CF Baseball reloads with stellar recruiting class

The College of Central Florida baseball program has been reloading its ranks with several key signees.
Robbie Frantzis (Lakeland), Charles "Cheech," Tuccio (Flagler Palm Coast), Justin Ambrosino (Bloomingdale), Boomer Biegalski (Tallahassee Chiles), Nathan Geiger (Merritt Island) and Christian Khawam (Miami Southridge) are among the newest members of the CF recruiting class.
Frantzis is a right-handed pitcher from Lakeland High, who also played with Chet Lemon's Juice travel team.
"He's a solid righthanded pitcher," CF coach Marty Smith said.
Tuccio, who plays shortstop, is a defensive standout, who Smith said "has a chance to be a leadoff hitter and is a really good defender that has a chance to win our shortstop job."
Ambrosino, a first baseman, hit .412 with three homers and 23 RBI for Bloomingdale, which finished 16-10 this season in Class 8A.
Biegalski, meanwhile, has been a stellar pitcher for Chiles, which advanced to the Class 7A final four as a district runner-up.
He's 7-3 with an 0.73 ERA overall, is 2-0 with one save in 10 2/3 innings in the regional playoffs.
Biegalski pitched the Timberwolves into the postseason with a win over rival Tallahassee Lincoln, before defeating Orange Park Fleming Island.
From there, he earned the save in his team's 12-8 win over Neptune Beach Fletcher, before a shutout victory in his club's 11-0 rout over Oviedo in the regional finals.
Geiger helped Merritt Island to a 20-10 record from his first base spot.
"He will help us at many different positions and offensively," Smith said.
Geiger's brother, Dustin, was a top-five round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs and is doing well within that organization.
Khawam was homeschooled, but play at Southridge High, a Class 8A program.
"He's a big right-hand bat that can play both left and right field," Smith said.

Pair of CF softball signees in FACA All-Star Game in Ocala

A pair of College of Central Florida softball signees will take place in this weekend's FACA All-Star Classic at Ocala Forest High School.
Eryn Chester and Cheyenne Blaha, who are part of this year's CF recruiting class, are set to compete in the four-team event.
Chester is an outfielder from Belleview High, while Blaha played the outfield at Bartow High School.

Reaves resigns as CF women's basketball coach

Sharrona Reaves made a tough choice on Thursday.
Reaves, who spent last season as head coach of the College of Central Florida women's basketball team, resigned to become an assistant coach at the University of West Virginia, a place she coached at previously from 2003-2006.
"While I am very excited to return to West Virginia this was a really hard decision for me," said Reaves, who took over CF's program last October. "I have loved every moment about my experience here at CF and the city of Ocala.
"I would like to thank (CF athletic director) Bob Zelinski and (CF President) Dr. James Henningsen first and foremost for giving me this opportunity. This is a great college with great people."
Zelinski was appreciative of the efforts made by Reaves.
"We were very fortunate to have here for the past year," Zelinski said. "We wish her the best at the University of West Virginia."
Reaves, who took over as CF's coach for Cheryl Rice, helped the Patriots close this past season on roll.
CF won four-of-six games to close the regular season and missed qualifying for the FCSAA State Tournament by one game.
The Patriots, who finished 7-22 overall under Reaves, won their final two road games of the regular season and won the season series against rival Santa Fe.
"The student athletes that I have coached and recruited here are like my own daughters," Reaves said. "I will miss them dearly. Sharing my decision with them was tough, but I told them, they have to continue to work hard so that I can come back and recruit them, and we all felt good about that."
At WVU, Reaves will be reunited with head coach Mike Carey, who she coached under during her previous stint in Morgantown.
Reaves was an assistant for the Mountaineers when they reached their first-ever Big East Championship Game in 2006 where they fell to national power Connecticut.
"I learned a lot from (Carey)," Reaves said. "I am excited about this opportunity and having the chance to coach in the Big-12."

