Hustle Points: 8/13

Former military officer joins volleyball coaching staff

Nicki Holmes arrives as the latest addition to the UCF volleyball coaching staff. UCF volleyball head coach Todd Dagenais added Holmes to head the setters, among other functions.

Holmes has most recently spent time at Stetson, serving with recruiting and statistical and video analysis on a volunteer basis. 
“He is extremely well-respected by other coaches and extremely well liked by the players he has coached,” Dagenais said in a release. “He has an amazing eye to look at something and determine an exact pathway to make it better and more efficient.”

Holmes spent time working with USA Volleyball as a coach, among other functions, and spent seven years as an officer in the United States Air Force. 

“The discipline and the efficiency that he has acquired as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy has already had an immediate and noticeable impact on our day-to-day operations,” Dagenais said.

Men’s soccer gets preseason praise, predicted 3rd in C-USA

The Knights received preseason praise coming off of two straight postseason berths.

UCF was voted to finish third in the Conference USA Preseason Poll and senior Andrew Quintana and junior McKauly Tulloch were named to the Preseason All-Conference team. 

South Carolina and Southern Methodist were voted to finish in front of the Knights, in respective order. 

Tulloch led the Knights in goals, points and shots on goal in 2011. The transfer student from Akron scored 15 goals in his first season at UCF. 

Quintana anchored the Knights’ defense, starting all 21 games in 2011. The junior defender was named to the All-Conference USA First Team for his work on the field. 

UCF is scheduled to kick off its season with an exhibition contest against College of Charleston on Aug. 14.

Rooney adds two more to baseball coaching staff

UCF baseball head coach Terry Rooney’s staff has a new look after a few coaching changes. 

Former volunteer assistant coach Brandon Romans accepted a full-time assistant coaching position at Jacksonville State, opening the door for Alex Guerra, director of baseball operations, to step into the vacancy. Rooney has also hired Rich Witten to handle all baseball operational duties. 

These coaching moves follow the hiring of Kevin Schnall as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator earlier this summer. 
Both Schnall and Witten come from Coastal Carolina. Schnall arrives at UCF after spending 12 years at Coastal Carolina and Witten comes to Orlando as a recent graduate. 

Guerra will be serving Rooney in his first coaching gig. Guerra played collegiate baseball at Radford, Rooney’s alma mater.