Florida Tuskers safety Jerome Carter never had a football camp to attend when growing up in Lake City, Fla. And that has been a motivating factor for him as each July he hosts a free clinic for underprivileged kids in the small community.

“First, it’s about getting the kids out there and having fun. It’s a way for me to get involved and give back to the community,” Carter said. “Second, I never had the chance to interact with football players growing up, so that’s another reason why I do this.”

“Overall, I think It’s important for professional athletes to get involved,” Tuskers Head Coach Jay Gruden said. “You’re creating relationships with the kids, which is a good thing.  Jerome has done a great job in getting involved in his community.”

Carter’s football credentials were established early in his career. The Gainesville Sun named Carter its State Player of the Year for 2001, and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association named him the Class 5A Player of the Year his senior year.

“He’s a talented guy,” Gruden said. “He’s been coached by great coaches and for this reason Jerome can offer a lot to these young kids both from his experiences off the field and on the field. Anytime you can better the place where you grew up, man, it’s an important thing to do.”

Carter would go on to Florida State and in 2002, his first year of football there, scored on a blocked punt against Wake Forest. Carter was an honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection as a junior, and was the defensive team captain his senior year.

Carter finished his career at FSU with 257 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions.

After being drafted into the NFL in the fourth round by the St. Louis Rams in 2005, Carter finished his rookie season with 38 tackles, including 12 in one game against the Houston Texans. He added 18 more tackles to his career numbers the following year plus two interceptions for 39 yards, including a big pick against the Detroit Lions.

After missing the next year with an injury, Carter was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2009, but was waived in August that same year, just in time to sign with the Florida Tuskers.

He played in all six regular-season games for the Tuskers last season with five starts. His 24 tackles and 2 interceptions for 98 yards were enough to get protected status from the Tuskers for this upcoming season.

“It’s very important to get him back,” Gruden said of Carter’s return to the Tuskers. “Jerome’s a smart guy. He’s always in the right place at the right time. He has a year of experience under his belt at the safety position in our defense which is huge, because we ask a lot of our safeties. It’s going to be good to have a guy back there experienced with the terminology and the system that we run. He’s a great leader and he’s shown that he’s a great player.”

The Tuskers, who went undefeated in the 2009 season with a 6-0 record, open training camp in mid-August.  The team will play four regular season home games at the Citrus Bowl.  Season tickets start as low as $60 and can be obtained at 407-545-8123.

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –

Among those scheduled to appear include 2009 United Football League MVP quarterback Brooks Bollinger, former UCF star and current Tuskers wide receiver Rocky Ross, first year quarterback and former USF star Matt Groethe, and running back Kevin Harris, a former standout at Wake Forest University and Seminole and Winter Springs high schools.

Head coach Jay Gruden will be on hand to give fans an outlook on the season ahead while members of the 2010 Florida Tuskers Dance Team will also be in attendance.

In conjunction with the Tuskers, Ember will offer drink specials throughout the event along with complimentary appetizers.

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –

On Wednesday the Tuskers added seven defensive players and five players on offense in the 2010 UFL Draft.

Florida used its first round pick (No. 4 overall) on linebacker Weston Dacus out of Arkansas and its second round pick (No. 9 overall) on former Georgia linebacker Arnold Harrison, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dacus played in eight games with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2008 and was on their roster in 2009. Harrison played with the Steelers and Cleveland Browns, appearing in 25 NFL games where he recorded 35 tackles and a forced fumble.

“We need to get more speed and athleticism at the linebacker spot and these are two players who will have an immediate impact,” said Tuskers Head Coach Jay Gruden.

Overall, 60 players were selected in the draft, joining players already protected from the team’s 2009 rosters.  In addition, teams receiving free agent commitments were permitted to protect an additional 20 players, taking each team’s provisional roster to the maximum of 52 allowed. From June 3 onwards, teams may increase that number to 70 players.

The expansion Omaha Nighthawks selected defensive end Dewayne White, a former second round NFL Draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of Louisville, with the first overall selection of draft.

