Orlando Magic Daily
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2017 Central Florida 85 Nos. 69-85: Happy Homecomings

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - JULY 27: Arron Afflalo of the Orlando Magic addresses the media on July 27, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - JULY 27: Arron Afflalo of the Orlando Magic addresses the media on July 27, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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75. Renee Luers-Gillispee, UCF Softball
76. Cassady Brewer, UCF Softball
77. Willow Kalinen, UCF Softball

For a while, it looked like UCF’s softball program was going to carry things for the program. Football had just completed a winless season and basketball was struggling to keep its head above water. Softball was the saving grace.

And in 2016, softball was certainly a saving grace with a veteran roster led by pitcher Shelby Turnier. The team reached its peak in that year with that class, reaching the NCAA Softball Tournament yet again.

Now coach Renee Luers-Gillispee is trying to rebuild the program after last year’s 25-21 record. That caused UCF to miss its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2013. It is unclear whether the Knights will get back there.

But Luers-Gillispee has built UCF from nothing in the early 2000s into an American Conference power. If the team can get the pitching, there is no reason to think UCF cannot compete again (although Turnier was an elite pitcher).

Much of the offensive load will fall on some of the many holdovers from those tournament teams. The freshman and sophomores of those teams are now the team’s seniors.

Willow Kalinen and Cassady Brewer will shoulder a lot of this burden. Kalinen was a .376 hitter and a stalwart in the field last year. Brewer hit .338 with 27 RBIs to lead the Knights. Both are going to need to replicate that success to give UCF the offensive punch it needs to return to the tournament picture this year.

74. Tim Cass, USTA

The Orlando tennis scene is going to change in a major way this year as the USTA campus in East Orlando gets firmly established. It has already hosted several events including U.S. Open qualifiers. But soon it will host NCAA championships and other collegiate tournaments.

73. Morgan Ferrara, UCF Women’s Soccer

UCF’s athletics season has already gotten off to a crazy good start. The Knights’ Women’s Soccer Team opened with a historic 2-1 victory over the No. 4 North Carolina Tar Heels. Ferrara did not score in that game, but if UCF is going to build on that victory, the team will need her. Ferrara scored seven goals for the Knights, the most returning to the team this year.