2022–23 UCF Knights women's basketball team

2022–23 UCF Knights women's basketball
ConferenceAmerican Athletic Conference
Record14–15 (4–11 The American)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaAddition Financial Arena
Seasons
2022–23 American Athletic Conference women's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
South Florida 15 – 1   .938 27 – 7   .794
Memphis 11 – 4   .733 22 – 11   .667
East Carolina † 11 – 5   .688 23 – 9   .719
Houston 10 – 5   .667 15 – 16   .484
SMU 7 – 8   .467 17 – 12   .586
Tulane 7 – 9   .438 18 – 14   .563
Tulsa 7 – 9   .438 17 – 13   .567
Wichita State 6 – 10   .375 18 – 15   .545
Temple 6 – 10   .375 11 – 18   .379
UCF 4 – 11   .267 14 – 15   .483
Cincinnati 2 – 14   .125 9 – 21   .300
† 2023 AAC tournament winner
As of March 24, 2023
Rankings from AP poll
Source: The American

The 2022–23 UCF Knights women's basketball team represented the University of Central Florida during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Knights compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the American Athletic Conference (The American). The Knights, in the program's 46th season of basketball, are led by first-year head coach Sytia Messer, and play their home games at the Addition Financial Arena on the university's main campus in Orlando, Florida.

This was also the last season UCF play in the American Athletic Conference before moving to the Big 12 Conference.[1]

Previous season

The Knights finished the 2021–22 season 22–3 and were American Athletic Conference champions at 14–1, winning the conference tournament and an automatic bid to the 2022 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, where they defeated Florida in the first round before losing to UConn in the second round.

Offseason

Departures

Due to COVID-19 disruptions throughout NCAA sports in 2020–21, the NCAA announced that the 2020–21 season would not count against the athletic eligibility of any individual involved in an NCAA winter sport, including women's basketball. This meant that all seniors in 2020–21 had the option to return for 2021–22.

Name Number Pos. Height Year Hometown Reason for departure
Tay Sanders 1 G 6'1" Senior Bartow, FL Graduated
Diamond Battles 3 G 5'8" Senior Winter Haven, FL Graduate transferred to Georgia
Masseny Kaba 5 F 6'3" Senior Dorchester, MA Graduated/went undrafted in 2022 NBA draft; signed with the Chicago Sky
Becca Ripley 11 G 6'0" Redshirt Senior Stratham, NH Graduated
Alisha Lewis 23 G 5'7" Junior Wallingford, PA Transferred to Georgia
Jnaya Walker 24 F 6'1" Senior Bolingbrook, IL Graduate transferred to Central Michigan
Ahna Burney 25 G 5'8" Junior Vancouver, WA TBD
Neila Luma 30 F 6'0" Redshirt Senior Macungie, PA Graduated
Shania Meertens 31 G 5'8" Redshirt Senior Winter Springs, FL Graduated
Brittney Smith 32 F 6'3" Senior Orlando, FL Graduate transferred to Georgia
Savannah Henderson G 6'1" Freshman Orlando, FL Transferred to Georgia

Incoming transfers

Name Number Pos. Height Year Hometown Previous
school
Mya Burns 10 G 6'0" Senior North Augusta, GA Georgia Southern
Rachel Ranke 12 G 6'1" GS Senior Burnsville, MN Kansas State
Taylor Gibson 15 F 6'2" Sophomore Upper Marlboro, MD Michigan
Anzhane' Hutton 23 F 6'0" Junior Dallas, TX Howard
Ashley Foster 24 G 5'8" Senior McDonough, GA Georgia State
Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu 30 G 5'8" Senior Norcross, GA Gulf Coast State College

Recruiting

There were no recruiting classing class of 2022.