In the third round the Tuskers selected wide receiver John Standeford out of Purdue and later took Texas Southern wideout Cortez Hankton in the eighth round. Gruden also used his ninth-round pick on former Florida Atlantic defensive back Corey Small. Hankton played for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003-06, catching 34 balls for 310 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 34 NFL games. Standeford is the Big Ten’s all-time leading reception leader with 266 catches; while Small played under legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger, who was Gruden’s college coach at Louisville.

Other Florida selections included Portland State linebacker Erik Pederson (Round 4, No. 19 overall), former Toledo safety Tyrrell Herbert (Round 5, No. 24), Ohio State lineman Adrien Clark (Round 6, No. 29), Wake Forest fullback Kevin Harris (Round 7, No. 33), Stony Brook defensive end Chris Perri (Round 10, No. 50), defensive end Greg Middleton (Round 11, No. 54) out of Indiana and former Maryland center Melvin Fowler (Round 12, No. 58).

Players selected in Wednesday’s draft shall remain on each team’s Reserved Unsigned List until formally added to the roster by virtue of a negotiated contract.

– UFL Draft results are available at UFL-Football –

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –

UFL Cheerleading Tryouts – JUNE 5

The United Football League’s Florida Tuskers are seeking qualified dancers and cheerleaders to take part in auditions for the team’s 2010 cheerleading squad. The dance team will perform at all four Tuskers home games at the Florida Citrus Bowl this fall and serve as goodwill ambassadors for the organization throughout the season.

The preliminary auditions will be held on Saturday, June 5 at Vibe Dance Studio (5100 Hanging Moss Road, Suite 570, Orlando, FL 32807). Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with auditions beginning at 10:30 a.m. Participants should come dressed in dance top and shorts and performing or athletic shoes.

The finals are scheduled for Saturday, June 19 at Orlando Fashion Square Mall (3201 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL  32803).

A $25 fee for the tryout is required, along with a head shot and resume. UFL Cheer and Dance Development Director Billie O’Hara will lead the sessions.

“We are looking for cheerleaders and dancers with a passion for football,” said O’Hara. “This is a great opportunity for young women to be part of a professional football cheer team and perform before thousands of fans at the Citrus Bowl and in front of nationwide television audiences.”

Participants will be asked to learn a short, across-the-floor routine that may include high kicks, jazz technique, choreography and free style. Depending on the turnout, participants should plan on spending a good portion of the day at the preliminaries, which are closed to the public.

For additional information and frequently asked questions about the tryouts, visit UFL Football – Florida. For further info, email Tuskerscheer@gmail.com.

Youth Lacrosse Camps – JUNE 14-18

Casey Powell Lacrosse Camps are among the most highly attended and respected camps in the Northeast United States and now the Orlando Titans team captain is bringing sessions to Central Florida this summer.

Powell Lacrosse, in conjunction with the Orlando Titans Academy of Lacrosse, presents the Casey Powell Lacrosse Camps from June 14-18.

The day camps will be held June 14-15 at Sylvan Lake Park and June 16-18 at RD Keene Park with a special box lacrosse training camp slated for June 15-17 at Barber Park.

The registration fee for the two-day Sylvan Lake camp is $150, while the three-day Keene Park Camp is $200. Both camps will run from 8:45 a.m.-1 p.m. daily. Campers interested in attending both camps can do so for $300.

The camps are open to boys and girls ages 7-18 and will be directed by Casey Powell and other top professionals from the National Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse, including two-time MLL champion Brett Queener. Campers will be divided into gender, skill and age groups by ability to allow for optimal training conditions.

Camp participants will receive individualized instruction (8:1 camper to counselor ratio) from the top pros in the game, take part in position seminars, participate in speed and footwork drills, participate in scrimmages and games, and will receive a Casey Powell camp jersey.  There will also be special training sessions for goalies.

The Box Lacrosse Training Camp at Barber Park is open to high school boys and is limited to the first 80 players signing up. The cost for the three-day Box Lacrosse Training Camp is $100.

For more information or to register for any of the Casey Powell Lacrosse Camps, visit Titans Academy of Lacrosse or Casey Powell Lacrosse.

Girls Soccer Summer Camps – JUNE 14-JULY 31

Amanda Cromwell’s Central Florida Soccer Academy is holding five girls soccer camps this summer on the campus of UCF.

