� ................................................ 1997-2003 Freeman, Tom...................................................... 2007-08 Fry, Craig .............................................................. 1983-84 Gilbert, Joe .......................................................... 2004-06 Godsey, George ................................................ 2005-09 Gooch, Alan ..................................................... 1991-2003 Goodyear, Tod ..................................................... 1981-83 Graham, Mark ...........................................................1995 Green, Art ..................................................................1979 Green, Eric .................................................................2004 Hatcher, Chris ............................................................1996 Heath, Ted .................................................................1992 Hemmer, John ..........................................................1979 Hinshaw, Darin ..........................................................2000 Hoffman, Charlie ................................................. 1989-90 Huff, Charles .................................................... 1997-2002 Huxtable, Dave ................................................. 2004-09 Jeremia, Davis (J.D.) ...................................................1983 Jones, Willie......................................................... 1995-96 Kelly, David....................................................... 2007-09

Kessier, Bob ...............................................................1981 Key, Brent ......................................................... 2006-09 Koschewa, Edgar.................................................. 1993-94 Kruczek, Mike ...................................................... 1985-97 LePain, Ma� ........................................................ 1995-96 Lounsberry, Paul .................................................. 1987-99 Manfredi, Terry ..........................................................1982 Mar�n, Dana ....................................................... 1985-93 Mar�nez, Willie ................................................... 1995-96 McCarthy, D.J. ...................................................... 2004-05 McCarty, Peter ..................................................... 2004-07 McCaskill, Jack ...........................................................1979 McCrone, Ron ...................................................... 1992-94 McFarland, Robert ............................................... 2000-03 Messina, Mike ...........................................................1989 Miller, Eric..................................................................1994 Moore, Tom ...............................................................1991 Moss, Perry.......................................................... 1986-87 Murphy, Tom ....................................................... 1979-82 Nelsen, Bill .................................................................1994 Nickrenz, Chris ...........................................................1985 Owens, Billy ...............................................................1991 Panagos, Jim..................................................... 2007-09 Parker, Frank ..............................................................1981 Perkins, Jay ................................................................1993 Pesonen, Dick ............................................................1980 Piccinini, John ............................................................1979 Polian, Brian ..............................................................2004 Pollard, Don “Deek” ............................................ 1990-93 Richart, Phil ......................................................... 1981-82 Robinson, Joe ............................................................2003 Rock, Ma� ..................................................... 1994-95, 99 Romero, Randy .................................................... 1986-90 Ross, Lou.............................................................. 1979-80 Russell, Rusty .............................................................1989 Salem, Tim ....................................................... 2004-09 Sco�, Dennis..............................................................1984 Seagraves, Al ....................................................... 1983-85 Shackelford, Bob .................................................. 1988-90 Sirota, Mitch ..............................................................1983 Skladany, John ...........................................................2007 Snell, David ................................................................1991 Stewart, Bill ...............................................................1994 Stewart, Pete .............................................................1983 Stocks�ll, Rick ...................................................... 1985-88 Taaffe, Charlie ....................................................... 2009 Thompson, Lance ................................................ 2004-06 Tuzzeo, Ray ................................................................1979 VanGorder, Brian ................................................. 1995-97 Winters, Bill ...............................................................1991 Current assistant coaches in bold.

FOOTBALL TEAM PHYSICIAN

DR. MICHAEL JABLONSKI, M.D. Dr. Michael Jablonski has worked with the UCF football team since 2003 and is also the primary physician for UCF’s basketball and baseball teams. He is also an assistant team physician for the Orlando Magic and physician to the Orlando Ballet.

Jablonski works at the Jewe� Orthopaedic Clinic where he specializes in arthroscopic and reconstruc�ve knee and shoulder surgery. He is cer�fied by the AmericanBoard of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Jablonski earned his Pre-Med degree from Florida in 1991, graduated from UF’s College of Medicine in 1995 and served as a resident at UF’s College of Medicine un�l 2000. Jablonski then spent a year as a fellow at the American Sports Medicine Ins�tute in Birmingham, Ala.

