UCF softball coach believes ‘best is yet to come' for Knights
The emotions were raw for UCF coach Cindy Ball-Malone, who wiped away tears as she reflected on the Knights' season following their 14-4 elimination loss to UCLA in Game 2 of the NCAA Super Regional in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
"I'm emotional because it's kind of like being a parent," said Ball-Malone. "You can't blink because they grow up so fast. I have three boys and these guys are my daughters. Their parents let me borrow them for a few years.
"To see where they started and where they are now and what they're going to do, that's what these emotions come from."
UCF (41-19-1) may not have finished as it would have liked - two wins shy of the Women’s College World Series - but that doesn't take away from what the Knights were able to accomplish this season.
And while this weekend's Super Regional may seem like a disastrous showing on paper for UCF, being swept by the Bruins and outscored 23-5, it was still a momentous moment for a program still relatively young in terms of college softball's rich history.
It was just the second time in program history that the Knights advanced to a Super Regional. They faced top-ranked Oklahoma in 2022. The Sooners swept the series before going on to win their sixth WCWS title.
Both Oklahoma and UCLA have long been considered bluebloods among the softball elite, having played the game for more than half a century. UCF, meanwhile, is a relative newcomer on the block, celebrating its 24th season in 2025-26.
"It didn't happen this year, but we're going to be there," said Ball-Malone. "We are and we're going to have to do it quicker than those two programs did it because that's what's going to be required."
UCF’s season ends in Super Regional as UCLA advances to World Series
The Knights continue to make strides, capturing their fourth 40-plus win season in the eight seasons since Ball-Malone took over in 2019.
"Building something is really frickin' hard," said Ball-Malone. "I might tell them (her team) otherwise during the time, but we do more with less, all the time. We exhaust every single thing that we have. I couldn't be prouder of our entire team."
UCF also set several new benchmarks this season, including a program-best fourth-place finish (14-9-1) in its third season of Big 12 competition. The Knights were also one of four Big 12 teams to earn a spot in the Super Regionals, along with Oklahoma State, Arizona State and Texas Tech.
The team also defeated Florida State for the first time in seven postseason meetings, winning the Tallahassee Regional and advancing to the Super Regional.
"We never lost belief and we fought to the very end. We have a lot to be proud of," said senior shortstop Aubrey Evans.
"I believe we left it better than we found it," added senior first baseman Ashleigh Griffin. "I believe this program is going to build off of this and this is going to become our new every year thing and next year, we're going to be in the World Series."
With the season over, the Knights must now contend with the inevitable turnover that comes with the offseason, including the departures of seniors Katelyn Cochran, Lena Elkins, Kayla Alexandre, Carley Jo Penner, Evans and Griffin.
Then there is also the challenge of navigating the transfer portal, which runs June 8-22, following the WCWS.
Ball-Malone believes the Knights are on the right track.
"We may be small and young and all those things that you might say, but at the same time, the best is yet to come for us," she said.
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.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.