Players from 4-14 years old can register for the day camp June 14-18 or the mini-day camp from July 19-21. Both camps run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and are designed for the emerging soccer player who needs repetitive technical skill work and thorough instruction on the tactical side of the game. Field players and goalkeepers are encouraged to attend.

The Elite Week 1 Camp is for girls from 10-18 years of age and will run from June 27-July 1. The Elite Week 2 Camp is for players 13-18 years old and goes from July 18-22. These overnight camps are designed for the advanced field player and goalkeeper. Olympic Development Program and/or premier club experience is recommended. Campers who would rather not stay on campus overnight can be day campers instead and should arrive at 8:30 a.m. and arrange to be picked up at 8:30 p.m.

The Super Elite Camp is scheduled for July 28-31 and is for players from 16-18 years old. This four-day overnight camp is designed for high-level field players and goalkeepers. Super Elite Camp is limited to 50 players. Those interested in attending are encouraged to send an email to info@centralfloridasocceracademy.com with Super Elite in the subject line. For more information and to register for these camps, visit Central Florida Soccer Academy.

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –

Florida Head Coach Jay Gruden and his staff are conducting the workouts on Saturdays in Miami (May 8), Orlando (May 15) and Atlanta, Ga. (June 26).

Each tryout camp will last approximately four hours as athletes are timed in the 40-yard dash and 20-yard short shuttle before participating in a series of individual and team drills.

The tryouts are for all positions, including kickers and punters.

Cost for registration is $60 (cash or money order only). Participants will be asked to fill out a registration form and injury waiver.

Athletes should come dressed to participate on a natural grass playing surface.

Registration for all three tryouts begin at 7 a.m. with the tryout getting underway promptly at 9 a.m. – rain or shine.

For those interested in sending film in advance of the tryout, send it to Player Personnel Department, The Florida Tuskers, 1 Citrus Bowl Place, Suite 201, Orlando, FL  32805.

– The Miami Tryout is scheduled for Nova Southeastern University (3301, College Ave., Ft. Lauderdale-Davie, FL  33314).

– The Orlando Tryout will be held at the practice field adjacent to the Florida Citrus Bowl (1610 West Church Street, Orlando, FL  32805).

– The Atlanta Tryout is slated for Sandy Creek High School (360 Jenkins Road, Tyrone, GA  30290).

– To nominate athletic performances for inclusion each Wednesday to the Top-5 list of Orlando Sports Central Standouts, send over an email to JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com –

1.) Bruce Miller – UCF Knights – After leading Conference USA in sacks and tackles for loss this season, Miller was rewarded as C-USA Defensive Player of the Year by league coaches on Wednesday. The junior defensive lineman ranks fifth in the nation with 12 sacks and 18^th in the nation with 16.5 tackles for loss through 12 games. Miller was part of a UCF defense that led C-USA in total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense, sacks and tackles for loss. The two-time conference defensive player of the week this season was also named to the All-Conference USA First Team along with teammates Jarvis Geathers, Cory Hogue and Jah Reid. Josh Burnett and Torrell Troup were named to the second team while Derrick Hallman, Brynn Harvey, Brett Hodges, Charley Hughlett and Lawrence Young were all honorable mentions.

2.) Gennelle Chatman – University Cougars – The senior forward pulled down a school-record 24 rebounds last Thursday in a lopsided win over East River. The effort topped her record-tying 18-rebound game in the district finals last year against Colonial, which helped the Cougars win their first district title in school history. Courtney Berry also had 18 rebounds in one game against Gateway in 2003. The four-year varsity player is currently averaging 13.3 rebounds a game and 7.8 points per game this season and is on pace to break the school’s career rebounding record. Chatman is also a member of UHS Student Government Association and National Honor Society.

3.) Austin Rivers – Winter Park Wildcats – The junior was named Most Valuable Player of the Rotary Tip-Off Classic last weekend as he helped lead the Wildcats to a big win in the championship game on Saturday. Rivers scored 28 points against Lake Brantley, 14 against Oak Ridge and went for 20 points and five rebounds in the finals against Winter Springs.