TEAM PHYSICIAN

DR. DOUGLAS MEUSER, M.D. Dr. Douglas Meuser has a 19 year history of service in the Orlando area. He has been actively involved with UCF athletics since 2001 as a primary care physician. A�er arriving in 1989, he prac�ced for nine years as a community primary care physician. He taught at the Family Medicine residency at Florida Hospital between 1998 and 2006. He currently prac�ces at Personalized Primary Care with emphasis on pa�ent-centered care, evidencebased medicine, and preven�ve health.

For the past six years, Meuser has received the “Best Doctor” award. Twice he received the Florida Hospital Faculty of the Year award for his residency training work.

He con�nues to provide clinical and classroom instruc�on for local medical students.

Since 2004, Meuser serves as the medical director the Athle�c Training Educa�onal Program at UCF. He is a na�ve of Columbus, Ohio. A�er gradua�ng from St. Olaf College, he received his medical degree from Ohio State with honors. His post-graduate training was completed at Florida in Family Medicine.

In 1999, he earned a Cer�ficate of Added Qualifica�on in Sports Medicine. Meuser is an ac�ve member of the AAFP, FAFP, AMSSM and Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society.

145

UCF KNIGHTS

ED ELLIS

ASST. STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

DIRECTOR OF STRENGTH & CONDITIONING • SIXTH YEAR AT UCF Ed Ellis is in his sixth season as the Director of Strength and Conditioning at UCF, working directly with the football program while overseeing the strength and condi�oning efforts for UCF’s 16-sport athle�cs program.

Ellis served in the same capacity since 2001 at Georgia Tech before arriving at UCF in January of 2004. The 2000 College Strength and Condi�oning Professional of the Year for the Atlan�c Coast Conference by the Na�onal Strength and Condi�oning Associa�on, he was the head strength coach at Wake Forest for seven years before his s�nt at Georgia Tech.

Prior to his stretch at Wake Forest, Ellis spent four years (1991-94) as the head strength and condi�oning coordinator at Illinois State and two years (1989-91)

as an assistant strength coach at Ole Miss. He started his career as a graduate assistant at Arkansas from 1987-89.

Ellis earned his bachelor’s degree in physical educa�on from Alabama in 1987 and received a master’s degree in educa�on from Arkansas in 1989. Ellis is a master strength coach, which is the highest honor given by the collegiate strength and condi�oning associa�on.

Ellis is married to the former Dyann Edmonston, and the couple has four children: Jessica, Nicole, Eric and Brian.

B.J. FAULK SIXTH YEAR AT UCF B.J. Faulk is in his sixth year as an assistant strength and condi�oning coach at UCF. Faulk works with football as well as men’s basketball, baseball and track and field.

Faulk has worked previously at both Illinois State and Wake Forest. He is a 1995 graduate of Illinois State, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology. He was a member of the track and field team for two years.

SCOTT SINCLAIR

ASST. DIR. OF STRENGTH & CONDITIONING • SIXTH YEAR AT UCF Sco� Sinclair is in his sixth year at UCF as an assistant director of strength and condi�oning. He works with the football program while also training the men’s and women’s golf teams.

Sinclair came to UCF a�er working as an assistant strength and condi�oning coach at Georgia Tech from 2001-03. While with the Yellow Jackets, Sinclair worked as the director of player development for Georgia Tech’s football squad. Prior to Georgia Tech, he served as an assistant at Wake Forest from 199901.

A na�ve of Rockingham, N.C., Sinclair earned his bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from Guliford College in 1999. He received a master’s degree in

physical educa�on from UCF in 2006.

Sinclair is a member of both the Na�onal Strength and Condi�oning Associa�on and the Collegiate Strength and Condi�oning Coaches Associa�on. Sinclair is also a cer�fied strength and condi�oning coach through the Collegiate Strength and Condi�oning Coaches Associa�on.

