UCF’s overall GSR was 89 percent, up four points from last year’s report. The Knights’ percentage was also seven points above the NCAA average of 82 percent.

The Knights rank No. 1 among public institutions in the State of Florida, second overall in the state and tied with Ohio State for 15th in the country among Football Bowl Subdivision institutions. UCF’s GSR also ranks highest among current American Athletic Conference institutions.

Eleven of UCF’s 14 programs (women’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field are combined) improved their GSR from the previous year’s report or maintained a 100 percent mark. Eleven of UCF’s programs also came in above the national average for their sport.

Three Knights squads – women’s tennis, women’s basketball and men’s golf – were at a perfect 100 percent. It was the eighth consecutive season for women’s tennis to record a 100-percent score. Women’s soccer recorded the biggest improvement among Knights programs, jumping nine percentage points. Eight UCF programs were at 90 percent or better.

“We have a group of high-achieving, hard-working student-athletes,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Todd Stansbury. “Our coaches and academic staff promote a culture of academic performance on a daily basis. Our graduation success rate is indicative of the emphasis our student-athletes put on academics.”

The football program finished 12 points above the national average, with an 83-percent mark, compared to 71 percent nationally. It was the seventh consecutive year the football program improved its GSR. Football’s 83 percent was a program-best score. In football, UCF ranks No. 2 among American Athletic Conference schools.

“These numbers are proof that our student-athletes, coaches and academic advisors are doing a great job promoting the goal of graduation,” said Kimya Massey, Associate Athletic Director for Academic Services. “It’s very satisfying to work with a group that puts so much effort toward success in competition and in the classroom.”

The GSR data in this most recent report is for student-athletes who first enrolled in 2006.

Jorge Blasco, Erik Brunskog, Mario Samson and Joe Delinks all rolled to quick singles wins for the Knights (8-10). Brunskog had little trouble with Skip Span, winning 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2. Facing Jordan Badenko at No. 6, Delinks won 6-2, 6-4. Blasco handled Alexander Pelaez (6-4, 6-2) at the top spot.

Against Willi Peter at No. 5, Samson was a 6-1, 7-6 winner. Juan Bolona also recorded a singles win as he held on for a 6-2, 6-7, 10-7 triumph over Jusso Ojanen at No. 4.

Prior to the match, Delinks and fellow senior Eugene Dolgovykh were honored for their four-year contributions to the program. Illinois State fell to 5-10 on the year with the loss.

“It was good for us to get a win, especially since it was Senior Day, but we also need to start playing a complete match,” UCF head coach Bobby Cashman said. “Our doubles played flat today. We did do a good job in our first sets in singles to gain the momentum of the match, but did not take control early in the second sets. I am glad we were able to close them out, but we need to take control early in the second sets. We need to play with more fire in the coming weeks to be prepared for the conference tournament approaching in our own backyard.”

The Knights will play at home again this season as the program is slated to host the Conference USA Championship starting April 19.

UCF has three regular-season contests remaining, all away from home. The stretch starts Friday in Oklahoma at Oral Roberts.

UCF 5, Illinois State 2

Doubles:

1. Pelaez/Manner (ISU) def. Thams/Delinks (UCF) 8-5

2. Brunskog/Bolona (UCF) def. Span/Ojanen (ISU) 8-6

3. Peter/Badenko (ISU) def. Gladstone/Dolgovykh (UCF) 8-1

Singles:

1. Blasco (UCF) def. Pelaez (ISU) 6-4; 6-2

2. Brunskog (UCF) def. Span (ISU) 6-1; 6-2

3. Manner (ISU) def. Thams (UCF) 0-6; 6-1; 6-4

4. Bolona (UCF) def. Ojanen (ISU) 6-3; 6-7; 10-7

5. Samson (UCF) def. Peter (ISU) 6-1; 7-6

6. Delinks (UCF) def. Badenko (ISU) 6-2; 6-4

UCF’s medal winners represent ten sports programs. The women’s rowing team led the way with six student-athletes, followed closely by the women’s soccer and softball teams with five each.

At least 32 Knights have earned medals during three of the last four years.

“Achieving a GPA of 3.75 or higher is a tremendous accomplishment for our student-athletes, who work hard in their classes while balancing the rigorous demands of their sports,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Todd Stansbury. “The fact that so many of our student-athletes have earned academic recognitions from Conference USA is a testament to their determination and the support of our dedicated faculty members, coaches and academic advisors.”

C-USA announced its academic honor roll (3.0 GPA or better) Tuesday, and 221 Knights were on the list. That total ranked second among all C-USA schools and first among the league’s public institutions.

UCF’s student-athletes have collectively achieved a GPA of at least 3.0 for each of the last eight semesters.

In October, UCF posted a program-best 83 percent Graduation Success Rate, which tied with the şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą of Florida for the top rating among Florida’s public universities.