4.) Jim Haslett and Brooks Bollinger – Florida Tuskers – After leading the United Football League’s Florida Tuskers to a 6-0 regular season record, former NFL Coach of the Year Jim Haslett was named UFL Coach of the Year and Brooks Bollinger UFL Most Valuable Player. The Tuskers led the league in both offense and defense. Bollinger was outstanding in finishing with a league-best 1,825 yards passing, 16 touchdowns and 143 completions in an offense put together by former Arena Football League player and coach Jay Gruden.

More ––

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 12/2/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 11/25/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 11/18/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 11/11/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 11/4/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 10/28/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 10/21/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 10/14/09

Come on in. Put down your bags. Make yourself at home for there is plenty of room right here at Orlando’s ‘Heartbreak Hotel of Pro Football.’

The other guests figured you’d be stopping by. We just hope you won’t be staying for too long. You see, they all envy what you attempted to accomplish over Thanksgiving weekend and are just as somber that things didn’t go as planned.

This one must really sting though, huh? Making it all the way to the inaugural United Football League championship game as an undefeated team at 6-0 only to come up short, 20-17, against the hometown Las Vegas Locomotives in overtime.

What makes it worse is the way you dominated the competition throughout the regular season under the leadership of former National Football League player and coach Jim Haslet, and the offensive play calling of former Arena Football League player and coach Jay Gruden.

You led the four-team UFL in total offense, first downs and takeaways while MVP Brooks Bollinger slung the ball around like he was the all-time quarterback in a flag football league.

And how were you rewarded for such a season? By having to travel cross-country to Sin City. The nerve of the UFL. I’m sure the Citrus Bowl had plenty of room for the handful of fans that may have been interested in such a showdown. At least the same 12,000 or so that made it out for each of your two home games downtown.

Not since the Orlando Panthers of the forgotten Continental Football League has a local football team won a league title of the outdoor football variety. And they did it twice between 1966-70.

Which brings us to why you’re here in the first place. Let me start by introducing you to the others.

Down this hall stays the Florida Blazers of the World Football League, who after entering the fourth quarter of the 1974 WFL World Bowl down 22-0 charged all the way back only to lose by one point. Imagine that. Which I’m sure you can. Only the Blazers would never see the start of the following season before vanishing into the history books.

A little further down to your right is where the Orlando Renegades of the battered United States Football League are shacked up. Quite a concept the USFL was, if only the Renegades were half as innovative. They had one 5-13 season in 1985 before “pro football” made yet another quick exit from town, along with the league.

But the sport returned (as it always does) in 1991 when the Orlando Thunder came on the scene as part of the startup World League of American Football. In their second season the Thunder managed to advance to the title game in 1992 only to fall 21-17 in the WLAF World Bowl before suddenly disappearing at its conclusion.

The Thunder are staying a bit further down the hall to your left, where you’ll also find our most recent occupant from the defunct XFL.

For a split second in 2001 it sounded like a good idea – Inviting pro wrestling fans to a football game and catering to their vises. It certainly worked for the Orlando Rage. That year they swept through the regular season with the best record in the league only to lose by a point in the first round of the postseason.

These has-beens have been here sulking and mingling together ever since.

And now it’s the Tuskers who have become another rotten slice of the good football championship-chasing life after falling just short of satisfying the title quench for local fans.

At least there’s a bright side. You have something none of these old washed-up local teams have, and that’s a chance to try it again in a league that is still up and running.

Well, at least for the time being.

– More Florida Tuskers Coverage –

- United Football League info at UFL Access

- Tuskers news and notes at Tusker House

- Video footage at UFL-Football

- Postgame stories at FanHouse

- Box score at UFL-Football

- More at Orlando Sports Central

Doug Gabriel (Photo by AlexMenendez.com)

Apparently not many people here in Orlando care a whole hell of a lot about their hometown Florida Tuskers. Or even the United Football League for that matter. On Thursday night an announced crowd of 12,021 were on hand as the Tuskers snuffed out the California Redwoods 34-7 in the second, and final, local game of the short season at the Florida Citrus Bowl.

Whether that many people were actually in the stands is up for debate. What’s not up for debate is the poor effort by the league to get tickets in the hands of fans for this alternative brand of pro football that features a bunch of has-beens, or guys that never will be.

