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UCF guard Riley Kugel back with Knights for another season after court ruling
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- UCF guard Riley Kugel back with Knights for another season after court ruling
(Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)
Riley Kugel stopped, fixed his hair and posed for a video before settling into his seat for a round of interviews during UCF 's men's basketball media day Monday.
It seemed improbable, considering the former Dr. Phillips High standout thought his college career was over in March.
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Kugel is back with the Knights after an Indiana Circuit Court judge in September granted him and a group of former college athletes a preliminary injunction that would allow an additional year of eligibility.
"There's so much uncertainty, but as of right now, Riley's able to compete," coach Johnny Dawkins said of his Kugel's future. "He's able to go. The court case ruled in his favor and so Riley is eligible. We're excited to have him back."
Dawkins admits that when the opportunity for a possible reunion presented itself, it wasn't a difficult decision.
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"He loves it here at UCF," said Dawkins. "He wanted to come back, so it was pretty straightforward for us."
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Kugel arrived at UCF last season as a veteran transfer following two seasons at Florida and a season at Mississippi State. He started 31 games for the Knights, led the team in scoring with 14.4 points per game, and shot nearly 42% from the field.
He helped guide the team to an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament, the program's first postseason appearance since the 2018-19 season. Kugel scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds as UCF lost to UCLA in the first round.
Kugel went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft and signed a summer league contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. However, he went unsigned after preseason camp.
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During that time, a Colorado District Court judge granted a temporary injunction that allowed all 2022 college athletes an additional year of eligibility if they didn't sign with a professional league. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed that decision in August, but it still opened the door to other state-level lawsuits.
During that time, Kugel returned to UCF to work out and wait.
"I've just been sitting and waiting for my turn," he said. "There's not really much you can do besides work out and kick it every day with the guys."
Deciding to return to UCF was easy for Kugel.
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"I'm at home," said Kugel. "It's a full-circle moment. I'm back with my friends and my family. I'm back with a couple of guys from last year and people I've been playing with. It's fun."
"When I found out that he was coming back, I Face-Timed him and said, 'Bro, this means so much,'" said center John Bol , who played with Kugel last season. "Our top scorer from last year is coming back; now we have more options. We obviously need him on our team."
Bol was among a group of players returning from last season, including reserve guards Carmelo Pacheco and Tanner Jones and reserve center Elijah Hulsewe.
The Knights added 11 offseason newcomers: eight transfers and three freshmen.
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The roster additions include four guards led by veterans Cayden Vasko, Dior Johnson, Arturo Dean and Mister Dean.
Dawkins isn't concerned with how Kugel will mesh with his teammates.
"Riley's such a versatile guard. He can play multiple perimeter positions," said Dawkins. "He has the skill set to handle the basketball and run our team."
Kugel, meanwhile, has one goal on his mind.
"We fell short of what we were supposed to be doing last year," he said. "We had a great group of guys and we just couldn't seem to figure it out. (Coach) Dawkins and I are on the same page. This year it's just another chance for me and the guys to try and take it all the way."
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The Knights host Rollins College in an exhibition game Sunday at 4 p.m. at Addition Financial Arena before traveling to Kentucky for another exhibition contest Oct. 28 (6 p.m., SECN+) at Rupp Arena. Kugel expects to play in both of those games.
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram at @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com . Sign up for the Sentinel's Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