UCF’s academic medal winners are listed below in alphabetical order by sport:

Football: Jacob Bundy (Business Economics) and  (Social Science Education master’s program)

Men’s Golf: Ěý(µţłÜ˛őľ±˛Ô±đ˛ő˛ő-±č±đ˛Ô»ĺľ±˛Ô˛µ)

Women’s Rowing: Jesse Baldwin (Communication Science and Disorders), (Finance), (Elementary Education with a Coaching minor), Kelsey McCreary (Cinema Studies), Beatriz Merino (Pre-Clinical Allied Health with a Spanish minor) and  (Sport and Exercise Science/Psychology)

Men’s Soccer: Augusto Braccialli (Civil Engineering), (Psychology), (Molecular and Microbiology) and Ěý(±Ę˛ő˛âł¦łó´Ç±ô´Ç˛µ˛â)

Women’s Soccer: (Biomedical Sciences), (Public Administration/Nonprofit Management), (Psychology), (Biology) and  (Communication Sciences and Disorders)

Softball: (Early Childhood Education), (Hospitality Management), (Elementary Education), (µţľ±´Ç±ô´Ç˛µ˛â)Ěý˛ą˛Ô»ĺ  (Mathematics Education)

Men’s Tennis: (Finance-pending) and  (Interdisciplinary Studies with a Math minor)

Women’s Tennis:  (Communication Sciences and Disorders)

Track and Field: (Undeclared), (Athletic Training), (Elementary Education) and Ěý(±Ęłóľ±±ô´Ç˛ő´Ç±čłó˛â)

Volleyball: (Marketing) and  (Molecular Biology and Microbology)

The contest served as the final home match for UCF’s three seniors – Johan Beigart (Vaxjo, Sweden), Marc Rocafort (Barcelona, Spain) and Brock Sakey (Gulf Breeze, Fla.)

UCF dominated at the top of the lineup in singles as Rocafort (6-2, 6-0 at No. 1 over Jan Hoekzema) and Sakey (6-4, 6-4 at No. 2 over Alexis Heugas) registered quick victories. Beigart was also victorious in his final match in Orlando, topping Istvan Bolgar, 7-6 (4), 6-1, at No. 5.

Junior Blaze Schwartz (Pensacola, Fla.), sophomore Claudio Romano (Valencia, Venezuela) and freshman Mario Samson (Miami, Fla.) also picked up singles wins for the hosts.

“I thought we did a great job remaining focused today and dealing with three rain delays and a talented squad from Embry-Riddle,” UCF head coach Bobby Cashman said. “We have really learned a great deal from all of our matches this year and that has shown in our last three matches. We are looking forward to the start of the C-USA tournament next week.”

In doubles, Rocfort and Schwartz were 8-6 winners at the top spot over Hoekzema and Heugas. Facing Bolgar and Peter Francis at No. 2, Beigart and sophomore Joe Delinks (Falmouth, Mass.) rolled to an 8-1 victory. Sakey and Romano were too much for Charlie Rice and Zander Woodford-Smith, as the Knights won 8-5 at No. 3.

With the win, UCF improved to 6-2 at home in 2010.

The Knights will now have more than a week to prepare for the C-USA Championship, which will begin April 22 in Houston. UCF’s first match at the event should come on April 23.

The contest concluded a five-match homestand for the Knights.

“DePaul is a dangerous team, but we did a tremendous job at every single position today,” Cashman said. “We have been working to improve as a team in each match that we play and we really showed that this afternoon. We have built some good momentum in the last few matches and we are going to work to keep that going out west next week.”

At the No. 1 singles spot, senior Brock Sakey (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) handled Bartosz Jozwiak, 7-5, 6-4. Senior Marc Rocafort (Barcelona, Spain), who usually plays at the top spot for the Knights, moved to No. 2 and topped Matija Palinic, 6-2, 7-5. Against Douglas Perrin at No. 6, senior Johan Beigart (Vaxjo, Sweden) won 6-2, 6-1.

Junior Blaze Schwartz (Pensacola, Fla.) had no trouble with Alasdair Graetz at No. 3. Schwartz was a 6-3, 6-1 winner. Sophomore Claudio Romano (Valencia, Venezuela) and freshman Nino Hasandedic (Munich, Germany) also recorded wins for the hosts.

At No. 1 doubles, Rocafort and Schwartz improved to 11-3 this spring with an 8-4 triumph over Vania Grgec and Mathias Hambach.

UCF will now head to Oklahoma next week for three matches. The stretch begins Thursday at No. 44 Oklahoma State.

After defeating Florida Atlantic, Sakey and the Knights nearly upset No. 31 Miami on the road before falling 4-3. Sakey gave UCF its first point against the Hurricanes, knocking off Waylon Chin (6-4, 6-1) at No. 4. Sakey and Romano started the day with an 8-5 triumph at the No. 3 doubles spot.

The player of the week honor was the first of Sakey’s career.

Since the spring season began in January, Sakey is 4-1 in singles action.

UCF will return to action Friday at North Florida. The squad is slated to host Florida A&M Sunday at the UCF Tennis Complex.