McKenzie Milton helped guide UCF football to its most successful season in school history, becoming one of the most decorated quarterbacks along the way. Milton can add another honor to his illustrious career after being named to the school’s 2026 Hall of Fame class.
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Milton, who currently serves as the Knights’ quarterbacks coach, will join five other exceptional athletes, including Marissa Diggs, Octavious Freeman, Mike Kruczek, Emily Mottola and BJ Taylor.
The six new members will be introduced in an induction ceremony on Friday, Oct. 23, at the Celeste Hotel. UCF’s Hall of Fame will grow to 116 inductees representing athletes, coaches, teams and special contributors to the school’s athletic programs.
Milton led the Knights to a 27-6 career mark as a starting quarterback, helping the team capture back-to-back Athletic American Conference titles and consecutive appearances in New Year’s Six bowl games.
He was named AAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2017 after helping guide the Knights to a program-best 13-0 record, including a win over Auburn in the Peach Bowl. The Hawaii native finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2017 and sixth in 2018.
Diggs became the UCF women’s soccer program’s second two-time All-American, joining former standout Michelle Akers, earning the distinction during her time from 2010-13.
She was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 and American Athletic Conference DOP in 2013. Diggs helped lead the Knights to four NCAA Championship appearances, highlighted by an Elite Eight run in 2013.
Freeman is one of the most decorated sprinters in UCF history, earning nine first-team All-American honors during two seasons with the track and field program in 2012-13. She recorded the highest NCAA finish at the time by a UCF runner by placing second in the 60 meters at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships.
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Freeman helped the Knights finish fifth in the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships, the best national finish in program history.
Kruczek spent nearly two decades with the UCF football program, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before being promoted to head coach in 1998, following Gene McDowell. He spent five seasons in charge of the Knights, putting together a 36-30 overall record, but more importantly, he helped lead the program through the transition from a Division II school to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Mottola was a four-time all-conference setter for UCF’s volleyball team from 1992-95. She was named ASUN Player of the Year in 1995 and the ASUN Championship Most Valuable Player in 1994. Mottola helped UCF capture four consecutive ASUN championships from 1992-95 and led the Knights to consecutive NCAA Championship appearances in 1994 and 1995.
She’s among the program’s career leaders in service aces, sets played and digs.
Taylor spent four seasons playing point guard for UCF, averaging 15.6 points and 3.1 assists in 104 games from 2014-19. His 1,618 points rank him seventh in program history in career scoring and fourth in the Division I era.
The Orlando native led the Knights in scoring all four seasons and was the first player to earn All-American Athletic Conference first-team honors in 2019. Taylor set the program’s single-season record with 187 made free throws as a senior.
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