Sinclair and his wife, Farrah, have one son, Creed, and one daughter, Asher.

SUPERINTENDENT OF GROUNDS

ROBERT SAMPLE NINTH YEAR AT UCF Robert Sample has been at UCF since 2001 and, along with a diligent staff of eight, expertly maintains all of UCF’s varsity and intramural playing fields, covering 30 acres in all. Sample helps ensure that Bright House Networks Stadium and UCF’s prac�ce fields are in excellent condi�on for the Knights.

Prior to UCF, Sample worked for the PGA Tour for over 20 years, maintaining several courses including the TPC Sco�sdale, TPC at Prestancia, Tucson’s Starr Pass and, eventually, Orange County Na�onal in Orlando.

Sample graduated from Michigan State with a bachelor’s degree in turf grass management. He also a�ended Murray State where he played two years of varsity golf for the Racers. Sample resides with his wife, Leah.

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FOOTBALL

ROBERT JONES

SENIOR SECRETARY

COORDINATOR, SPORTS EQUIPMENT OPS • 10TH YEAR AT UCF Robert Jones begins his 10th season as the equipment coordinator at UCF. His primary responsibility is with the sport of football while he also oversees the equipment department for all 16 sports.

Prior to ge�ng back in collegiate athle�cs, Jones spent two years with Bike Athle�c as its Na�onal Promo Director.

Jones career in equipment began in 1985 with the Orlando Renegades of the USFL. A 1984 graduate of Carson Newman, Jones has worked previously in equipment departments at

Northwestern (1985-87), Purdue (1987-93) and Louisville (1993-2000).

Jones and his staff were named the 2006-07 Conference USA Equipment Staff of the Year at the annual Athle�c Equipment Managers Associa�on Conven�on.

THADDEUS RIVERS

ASSISTANT EQUIPMENT MANAGER • SIXTH YEAR AT UCF Thaddeus Rivers is in his sixth season at UCF as the assistant equipment manager for football, coming to Orlando in 2004. Rivers handles all day-to-day equipment opera�ons for UCF’s football team and support staff, including ordering, issuing, maintaining and inventory. He also orders equipment for the sports medicine, video services and strength and condi�oning departments.

Rivers came to UCF a�er spending three seasons working in equipment opera�ons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under the direc�on of Tim Sain, including the Buccaneers Super Bowl XXXVII win over the Oakland Raiders in San Diego. Rivers was previously a student equipment manager at the

University of Florida for four years while an undergraduate.

A na�ve of Tallahassee, Rivers graduated from UF in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in commercial recrea�on and general business. He went on to earn a master’s from UCF in sports and fitness in 2008. Rivers is a member of AEMA. He and his wife, Rochelle, have an infant daughter, Adriann.

TERIE LEA WATKINS THIRD YEAR AT UCF Terie Watkins is in her third season at UCF serving as the administra�ve assistant for the assistant coaching staff. Watkins helps the staff with the compila�on and assembly of playbooks and other tasks preparing the Knights for game day and beyond. She also serves as a general recep�onist for the Wayne Densch Sports Center.

She spent the 2006-07 academic year working at Florida State as the administra�ve assistant to the Seminoles’ women’s soccer and men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs.

A na�ve of Hartsville, S.C., Watkins a�ended Coker College where she was a captain for the soccer team. Watkins earned two bachelor’s degrees, in English and Spanish, in 2005. She is presently working towards a master’s degree in English from UCF.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

LINDA WATTS

THIRD YEAR AT UCF

Linda Wa�s is in a familiar role serving as the administra�ve assistant to head coach George O’Leary as she also worked in that capacity at Georgia Tech. Wa�s coordinates much of O’Leary’s schedule and helps with general office management.

She worked for over 30 years at Georgia Tech, including �me under head coaches Pepper Rodgers and Billy Curry, along with O’Leary. She also worked directly for many Georgia Tech athle�c administrators during her �me in Atlanta.

