The UCF Knights are packing their bats and gloves for another postseason run, as the softball team has officially punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament. For the fifth time since 2005, the Knights are heading to the Tallahassee Regional—a familiar destination that’s become a second home for this program.
With a strong 38-16-1 record, UCF will open the double-elimination regional on Friday at 2:30 p.m. against Jacksonville State, which boasts an impressive 45-14 mark. The Knights are no strangers to the pressure of this stage, and head coach Cindy Ball-Malone couldn’t be prouder of her squad’s confidence this season. “What’s really awesome about what this team did is we knew we were going in. It was just where,” she said. “That’s a cool feeling to have, because we have had some years where we know we’ve done some good stuff, but are we going to get in? And this time, we knew for sure.”
The regional field is stacked, with No. 9 overall seed Florida State (49-8) and Stetson (36-20) rounding out the bracket. FSU will face Stetson in the noon opener on Friday. For Ball-Malone, the familiar sights of Tallahassee are a welcome advantage. “As soon as we saw Florida State pop up, it’s very familiar, and I feel good about how much experience that our senior class has had there,” she noted.
This marks the Knights’ sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance—a testament to the program’s consistency and growth. Their deepest run came in 2022, when they reached a Super Regional before being swept by top-seeded Oklahoma. Senior infielder Aubrey Evans, a key leader on the team, is soaking in every moment. “(I’m) super grateful. Four years going to the postseason, that’s a big deal. To see what we’ve done over the past four years has been super fun and super competitive. I’m excited for what this team can do for the rest of the season,” she said.
History is on UCF’s side against Jacksonville State, as the Knights hold a 3-2 all-time record in the series. The two teams last met on March 2, 2007, so Friday’s matchup will be a fresh chapter. The Knights are coming off their best season since joining the Big 12 in 2023, finishing fourth in the conference with a 14-9 record. They were recently eliminated from the Big 12 Tournament with a narrow 6-5 loss to No. 5 Kansas on May 7.
As the team gears up for one more trip to JoAnne Graf Field, Evans is embracing the challenge ahead. “They have a great environment, but I think we’re ready. Tallahassee, we’ve been there a lot of years, I don’t even know how many, but I’m just super excited for this group and the experience that we have, and just the competitive atmosphere and drive that we all give each other. I’m really excited to be back at FSU,” she said.
With a blend of veteran leadership and postseason grit, the Knights are ready to make some noise in Tallahassee. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just love a good underdog story, this is a team worth watching—and repping in your game-day gear.