Anchored by elite rim protection and veteran poise, standout center John Bol returns to spearhead a revamped roster hungry for postseason glory in the competitive Big 12.
After UCF lost all of its scoring production two seasons ago, the Knights still managed to put together an impressive 2025 campaign, competing against the best of the best in the Big 12 and earning a March Madness bid.
This season, head coach Johnny Dawkins was able to retain some talent, with starting center John Bol being the most notable returner.
Bol joins Carmelo Pacheco and Elijah Hulsewe as the three confirmed returners from last season, joining new faces like Dior Johnson and Lewis Walker.
On Wednesday, Knights247's Andrew Cherico shared a quote from the Knights big man, where he talked about his goals for the upcoming year.
"I can't let this coaching staff down," Bol said. "They believe in me. Making it to the NCAA Tournament is not just the goal; we have to win and see how deep we can go in it."
Bol was the youngest player who saw action for UCF last season, serving as the Knights' starting big man all year, despite only being a sophomore. The seven-footer has a lot of untapped potential and was likely highly sought after in the transfer portal, but ultimately returns to UCF as the undisputed starting center for the Knights.
The former Ole Miss Rebel averaged 5.9 points and 5.5 rebounds on stellar 71.7% shooting, adding 1.1 rejections per game.
Bol stands at 7-foot-2, using his long arms and lanky stature to impact players' drives and send away shots. Bol's level of comfortability rose throughout the year, as he began to look more confident and decisive with the ball in his hands.
In perhaps UCF's biggest matchup of the year, a "win and your in" game against Cincinnati in the Big 12 Tournament, Bol played a huge role in securing a 66-65 victory and punching the Knights' ticket to March Madness.
The former 4-star recruit scored 13 points while adding eight rebounds. But, the story of the game was Bol's clutch free-throw shooting.
Despite UCF shooting just 34% from the field, while making only 3-24 (13%) 3-point attempts, the Knights dialed up a 1-3-1 pressure in the final two minutes, igniting an 8-0 run to force overtime.
In overtime, Bol showed great poise and focus at the free-throw line, knocking down four consecutive foul shots.
Earlier in the season, Bol once again had a strong performance on a big stage, helping UCF knock off then-ranked No. 11 Texas Tech with a 14-point, 10-rebound, double-double.
He once again shot extremely efficiently, making 6-of-8 shot attempts and missing just one free throw (2-3).
In the two games preceding and following Texas Tech, Bol was perfect from the field, shooting a combined 10-of-10 over the four game slate.
For Bol, he is only scratching the surface, as head coach Johnny Dawkins told media early in the season.
Following UCF's 77-67 win over Pittsburgh, Dawkins said Bol is still a "puppy," adding that he has only been playing basketball for six years, but his potential is limitless.
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