Wa�s is a na�ve of Cha�anooga who a�ended Cha�anooga Business School and spent 13 years at Western Union before going to Georgia Tech. She has three daughters, Tracie, Michelle and Sabrina, three grandchildren, Marcus, Shannon and Logan, and a pair of great grandchildren, Marcus, Jr. and Hannah.

2009 EQUIPMENT STUDENT STAFF 147

UCF KNIGHTS

JOHN KVATEK

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR • ASSA

DIRECTOR OF VIDEO SERVICES • SIXTH YEAR AT UCF John Kvatek enters his sixth season as a football support staff member and the director of video services at UCF. A 20-year veteran in the business, Kvatek was named the 2006-07 Bob Matey Na�onal Video Coordinator of the Year at the annual Collegiate Sports Video Associa�on in May of 2007.

Prior to his arrival at UCF, Kvatek worked at Pinnacle Systems, Inc., where he worked from 19992004. During his tenure at Pinnacle, Kvatek served as a product marke�ng manager for Networked News and Sports Edi�ng Solu�ons.

Prior to Pinnacle Systems, Kvatek was the athle�c video services coordinator at Wisconsin from 1995-99.

During his �me in Madison, Kvatek was responsible for the development and u�liza�on of the world’s first

digital video network for sports video analysis and edi�ng and was a member of the Kohl Center Design Team.

Kvatek has also worked as a video coordinator at Virginia Tech and Miami (Ohio) in their respec�ve athle�c departments. He is a graduate of Miami with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communica�ons.

Kvatek was the Big Ten Video Coordinator of the Year in 1998 and earned the Conference USA award in 2007 and again in 2009.

Kvatek and his wife, Michelle, have three sons: Conor, Liam and Declan.

EIGHTH YEAR AT UCF Kristy Belden is in her eighth year at UCF, where she serves an associate director in the academic services for student-athletes office. She serves as the lead advisor for the Knights’ football team.

She recieved her bachelor’s degree from St. John’s. Belden was a member of the Red Storm track and field team.

Belden earned a master’s degree in educa�onal psychology/sport psychology from Florida State.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR • ASSA

CHRIS HOOLEY

ASST. DIRECTOR/VIDEO SERVICES • FIFTH YEAR AT UCF Chris Hooley is star�ng her fi�h football season at UCF as the assistant director of video services.

Hooley assists heavily with football and serves in a primary role for a total of nine sports at UCF, including both basketball teams. While with the Knights, she has been a part of UCF video staffs that were named Conference USA’s best in both 2007 and 2009.

Hooley came to UCF from Southern Miss where she served as video coordinator from 2000-05 where she oversaw all team video opera�ons. Hooley was recognized as the best in C-USA by her peers in both 2001 and 2004 while at USM. She came to Ha�esburg from Houston where she spent 1998-2000 as

KRISTY BELDEN

assistant video director for the Cougars. She worked directly with football and the Clyde Drexler-coached basketball team while also overseeing students who covered all UH spor�ng events.

The na�ve of Sistersville, W. Va., graduated from Kentucky in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in telecommunica�ons. Hooley also worked in the UK Sports Video office as a student.

LINDSEY BLACK

FIRST YEAR AT UCF Lindsey Black joined the ASSA staff as a fulltime advisor in June of 2009. Her current role includes being an advisor for football, women’s tennis and UCF’s na�onally-recognized spirit program. Black has also taken part in crea�ng and implemen�ng the Shining Knights Summer Bridge Program where she co-teaches the student-athlete sec�on of the student success course at UCF. A na�ve of Cocoa, Black earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from UCF in 2008 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in educa�onal leadership from UCF.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR • ASSA

LISA MOSER

SECOND YEAR AT UCF

2009 VIDEO SERVICES STAFF 148

Lisa Moser has been with Academic Services for Student-Athletes since June of 2008 and works extensively with the UCF football program. Her du�es include program coordina�on of the Mentor Program and coordina�on of tes�ng and assessments.