Roster

2022–23 UCF Knights women's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Laila Jewett 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) So Bishop Ireton Woodbridge, VA
G 4 Kiera Brown 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) RS So Palm Beach Gardens Rivera Beach, FL
G 5 Tiani Abrams 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Fr Rancho Buena Vista Vista, CA
G 10 Mya Burns 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Sr North Augusta
Georgia Southern 		North Augusta, SC
G 11 Becca Ripley 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) RS Sr New Hampton Stratham, NH
G 12 Rachel Ranke 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) GS Eastview
Kansas State 		Burnsville, MN
G 14 Asia Todd 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Sr Clayton
Liberty 		Clayton, NC
F 15 Taylor Gibson 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) So Bishop McNamara
Michigan 		Upper Marlboro, MD
F 20 Bryana Hardy 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Fr Lovejoy Lovejoy, GA
G 22 Sierra Godbolt 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) Fr Lake Highland Prep Orlando, FL
F 23 Anzhané Hutton 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Jr Cedar Hill
Howard 		Dallas, TX
G 24 Ashley Foster 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Sr Eagle's Landing
Georgia State 		McDonough, GA
G 30 Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Sr Norcross
Gulf Coast State College 		Norcross, GA
F 33 Destiny Thomas 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Sr Forest Park Atlanta, GA
F 42 Ashton Verhulst 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Jr Bishop Miege Desoto, KS
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results

[2]