But at least plenty of storylines exist within this league for the diehards to indulge themselves in.

Steve Edwards (Photo by AlexMenendez.com

And speaking of such local interest, this matchup featured a former head coach of the Central Florida Golden Knights who returned to his old stomping grounds along with four other former local UCF alumni.

Needless to say, they found their luck no better this time around at their old home stadium then they did during the early part of the decade.

Former Dr. Phillips and UCF wide receiver Doug Gabriel (2001-02) caught one pass for 15 yards after dropping balls one moment and being overthrown the next. Former UCF defensive end Paul Carrington (2002-05) saw limited action due to injury, while center Mike Mabry (2001-02) and guard Steve Edwards (2000-01) were starters on an offensive line that struggled to hold blocks for two quarterbacks who combined for 101 yards and four interceptions on 9 of 30 passing.

In their defense though, no sacks were surrendered and the Redwoods did manage to average 4.1 yards per carry out of the backfield, for what it’s worth.

Mike Kruczek (Photo by AlexMenendez.com)

Engineering such an offensive effort was offensive coordinator Mike Kruczek (1985-03). And while the former head coach of the Golden Knights declined to speak with local media afterwards, California head coach Dennis Green was quite frank (as usual) about what took place as he shed light on his “emotional feeling” following the game. Among the things he talked about was how poor the quarterback play was and that perhaps the local Pop Warner teams that scrimmaged beforehand may have turned in a better effort than his own team did.

“Even an 88-year old woman in the stands would know how the quarterback play was. You don’t need an NFL, 30-something year coach to tell you that,” said Green, (yes, that Dennis Green) with some genuine passion.

“That 88-year old woman could say ‘hey, you know coach, you had poor quarterback play. Coach you dropped a lot of balls. You know, I watched the Pop Warner game before the game started and I didn’t see them drop any balls.’ Because you shouldn’t drop balls, hell it’s only a football for Christ’s sake. I mean how big the damn thing got to be to catch it?”

Taye Biddle (Photo by AlexMenendez.com)

It wasn’t much of a problem for Tuskers wide receiver Taye Biddle, who turned in his second consecutive 100-yard game by catching five passes for 133 yards in the win. Last week he became the first UFL player to go over the century mark in Florida’s 29-15 win over Las Vegas. In that game he caught seven passes for 107 yards.

On Thursday quarterback Brooks Bollinger, who said he hasn’t had this much fun playing the game since his college days at Wisconsin, overcame a slow start to finish 17 of 29 passing for 224 yards and two touchdown strikes to Andrew Pinnock and Jayson Foster. Chris Greisen took over in the third quarter and went 8 of 11 for 91 yards and a touchdown pass to Marcus Maxwell.

Defensively, the Tuskers got interceptions from Tim McGarigie (team-high 7.5 tackles), DeJuan Tribble (3 tackles), Willie Andrews (forced fumble, 2 tackles) and Odell Thurman (2 tackles). McGarigie still holds the NCAA record for career tackles with 545 while playing at Northwestern University.

Paul Carrington (Photo by AlexMenendez.com)

This week NFL scouts are expected to be in town to get a look at some players during practice as head coach Jim Haslett and the 3-0 Tuskers prepare for the final three games of the season. The current Florida roster features 77 percent of its players who have previous NFL experience.

– More coverage of Florida Tuskers –

– Carson Ingle and A.J. Winne at UFL Orlando

– Adam Soucie at Tusker House

– Anthony Olivieri at Fanhouse

– Various headlines at UFL Access

– Tuskers team page and info at UFL

– To nominate athletic performances for inclusion each Wednesday to the Top-5 list of Orlando Sports Central Standouts, send over an email to JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com –

Becca Thomas

1.) Becca Thomas – UCF Knights – She did it again. One week after being named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week for scoring two game-winning goals, senior Becca Thomas went back-to-back by netting two more game-winners against Rice and Houston (three goals in all) as the Knights got two wins each by a score of 2-1. The nine game-winners by Thomas ranks No. 6 all-time in program history. At 12-3-1 overall and 7-1-0 in C-USA the Knights have moved up to No. 4 in the recent NCAA Ratings Percentage Index report and are ranked in the Top 16 of three different women’s college soccer polls.

