Madison Omana

Features and Non-Deadline Stories

USL W League •

USL W League, Katie's Save provide mental health support to athletes during 'Name Your Advocate' weekend

Athletes, coaches and fans are feeling the impact of the USL W League’s partnership with Katie’s Save, a philanthropic foundation centered on providing actionable mental health support for student-athletes. 

Gina and Steve Meyer founded Katie’s Save in honor of their daughter Katie, who was a star goalkeeper for the Stanford women’s soccer team. Since 2022, the foundation has worked towards passing Katie Meyer’s Law (AB 1575) nationwide, which would allow students to have a trusted advocate i...

Softball to Face Four Ranked Opponents in Six Games in Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic

ORLANDO – After going 1-1 in the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational and boasting a 6-2 record through its first eight games, the UCF softball team is gearing up to face four ranked opponents at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic hosted by the Big League Dreams Complex in Cathedral City, California, Feb. 22-25.
Despite their last three games against No. 14 Kentucky, No. 22 Northwestern and No. 19 UCLA being canceled due to inclement weather in the St. Petersburg-Clearwater area, the Knig...
The Charge •

"Hometown Heroes": UCF baseball has most Floridian players since 2017

More Floridians are sliding into home, with Sunshine State natives accounting for over 70% of UCF baseball players.The Knights’ 42-man roster consists of 30 Floridians, making this the highest number of Floridian players on the team since 2017. In addition, UCF welcomed 17 transfers this season, with 11 of them hailing from the state. 
Head coach and Orlando native Rich Wallace said recruiting in the Orlando area and the I-4 corridor first is a focal point for the UCF baseball team. The...
NSM.today •

St. Thomas to Orlando: Najer Victor's journey to the mound

Najer Victor clearly remembers the day his spark for baseball was ignited.

He recalls playing a pick-up game of baseball in the U.S. Virgin Islands alongside his friends and siblings, substituting tennis balls for the typical white leather balls.

The senior right-handed pitcher said he is one of the more athletic people in his family, but baseball was not his strong suit at the time. Instead, his younger sister, Janiya, excelled on the diamond and outplayed everyone that day. He took note of h
NSM.today •

New faces, new conference: 2024 UCF baseball preview

UCF baseball closed the 2023 chapter with a second-round loss in the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship, but now the team is ready to open this season with a chance to prove itself to the Big 12.

The UCF Knights made big changes during the offseason, including naming former UCF baseball player Rich Wallace as the new head coach, following Greg Lovelady’s departure after seven seasons. Along with the addition of a new coaching staff, the Knights also have 23 new players on the ro
NSM.today •

Political science students raise concerns over program's resources

A student within the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs recently brought attention to her perceived issues in the political science program.

A student-made survey and flyer circulated throughout the online UCF political science community asking peers if they have experienced a lack of resources within the program. According to the survey website, the survey asks students if they have experienced any grievances, including a lack of in-person classes, lack of resources for pr
NSM.today •

"A mover and a shaker": Political science major influences change at UCF

When those who know Michael Kostis are asked about him, it’s his passion and kind heart that are brought up again and again.

Nathan Lax, junior political science major, said he had first met Kostis through Young Democratic Socialists of America in September 2022. He said he remembers being amazed by Kostis and thinks finding someone like him is rare.

“He is one of the most caring people I know, and like about the things that are important, there are people that you know, get caught up in the d
NSM.today •

'An icon for space university': UCF's Robinson Observatory telescope gets refurbished after nearly six years

In the upstairs of UCF’s Robinson Observatory, Vincent Miller said he stood atop a rolling ladder and watched as a mobile crane lifted telescope pieces 30 feet above the open observatory dome.

“I've never really been up in that part of the observatory before, and I just wanted to see how it worked,” said Miller, junior photonic science and engineering major. “I had never seen a big observatory telescope like that either.”

Miller is one of the student volunteers who helped with the installation
NSM.today •

From Stockton to space: Former NASA astronaut shares his story with students

Former NASA astronaut José Hernández encouraged students to challenge themselves “to do what you may think is the impossible” during his speech at the From Stockton to Space event at the Student Union on Monday.

During the event, Hernández shared his story of working as a migrant farmworker in Stockton, California, to becoming a first-generation college student and NASA astronaut.

The College of Sciences co-hosted the event alongside UCF CREAR Futuros, Latinos in Action, CREOL, The College of
NSM.today •

‘A constant force’: Political sciences major inspires activism on campus

Olivia Solomon was a high school reporter when there was a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14, 2018.

Solomon said she attended high school in Miami, nearly an hour and a quarter away from Parkland. She said she recalls being asked to write a breaking news article as the story was developing.

“I got a text from my editor saying, ‘Hey there's an active school shooting in Broward County.’" Solomon said. “I googled it, and when Marjory Stoneman Douglas had
NSM.today •

UCF's online psychology degree ranked best in the nation

UCF ranked No. 1 in a three-way tie for the nation’s best online psychology bachelor's degree program, according to rankings released by U.S. News & World Report on Jan. 24.

The UCF online psychology program ranked sixth last year in the same U.S. News & World Report program evaluation. Dr. Maggy Tomova, College of Sciences dean, said in an email statement to the College of Sciences student body that this year's rankings are a representation of the hard work that the psychology faculty put in.