Prior to arriving at UCF, she completed a graduate assistantship with the University of Oklahoma in a similar role. Moser earned her bachelor’s degree and played on the equestrian team at Fresno State. Prior to Fresno, Moser began her a�ended Medicine Hat College in Alberta, Canada, where she played basketball for two years.

FOOTBALL

DR. JOHN C. HITT

PRESIDENT • 17TH YEAR AT UCF • AUSTIN COLLEGE, 1962 John C. Hi� became the fourth president of the University of Central Florida on March 1, 1992, a�er nineteen years of administra�ve experience and a dis�nguished academic career.

A na�ve of Houston, Texas, he graduated cum laude in 1962 from Aus�n College in Sherman, Texas, earning a B.A. degree in psychology. He completed his M.S. degree in 1964 and his Ph.D. degree two years later, both in physiological psychology at Tulane University. His graduate study was supported by fellowships from the Danforth Founda�on and the Na�onal Science Founda�on.

Dr. Hi� served as an assistant professor of psychology at Tulane before moving to Texas Chris�an University as an associate professor of psychology in 1969. Three years later, he became associate dean of the university. In 1974, he was appointed vice president of the Texas Chris�an University Research Founda�on and was named dean of the graduate school in 1975.

In 1977, Dr. Hi� le� Texas Chris�an University to become provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of psychology at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. In 1987, he moved to the University of Maine as vice president for academic affairs and professor of psychology. In 1991, Dr. Hi� was named Maine’s interim president.

FIVE GOALS

Early in his tenure, President Hi� outlined the following five major goals for UCF: • offer the best undergraduate educa�on in Florida • achieve interna�onal prominence in key programs of graduate study and research • provide an interna�onal focus to the curricula and research programs • become more inclusive and diverse • become America’s leading partnership university Under President Hi� ’s leadership, enrollment at UCF has more than doubled, the number of doctoral degrees awarded each year has increased sevenfold, and research funding has increased from $6.2 million to $121 million a year. President Hi� has conferred more than 130,000 degrees during his presidency.

One of President Hi� ’s greatest achievements occurred when the Florida Board of Governors approved the UCF College of Medicine, and the Lake Nona Medical City was founded. This mul�-billion dollar development includes new facili�es for medical educa�on, hospital care, and biomedical research. The Lake Nona Medical City will be a principal driver of the central Florida economy for decades to come.

President Hi� ’s current civic service includes membership on the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission Fundraising Campaign leadership cabinet and the MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando’s Council of Governors. He serves on the boards of the American Heart Associa�on, Central Florida Partnership, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, SunTrust N.A., and United Arts. President Hi� is a member of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment Leadership Circle.

He is also a member, vice-chair, and chair-elect of the Conference USA Board of Directors.

President Hi� is two-term past-chair of the State University Presidents Associa�on, a member of the Florida Council of 100, and founder of the Florida High-Tech Corridor Council. He is a two-term past-president of the Florida Associa�on of Colleges and Universi�es. He chaired the Governor’s Select Task Force on Healthcare Professional Liability Insurance and was a member of the Florida Distance Learning Task Force. He was a member of the Orange County Chairman’s Transporta�on Commission, and in 2008, he co-chaired the Orange County Underage Drinking Task Force.

President Hi� is a former member of the boards of the American Associa�on of State Colleges and Universi�es, EDUCAUSE, Orlando Health, and the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce. He is a former member of the NCAA President’s Commission and the former Chair of Board of the Atlan�c Sun Athle�cs Conference.

In recent years, the Central Florida community has honored President Hi� with a number of pres�gious awards. He was the recipient of the 2008 Junior Achievement Spirit of Achievement Award. He has been listed for a number of years among the Orlando Sen�nel’s 25 Most Powerful People in Central Florida and the Orlando Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful People. He received the Seminole Chamber of Commerce Life�me Achievement award in 2007. In 2006, he received the Orlando Business Journal’s first-ever Legacy Award, and in 2005 he was named the Orlando Sen�nel’s Central Floridian of the Year. In 2002, he received the James B. Greene award from the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission; in 1999, he was awarded the Tree of Life from the Jewish Na�onal Fund and the Jack Halloway Star of Gra�tude from United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida; and in 1998, he earned the John Young Award from the Greater Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce.

