University of Central Florida Softball

After spending two years as a graduate assistant with head coach Cindy Ball-Malone’s support staff from 2023-24, former National Championship-winning right-handed pitcher Shannon Saile concluded her first year as full-time member of UCF’s coaching staff in 2025. “I’m excited to move into this position after being here for two years learning under coach Ball-Malone,” Saile said prior to the 2025 season’s commencement. “Getting to know these girls and this pitching staff, I’m thrilled to stay on staff. This opportunity represents a lot of answered prayers to continue here and grow with this culture, and that was really important to me.” Throughout Saile’s first year overseeing the Knights pitching staff in 2025, the program produced a 3.07 team ERA in 398.2 innings, its lowest since the group produced a 2.84 mark in 2023. The Black and Gold also recorded 22 complete games, 11 shutouts, 288 total strikeouts and a .251 batting average-against. The Knights’ staff was among the more dominant corps in the league throughout the 2025 campaign, ranking among the top four in the Big 12 Conference in team WHIP (1.34, 3rd), shutouts (11, 3rd) and ERA (3.07, 4th). UCF pitchers were well represented in national and conference honors as well, led by redshirt freshman right-hander Isabella Vega. The Bradenton native was named to two national Freshman All-America teams (D1Softball and Softball America), was a top 10 finalist for the NFCA’s National Freshman of the Year award, and garnered NFCA