Hustle Points: 6/14

Knights to face off against USF hoops twice next season

UCF Athletics announced Wednesday that the men’s basketball team will play in-state and future Big East-rival USF twice during the 2012-2013 season.

The Knights will travel to Tampa in November to face the Bulls in the first game in the newly renovated Sun Dome. That game will take place on Nov. 10.

Later in the season, USF will return the trip by coming to Orlando to take on the Knights at the UCF Arena on Jan. 2, 2013. The matchups will be the final regular season non-conference games between the two programs before they will play regularly as dueling Big East members.

“It’s a rivalry that’s been created for us, and with us going to the Big East, this gives us an opportunity to get a jump on that,” head coach Donnie Jones said in a release. “They’ve redone their arena, and we’ll have the opportunity to open up the new place, and I heard it is terrific.”

Perez receives C-USA Spirit of Service Award

UCF softball’s Vanessa Perez was recognized for her service Tuesday when she received the Conference USA Spirit of Service Award.

Perez was honored for her efforts in helping to organize a holiday gift drive for underprivileged youth and mentoring at-risk students, in addition to joining her teammates in “adopting” a 10-year-old girl with a brain tumor.

The award recognizes community service efforts of the league’s student-athletes, based upon significant community service, good academic standing and participation in their sport.

Former Knight Creavalle makes MLS debut for Houston

Warren Creavalle, an All-Conference USA First Team honoree this past fall for the UCF Knights men’s soccer team, made his MLS debut on Sunday.

Creavalle played all 90 minutes for his Houston Dynamo on the road against Vancouver.

Creavalle started at right back. 

The former Knight is one of two rookies in the league from UCF. Kevan George is playing for the Columbus Crew.

Knights to compete around country in summer leagues

Seventeen UCF baseball players will be honing their skills across the country this summer in various summer collegiate baseball leagues.

Three Knights, pitchers Eric Skoglund, Garrett Nuss and Ben Lively, will be competing in the prestigious Cape Cod Summer League.

Skoglund and Nuss will be teammates once again, playing for the Harwich Mariners, while Lively will be pitching for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

Locally, in the Central Florida-based Florida Collegiate Summer League, Tommy Williams and Harrison Hukari will look to better themselves while they play for the Sanford River Rats.

—compiled by Steven Ryzewski