President Hi� is an avid fisherman and golfer. He has been married to the former Martha Halsted for 47 years, and they have two children and two grandchildren.

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UCF KNIGHTS

KEITH TRIBBLE

DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS • FOURTH YEAR AT UCF • FLORIDA, 1977 The thread that has bridged together nearly three decades working in and around the collegiate community has been Keith Tribble’s history of building programs with strong founda�ons and dynamic structure.

Since his start as Director of Athle�cs and Execu�ve Vice President for the University of Central Florida Athle�cs Associa�on on June 6, 2006, Tribble has quickly taken hold of the program’s blueprints and promised to lead with a principle that everyone associated with the program will also share - to “finish.”

Keith Tribble is commi�ed to the concept of the well-rounded studentathlete, emphasizing the importance of their academic prowess off the field as well as championship results on.

COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE In addi�on, the other focal point of his concentra�on is the oversight of the construc�on, expansion and comple�on of the noted UCF Athle�cs Facili�es Master Plan. When finished, the plan will touch all areas of the student-athletes’ well-being, including residen�al housing, academic and mentoring support facili�es and state-of-the-art performance venues where UCF fans and supporters can cheer on the Knights. To date, Tribble has overseen $150 million in new construc�on and improvements to UCF athle�c facili�es since his arrival.

Through a renewed commitment, Tribble has been most proud of the record academic achievement of the UCF student-athletes during his first two years in Orlando. The Knights, for the second straight year in 2007-08, placed the highest number of student-athletes on the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll with 194 representa�ves maintaining a 3.0 grade-point average or be�er.

Much of UCF Athle�cs went from transi�oning into Conference USA to compe�ng for its �tles in just a few short years. The football program has played for two C-USA �tles since 2005, winning the championship and coveted AutoZone Liberty Bowl berth in 2007. In 2007-08, other programs such as women’s soccer and so�ball, and members of women’s track and field, claimed C-USA �tles. In 2008-09, men’s golf reigned over the league, in addi�on to a big Conference USA Tournament championship from women’s basketball. Over half of the programs have competed in NCAA postseason tournaments the past two years.

Successful student-athletes start with top-notch coaching and at UCF the commitment to coaching excellence has been evident.

Among Tribble’s transac�ons so far has been the renewal of several successful veteran coaches, including Amanda Cromwell (women’s soccer), Renee Luers-Gillispie (so�ball), George O’Leary (football) and Kirk Speraw (men’s basketball).

Addi�onally, Tribble was instrumental in the hiring of several new head coaches, including Becky Cramer (women’s rowing), Bryan Cunningham (men’s soccer), Todd Dagenais (women’s volleyball), Stephanie Nickitas (women’s tennis), Terry Rooney (baseball), Caryl Smith-Gilbert (women’s track and field/cross country), Courtney Trimble (women’s golf), Bryce Wallor (men’s golf) and Joi Williams (women’s basketball).

Tribble a�ended the University of Florida where he played offensive guard for three bowl teams. He graduated in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism (public rela�ons and marke�ng). Tribble and his wife, Terri, have a daughter, Carlyn, and a son, Kyle.

150

FOOTBALL

DAVID CHAMBERS

EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR • FOURTH YEAR AT UCF • IOWA, 1983 David Chambers was named the executive associate athletics director for UCF Athle�cs on May 24, 2006. His primary responsibility with the UCFAA is the oversight of the Knights day-to-day organiza�onal opera�ons. In addi�on to serving as the staff administrator for the football program, Chambers also provides this role for men’s and women’s golf, so�ball, marke�ng and promotions, communications and the compliance department.

