UCF Defender Jada Silvest Talks Knights' Back Line Ahead of 2026 Opener
UCF defender Jada Silvest speaks with the media at the Knights' Fall Sports Media Day. Special Thanks to Eric Lopez for recording this footage.
Video Transcript
All right, Jayda, just tell me, uh, what's the , what you're excited here.
It's game week.
Season's about to start.
How do you feel?
How would you describe this team?
Um, I feel like this team is just really excited to compete.
We have a lot of depth and a lot of, there are a couple of new players and we're all just like really excited to just prove ourselves this season.
Tell me about the other defenders alongside you.
Tell me about some of the players that the fans will get to hear in their, in their role.
Um, G, Frankie, she's been here.
I feel like she'll play a big role this year whether she's out wide or in the middle.
And then, um, Kalina Bellini, well, I think will play a big role as well.
Um, we're both just good defenders.
Kalena's really good defensive defensively and then an attacking weapon too, so it's nice to have that, um, at an outside back too.
With a new goalkeeper, do you.
Defenders feel like, hey, let's let's help the goalkeeper as they kind of get their feet wet, if you will.
Yeah, for sure.
I feel like that's a big part of it.
It's just getting comfortable playing together and stuff, and I feel like we've had that time with our preseason being extended, so it's been good to just develop.
Tell me about the midfielders because they're going to help you on both on the defense and in the offense there.
Who has stood out?
Obviously Maria coming back, it's nice to have her and to have that connection.
Like we've been playing together for a couple of years now, so that's great.
Um, and then we have a really deep midfield, also Ansley Moy coming back.
She's been really good, and we have a lot of people off the bench as well.
Gabby, who comes in and scores these bangers, I mean, she's been great as well, so I think we'll have a lot of depth there.
What's, what's it been like when you bring in new faces like you have?
Do you take it on yourself and some of the vet returners to make sure they feel comfortable and build that chemistry as quickly as you can?
Yeah, for sure.
I mean, I feel like.
All the transfers that we've brought in over the years have just fit right in, and that says something about who recruits as well.
Like she recruits good people, so as soon as they're here they just step into those roles and take them on like not lightheartedly, and I feel like that says a lot about our team and then allows us to have a lot of success overall.
As for the returners, do you all have that hunger from last year making the round of 32?
You ran into a really good Duke team that made their deep run.
Does that give you extra motivation going into this year to go further?
Yeah, for sure.
I think having that feeling of making it to the second round has made us even more excited for this season, and we have something even bigger to prove.
And I think we will.
How are you a different player today than you were, say, maybe a year ago going into last year?
I just feel like as the years go on , I just gain a lot more experience and just get better and better like throughout the weeks and the months because of Tiff and Tim.
I just learn more and more and I feel like that's been really important in my growth.
Coach Tiff, uh, give me a story of Coach Tiff.
What's it like playing for her?
What is she like?
She's awesome.
I like to say she's like our biggest hype woman.
Anytime we're playing, like she matches our energy and she wants it just as bad as us, so I feel like it's awesome playing for someone who wants it so bad and also believes in you so much, so that's great.
All right