2.) Mike Dorcely – Lake Highland Prep Highlanders – Just a freshman, Mike Dorcely is already in his second season as a starter at Lake Highland Prep where last Friday night he scored three touchdowns and intercepted two passes to lead the No. 5 Highlanders (in Class 2B) to a 24-0 win over Mount Dora. Dorcely, described as an energetic and exciting kid with a passion for the game by LHP head coach Tim Borcky, took an interception 99 yards for a score and crossed the goal line on a pass play of 42 yards and a run of 25 yards in the win.

3.) Brooks Bollinger – Florida Tuskers – After completing his first 11 passes of the game last week in Las Vegas, quarterback Brooks Bollinger finished the night 24 of 32 passing for 310 yards and three touchdowns in Florida’s 29-15 win over the Locomotives. Bollinger completed passes to 10 different receivers on the night to help the Tuskers improve to 2-0 and sit alone atop the four-team United Football League. The Tuskers return to action on Thursday night at Florida Citrus Bowl.

Torrell Troup (Photo by Scott McCall)

4.) Felipe Quiroga – Timber Creek Wolves – By scoring a 2-under par on Monday at Timacuan Golf Club in the Class 2A, District 7 boys golf tournament, Felipe Quiroga helped Timber Creek High School capture its first district title. His round of 70 was also the best performance of the day among the district competition. The Wolves, who outdid Winter Park and Ocoee at the event, move on to compete at the regional tournament on Monday at Windermere Country Club.

5.) Torrell Troup – UCF Knights – It was announced on Tuesday that 6-3, 314 pound senior defensive tackle Torrell Troup will represent the UCF Knights at the annual East-West Shrine Game in January at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Troup has demanded double-teams his entire career and was already being looked at by NFL scouts. He has helped the Knights defense rank No. 10 nationally in rushing defense and tackles-for-loss and No. 11 nationally in sacks. Troup has freed himself on the football field enough to record 20 tackles (2.5 for loss) and a sack this season.

More – Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 10/14/09

– To nominate athletic performances for inclusion each Wednesday to the Top-5 list of Orlando Sports Central Standouts, send over an email to JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com –

1.) Demetrius “Dee” Hart – Dr. Phillips Panthers – With a chance to take over the No. 1 spot in the state’s Class 6A high school football rankings Dee Hart scored five touchdowns to led the Panthers to a 47-9 triumph on the road over Boone on Friday night. Not only did the junior score four times on just 13 carries but he managed to rush for 244 yards and also score on a 63-yard punt return in the win.

Brooks Bollinger (Photo by Alex Menendez)

2.) Becca Thomas – UCF Knights – The senior midfielder scored a game-winning goal against UTEP on Friday night in a 3-2 win then connected on what would be the game-winner again against Colorado State on Sunday in a 4-1 win. Those efforts helped lead the Top-25 women’s soccer team to their fourth-straight victory. Thomas was then named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week and also named to the Soccer America Team of the Week.

3.) Brooks Bollinger – Florida Tuskers –The former draft pick of the New York Jets brought pro football back to Orlando in a big way on Saturday by leading the Tuskers, of the inaugural United Football League, to a 35-13 win at the Citrus Bowl over the New York Sentinels. Coached by offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, of Arena Football fame, Bollinger threw four touchdowns on 20 of 26 passing for a total of 225 yards.

Taylor Dubins

4.) Matt Prater – Denver Broncos – The former UCF placekicker booted a 41-yard field goal in overtime to help the unbeaten Broncos defeat the New England Patriots on Sunday. Although most remembered by local fans as the scapegoat following an extra-point miss which led to a UCF loss in the 2005 Hawaii Bowl, Prater is in his second year as an NFL starter and has a career-long field goal of 56 yards to his credit.

5.) Taylor Dubins – UCF Knights – Competing with the tennis team at the UNF Fall Invitational in Jacksonville over the weekend, sophomore Taylor Dubins won her first-career title in the Flight C singles bracket after combining to lose just four games in the final two rounds. Dubins coasted to a 6-0, 6-1 win over a player from Samford before cruising past an opponent from Coastal Carolina, 6-3, 6-0, in the finals.