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
October 30, 2022*
2:00 p.m. 		Saint Leo W 71–43 
  –      –      –    Addition Financial Arena 
Orlando, FL
Non-conference regular season
November 7, 2022*
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Winthrop W 72–32  1–0
  14 – Hardy   11 – Thomas   4 – Godbolt  Addition Financial Arena (2,730)
Orlando, FL
November 10, 2022*
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Mercer Canceled Addition Financial Arena 
Orlando, FL
November 15, 2022*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Campbell W 62–60  2–0
  12 – Jewett   9 – Thomas   6 – Jewett  Gore Arena (1,276)
Buies Creek, NC
November 22, 2022*
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Louisiana–Monroe W 78–54  3–0
  16 – Thomas   9 – Jewett   4 – Tied  Addition Financial Arena (579)
Orlando, FL
November 26, 2022*
2:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Samford
UCF Thanksgiving Classic 		W 79–74 2OT 4–0
  34 – Jewett   15 – Thomas   3 – Tied  Addition Financial Arena (210)
Orlando, FL
November 27, 2022*
2:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Southeast Missouri State
UCF Thanksgiving Classic 		W 67–41  5–0
  17 – Gibson   10 – Tied   4 – Godbolt  Addition Financial Arena (228)
Orlando, FL
December 1, 2022*
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Sam Houston W 67–55  6–0
  22 – Thomas   18 – Thomas   3 – Godbolt  Addition Financial Arena (2,688)
Orlando, FL
December 3, 2022*
3:00 p.m., SECN+ 		at Auburn L 46–86  6–1
  9 – Tied   8 – Thomas   0 – Tied  Neville Arena (1,892)
Auburn, AL
December 11, 2022*
3:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Seton Hall L 56–63  6–2
  16 – Thomas   24 – Thomas   5 – Godbolt  Addition Financial Arena (2,841)
Orlando, FL
December 14, 2022*
6:30 p.m., SECN+ 		at Tennessee L 64–99  6–3
  12 – Burns   6 – Burns   6 – Godbolt  Thompson–Boling Arena (7,188)
Knoxville, TN
December 20, 2022*
2:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Idaho State
UCF Christmas Classic 		W 67–50  7–3
  16 – Burns   11 – Thomas   4 – Thomas  Addition Financial Arena (342)
Orlando, FL
December 21, 2022*
12:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Elon
UCF Christmas Classic 		W 64–46  8–3
  21 – Ranke   11 – Thomas   8 – Godbolt  Addition Financial Arena (448)
Orlando, FL
December 29, 2022*
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Texas Southern W 92–67  9–3
  22 – Hutton   11 – Thomas   6 – Godbolt  Addition Financial Arena (2,761)
Orlando, FL
AAC regular season
January 3, 2023
8:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at SMU L 51–61  9–4
(0–1) 		 11 – Ranke   10 – Thomas   3 – Jewett  Moody Coliseum (572)
Dallas, TX
January 7, 2023
1:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Tulsa L 75–80  9–5
(0–2) 		 22 – Hutton   13 – Hutton   4 – Tied  Addition Financial Arena (2,765)
Orlando, FL
January 10, 2023
8:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Houston L 42–80  9–6
(0–3) 		 9 – Hardy   10 – Hardy   1 – Tied  Fertitta Center (570)
Houston, TX
January 15, 2023
1:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Wichita State W 59–56  10–6
(1–3) 		 24 – Thomas   13 – Thomas   4 – Tied  Addition Financial Arena (2,821)
Orlando, FL
January 17, 2023
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Tulane L 50–64  10–7
(1–4) 		 15 – Burns   7 – Tied   2 – Tied  Addition Financial Arena (2,746)
Orlando, FL
January 22, 2023
2:00 p.m., ESPNU 		at South Florida
War on I-4 		L 51–83  10–8
(1–5) 		 16 – Hutton   10 – Hutton   3 – Jewett  Yuengling Center (4,227)
Tampa, FL
January 28, 2023
2:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Temple L 56–63  10–9
(1–6) 		 16 – Thomas   13 – Thomas   2 – Tied  Liacouras Center (1,939)
Philadelphia, PA
February 1, 2023
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		SMU Postponed Addition Financial Arena 
Orlando, FL
February 4, 2023
2:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		East Carolina L 54–68  10–10
(1–7) 		 14 – Thomas   15 – Thomas   2 – Tied  Addition Financial Arena (2,820)
Orlando, FL
February 8, 2023
7:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Cincinnati W 60–57  11–10
(2–7) 		 16 – Ranke   4 – Tied   6 – Godbolt  Fifth Third Arena (627)
Cincinnati, OH
February 11, 2023
3:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Memphis L 48–50 OT 11–11
(2–8) 		 12 – Burns   13 – Burns   3 – Ranke  Elma Roane Fieldhouse (687)
Memphis, TN
February 15, 2023
7:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		South Florida
War of I-4 		L 44–73  11–12
(2–9) 		 8 – Brown   13 – Burns   3 – Ranke  Addition Financial Arena (3,354)
Orlando, FL
February 18, 2023
2:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at East Carolina L 57–63  11–13
(2–10) 		 14 – Gibson   16 – Thomas   3 – Jewett  Williams Arena (1,110)
Greenville, NC
February 21, 2023
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Temple W 57–53  12–13
(3–10) 		 17 – Hutton   11 – Hutton   3 – Tied  Addition Financial Arena (2,696)
Orlando, FL
February 25, 2023
2:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Cincinnati W 64–54 OT 13–13
(4–10) 		 21 – Thomas   20 – Thomas   4 – Godbolt  Addition Financial Arena (3,037)
Orlando, FL
March 1, 2023
7:30 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Tulsa L 60–70  13–14
(4–11) 		 21 – Burns   16 – Thomas   3 – Godbolt  Reynolds Center (1,640)
Tulsa, OK
AAC Women's Tournament
March 6, 2023
4:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		(10) vs. (7) Tulsa
First Round 		W 69–53  14–14
  20 – Jewett   12 – Thomas   10 – Godbolt  Dickies Arena 
Fort Worth, TX
March 7, 2023
7:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		(10) vs. (2) Memphis
Quarterfinals 		L 46–48  14–15
  9 – Gibson   10 – Thomas   8 – Godbolt  Dickies Arena 
Fort Worth, TX
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time.

Rankings

See also: 2022–23 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre12345678910111213141516171819Final
APRVRV*RV———————————————Not released
CoachesRVRV*—^——————————————

*The preseason and week 1 polls were the same.
^Coaches did not release a week 2 poll.

See also

References

  1. ^ "UCF to Join Big 12 July 1, 2023". University of Central Florida. October 6, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  2. ^ "2022–23 (W) Basketball Schedule". UCF Athletics. Retrieved February 27, 2023.