The Knights Paintball Club won its second national championship recently with a 7-5 defeat of Florida Atlantic University at Austin Tindall Regional Park in Kissimmee, FL. The Knights, after organizing as a team just four years ago, are now 6-1 against the Owls since 2015 and it was the first time the two in-state rivals met in the finals at National Collegiate Paintball Association National Championships.
The Owls started strong in the finals taking a 2-0 lead. The Knights came back, taking 3-2 lead late in the first half and never looked back. UCF senior Andrew Goto said it was a perfect ending to his UCF experience. “These past four have been the most unforgettable years of paintball,” he said.
The UCF Paintball program is considered one of the top choices for amateur paintball players in the country. The Knights have compiled a 28-3-1 record at nationals in four years. The club won the national championship in its inaugural year of 2014, finished fourth overall in 2015, national runner up in 2016, and another championship this year.
Not only did UCF beat its main rival during nationals the team also experienced a little redemption against Texas A&M. The Aggies defeated the Knights in the 2016 national championship match and came into nationals as the odds-on favorite to defend the title. But the Knights controlled the quarterfinals match defeating the Aggies 8-4.
The Paintball title is the 30th national championship in UCF sport clubs history. UCF Recreation and Wellness Center coordinator, Andrea Snead, oversees the sport clubs program and said it’s a perfect way for students to get involved and feel like a Knight.
“The students that join a club not only feel as though this is a way for them to be connected on campus, it also allows them to show their school spirit in a competitive atmosphere,” she said.
To see the final match between UCF and FAU click here: https://bit.ly/2oBxt9i. To watch the Knights defeat the Aggies, click here: https://bit.ly/2p8FMI9.
For more information on the UCF Recreation and Wellness Center and the sport clubs program, contact Snead at 407-823-2408 or andrea.snead@ucf.edu [1].