UCF women’s basketball coach Sytia Messer is thrilled for fans to witness just how fast her Knights will be this season.

While Messer has consistently emphasized her team’s strength in gritty defense, this year’s roster may be the quickest she has ever coached.

“My staff and I were joking and laughing every day about this is the fastest roster we’ve ever seen,” Messer said during the team’s media day last week. “I can’t wait for them to have an opportunity to go on the court and show you how we plan to display that.”

Fans will get their chance to see it soon enough as UCF opens the season on Nov. 3, when the Knights host Bethune-Cookman (6 p.m., ESPN+) at Addition Financial Arena.

UCF is coming off a 12-18 campaign that included a 4-14 record in the Big 12.

The Knights will showcase a strong trio of returning players, with center Khyala Ngodu, forward Mahogany Chandler-Roberts and guard Summer Yancy leading the way.

Last season, Ngodu started 17 games, averaging 6.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Chandler-Roberts started 11 games, averaging 2.9 points and 3.5 rebounds. Yancy appeared in 21 games as a true freshman, averaging 2.9 points and 12 minutes a game.

“Ngodu has been a great leader on and off the court for us,” said Messer. “Summer Yancy is one of the most versatile players that you’ve seen and of course, Mahogany Chandler-Roberts at one point last season, led us in offensive rebounding and had a great knack for the ball. She’s also on the leadership council here and she represents us in the Big 12. We’re just so proud of what she does on and off the court, but our leaders have been great.”

Like many college teams, UCF’s roster underwent a significant transformation during the offseason.

Five things learned from UCF’s win over West Virginia

The Knights said goodbye to their top scorer from the past two seasons, Kaitlin Peterson, who averaged 21.4 points per game last season before transferring to Ole Miss. In addition, guards Emely Rodriguez (Iowa) and Nevaeh Brown (Hofstra) also made the leap to new schools, along with sophomore Achol Akot (Oklahoma State).

Messer and her coaching staff went to work, signing eight transfers in the offseason, most of whom bring plenty of experience.

That includes senior guards Kristol Ayson (Tulsa) and Jacorriah Bracey (Southern Miss), junior guard Audreonia Benson (Pensacola State), sophomore guard Kayanna Cox (SMU), sophomore forward Jasmynne Gibson (North Florida) redshirt sophomore center Savannah Scott (Auburn), sophomore guard Leah Harmon (Miami) and redshirt freshman guard Logan Reed (Texas A&M CC).

The group brings with them a combined 17 season of collegiate experience to UCF.

“We’ve always wanted to hang our hats on defense here so in recruiting, it was a little intentional to find physical players who are grindy and want to get up and play defense,” said Messer.

Rebuilding your roster each year through the transfer portal presents a significant challenge, and fostering team chemistry among those players can be equally tough.

“As long as we have a revenue share and we’re paying student athletes, this will be the norm for basketball,” Messer said on roster turnover. “Players are going for what’s best for them and sometimes that’s the money, sometimes that’s staying and we just have to adjust to it.

“That should come some grace with coaches because that locker room is different. It’s different personalities and it takes a while to get to know your players. We’ve been intentional about doing team bonding. We’ve been intentional about establishing relationships with our players.”

UCF has not recorded a winning season since the 2021-22 year and has now experienced three consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 2013-15. Over the past two seasons, the Knights finished in 14th and 13th place in the Big 12 and the recent preseason coaches poll has them projected to finish last in the conference this year.

Still, Messer remains optimistic heading into her fourth season with the Knights.

“Expectations is what I live for and what UCF stands for,” said Messer. “I’m proud to be in those shoes and I’m very excited about that. Every day, we want to get 1% better than we were the day before. If you can do that, then the chips will fall where they may and the hard work will speak for itself.”

2025-26 UCF WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Oct. 28: vs. Edward Waters* — 7 p.m.
Nov. 3: vs. Bethune-Cookman — 6 p.m., ESPN+
Nov. 9: vs. Charlotte — 2 p.m., ESPN+
Nov. 18: vs. FIU — 11 a.m., ESPN+
Nov. 21: vs. Florida A&M — 7 p.m., ESPN+
Nov. 24: vs. South Carolina State — 6 p.m., ESPN+
Nov. 26: East Carolina — 11 a.m., FloSports^
Nov. 27: Wake Forest — 1:30 p.m., FloSpors^
Nov. 28: Rice — 4 p.m., FloSports^
Dec. 3: vs. Stetson — 7 p.m., ESPN+
Dec. 7: vs. Delaware State — 2 p.m., ESPN+
Dec. 14: vs. Morgan State — 2 p.m., ESPN+
Dec. 20: vs. BYU —2 p.m., ESPN+
Dec. 31: at Texas Tech — TBD, ESPN+
Jan. 4: vs. Kansas — 2 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 7: at Arizona State — TBD, ESPN+
Jan. 10: at Arizona — TBD, ESPN+
Jan. 14: vs. Cincinnati — 7 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 18: vs. Colorado — 2 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 21: at Baylor — TBD, ESPN+
Jan. 24: vs. TCU — 2 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 31: at Iowa State — TBD, ESPN+
Feb. 4: vs. Utah — 7 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 7: at Oklahoma State — TBD, ESPN+
Feb. 11: at West Virginia — TBD, ESPN+
Feb. 15: vs. Baylor — 2 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 18: vs. Kansas State — 7 p.m., ESPN+
Feb. 21: at Cincinnati — TBD, ESPN+
Feb. 25: vs. West Virginia — 7 p.m., ESPN+
March 1: at Houston — TBD, ESPN+

* Exhibition
^ Discover Puerto Rico Classic in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/10/20/ucf-knights-womens-basketball-preview/