Prior to joining UCF, Chambers worked eight years in the Virginia Tech athle�cs department, the last five years as the senior associate athle�cs director for external affairs. In his role with Virginia Tech, Chambers oversaw the Hokies’ marke�ng and promo�ons, sports informa�on and �cket opera�ons as well as hokiesports.com and hokiesports - the newspaper. He also acted as the department’s liaison with ISP Sports, the exclusive mul�-media and adver�sing rights holder for Virginia Tech athletics. In addi�on to his external du�es, Chambers worked with the Virginia Tech Athle�c Fund, the Hokies’ fund-raising arm, as well as assisting athle�cs director Jim Weaver with football scheduling.

Prior to his tenure at Virginia Tech, Cham-

bers worked at UNLV for six years beginning as the Rebels as director of NCAA compliance in 1992 before his promo�on to associate director of athle�cs from 1993-98.

In his later role with UNLV, Chambers oversaw the day-to-day opera�ons of football and men’s and women’s basketball. He also accounted for the scheduling of the football and basketball programs. In addi�on, he supervised the department’s three assistant athle�cs directors who oversaw UNLV’s internal affairs and 15 varsity sports.

From 1990-92, Chambers was one of 12 legisla�ve assistants with the NCAA, providing wri�en and oral interpreta�ons of the organiza�on’s legisla�on for member ins�tu�ons. In this role, he also served as the NCAA liaison to the Big 10 Conference. He also provided ruleseduca�on seminars for various coaching organiza�ons, served as the primary administrator for waivers of NCAA legisla�on and prepared li�ga�on summaries for the na�onal office.

Chambers was a former college quarterback at Iowa and later switched to the defensive side of the ball, le�ering as a strong safety in 1982 and was a starter in 1983. Under legendary head coach Hayden Fry, he was part of three post-season bowl squads: the Rose Bowl in January of 1982, as well as the Peach and the Gator Bowls in December of 1982 and ‘83.

He received the Football Coaches Apprecia�on

JEFF ULMER

SR. ASSOCIATE AD/DEVELOPMENT Jeff Ulmer was hired as the senior associate athle�cs director for development this past July.

Ulmer brings more than 20 years of ins�tu�onal advancement experience from tenures at three pres�gious Southeastern Conference schools.

Most recently, Ulmer was at the University of Mississippi where he served as President of the UMAA Founda�on this past year.

At UCF, is the senior administrator overseeing all areas of athle�cs development; major gi�s, fundraising and the Golden Knights Club, plus UCF’s athle�cs �cket sales opera�on.

At Ole Miss, Ulmer oversaw the UMAA Founda�on’s development team, with a primary mission of reaching out to alumni, donors and fans across the state of Mississippi and around the country in an effort to secure private resources for capital projects and scholarship support.

Ulmer’s goal as President of the UMAA Founda�on was to get out on the road and meet with the people who have supported Ole Miss throughout the years and develop a stronger network of partners, while raising the visibility of Rebel athle�cs throughout the state and beyond.

In 2003, Ulmer was lured away from his previous employment at the University of Florida to become the Assistant Dean for Development for Vanderbilt University’s Law School where he guided the law school through a $28 million capital campaign. Three years later he was named Execu�ve Director of Development for Vanderbilt’s Na�onal Commodore Club, the fund raising arm of Vanderbilt athle�cs.

Ulmer began his development career in 1989 at UF, where he served four colleges and par�cipated in two capital campaigns over a 15-year period.

Ulmer, who grew up in Gainesville and graduated from UF, worked for one season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers strength and condi�oning staff a�er serving in a similar capacity as a student assistant in the Gator Strength Complex.

Award in 1981 and was named to Iowa’s AllTime Strength and Condi�oning Team, he played with current Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops and was not only coached by Fry, but also Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder and Barry Alvarez, the former Wisconsin Badgers head coach and the school’s current Director of Athle�cs.

Chambers earned a bachelor’s of business administration in 1983, specializing in industrial rela�ons. He was named to the Big 10 All-Academic squad in 1983 and received the pres�gious Forest Evashevski Scholarship Achievement Award, as well as the R.E. Romey Memorial Scholarship and the Ben Trickey Memorial Scholarship.

He then received a master’s of art in educa�onal measurement and sta�s�cs from Iowa in 1985 while working as a graduate assistant and spent the next year as an administra�ve assistant with the school’s athle�cs department, assis�ng with Big 10 and NCAA rules compliance and direc�ng the senior student-athlete employment program.

An a�orney, Chambers entered law school at Wake Forest. He received his juris doctorate in 1989 and became licensed to prac�ce law in North Carolina.

DAVID HANSEN

SR. ASSOCIATE AD/INTERNAL RELATIONS David Hansen joined the UCF Athle�cs Associa�on as its senior associate athle�cs director for internal opera�ons in June 2006. Hansen’s primary duties include overseeing all facility development and home event opera�ons, while administering four Knights athle�cs teams.

Hansen directs the athle�cs facility master planning process and serves on UCF’s Master Planning Commi�ee. Since 2006, UCF Athle�cs has completed building projects totaling over $63 million. The Athle�cs Facility Plan calls for another $28 million in construc�on during the next four to six years.

He also serves as the sport administrator for the Knights’ men’s basketball, baseball and men’s and women’s soccer programs. Prior to joining the UCF staff, Hansen served as the deputy director of athle�cs at the University of Southern Mississippi. Hansen was the Golden Eagles’ chief opera�ng and financial officer and also directed all facility projects while overseeing the men’s basketball and baseball programs.

Hansen arrived at Southern Miss in 1999 as the school’s associate athle�cs director for internal affairs. In 2003, he was promoted to senior associate athle�cs director and two years later became the Golden Eagles’ deputy director of athle�cs.

Before moving to Southern Miss, Hansen worked at the University of Louisiana at Monroe as the assistant athle�cs director for internal opera�ons. He originally joined the ULM staff in 1994 as the director of facili�es & football opera�ons.

A na�ve of Gainesville and a 1992 graduate of the University of Florida, he worked at his alma mater as assistant football equipment manager from 1992-94. In 1990, Hansen spent �me as an opera�ons/ sales assistant for the Blockbuster Bowl in South Florida.

Hansen and his wife Trudy have three children, Kevin, Casey and Brian.

151

UCF KNIGHTS

JESSICA REO SR. ASSOCIATE AD STUDENT SERVICES

Jessica Reo was promoted to senior associate athle�cs director for student services in July of 2008.

Addi�onally, Reo s�ll serves as senior woman administrator (SWA), a role she took over in the summer of 2006.

The role of SWA is an important one in college athle�cs, especially in the governance

structure of Conference USA. In that role, Reo represents UCF in conference dealings pertaining to scheduling, championships and legisla�on. Reo also serves as UCF’s liaison for gender equity and Title IX issues.

In addi�on, Reo serves as administrator of several UCF teams, including rowing, women’s cross country, men’s and women’s tennis, volleyball, women’s basketball and track and field.

Prior to coming to UCF, she spent seven years at the University of Miami. There she served as a compliance coordinator for rules educa�on and documenta�on for three years and spent four years as a compliance coordinator for athle�c services.

Reo graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from Florida State in 1993. During her

undergraduate years she worked in the Seminoles’ Sports Informa�on Office and then completed a media rela�ons internship with the Atlan�c Coast Conference office a�er gradua�on. She spent two years as an assistant sports informa�on director at Clemson University before taking a job in compliance at Miami.

ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTORS

JOE HORNSTEIN Marke�ng and Communica�ons

JOE SIMON Facili�es

BRAD STRICKLIN Finance

PHIL ASHLER Ticket Opera�ons

LISA DANNER Compliance

RAELYNN MCAFEE Marke�ng and Promo�ons

MAURA MURPHY Development

BRIAN REED Human Resources and Risk Management

TOM SNYDER Event Opera�ons

ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTORS

152