CF's Ryan named court coach for 2013 USA Basketball Men's U19 World Championship Camp

The honors and accolades continue to roll in for College of Central Florida men's basketball coach Tim Ryan.
After leading the Patriots to the NJCAA National Championship this past spring, Ryan was recently announced as one of the three court coaches for the 2013 USA Basketball Men's U19 World Championship Training Camp.
The link to the story is below: http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/u19/13_mu19_court_coaches.html

Former CF great Ratliffe leads team to KBL Championship

Here's a pair of links looking at what former CF great Ricardo Ratliffe is up to these days.

http://www.cardocontinues.com/index.php/press-release/400-ricardo-ratliffe-helps-propel-team-to-victory-in-kbl-championship

http://www.cardocontinues.com/index.php/press-release/402-summer-events

Bryant signs with CF Men's Basketball

The College of Central Florida men's basketball team continues to reload.
Chris Bryant, who played last season at Florida Atlantic University, inked a deal with the defending NJCAA National Champions earlier this week.
Bryant played in 14 games last season for the Owls, who finished 14-17.
The 6-foot-8 Bryant was a member of the two-time defending Class 3A state champions at Tallahassee Rickards High School.
During his time at RHS, he accomplished a great deal.
As a high school player, Bryant was part of numerous watch-lists and was named the Class 3A Player of the Year and was also honored with the MVP of the FHSAA State Tournament.
The Tallahassee Democrat honored Bryant as player of the year during his senior season and he was also the MVP of his high school team in all four years.
In 2011, Bryant led the Raiders to a pair of overtime victories at the state tournament in Lakeland.
Against Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest in the semifinals, he made 12-of-15 shots and finished with 28 points and eight rebounds in a 73-67 overtime victory.
Then in his final prep game, Bryant scored 16 points and ripped down 10 rebounds, as Rickards downed Orlando Jones 60-54 to win the Class 3A state title.
From there, he spent one year at Fishburne Military School and will now bring his talents to Ocala.

Ryskamp resigns as CF softball coach

The College of Central Florida is looking for a new softball coach.
Kerri Ryskamp, who led the Patriots to the Atlantic District Championship Game this past season, resigned Wednesday.
"She's leaving to explore other options in her life and career," CF athletic director Bob Zelinski said. "We thank her for her contributions to the program and our school."
Ryskamp spent time at CF as a player, assistant and head coach.
She played two years for the Patriots and was named NJCAA All-American in 2003.
Ryskamp had 12 career home runs, which was the career record, until Amy Szymanowski surpassed that with 16 this season.
From there, she played two seasons for Mercer (Ga.) University and eventually came back to Ocala to serve as an assistant coach under Kris Cox, before taking over the program.
In 2009, Ryskamp led CF to the FCSAA State Tournament and an upset win over nationally-ranked Indian River State, before losses to Brevard and eventual state champion FSC-Jacksonville eliminated the Patriots.
After missing the playoffs for two years, she led CF back to the postseason in 2012, thanks to a 2-1 win over St. Johns River in the Mid-Florida Conference play-in game.
The Patriots nearly pulled off an upset of FSC-J, but suffered an extra-inning defeat and then was eliminated from tournament play.
This season, CF had its best-ever showing at the state tournament, as it won four straight elimination games, before a loss to rival Santa Fe ended its season.
The Patriots finished 36-23 under Ryskamp in 2013, including a 17-5 mark home, which was boosted by a 16-0 start.
CF's 36 wins  represented the third-most wins in the program's history dating back to 1997.
The Patriots won 44 games in 2001 and 38 in 2000, but the 2009's team 34-win total and this year's 36-victory total joined the aformentioned teams as the only ones in school history with over 30 victories in school history.
Prior to this year's state tournament at Exchange Park in Pensacola, CF's only state tournament wins were over Seminole (2006) and Indian River (2009).

CF Softball is heading in the right direction

It's been nearly a week since the College of Central Florida softball team's run to the Atlantic District Championship Game of the FCSAA State Tournament.
The Patriots won four straight elimination games and doubled their number of wins all-time at the state tournament over the course of two nerve-wracking days.
CF finished the season at 36-23 overall, which represented the third-most wins in the program's history dating back to 1997.
The Patriots won 44 games in 2001 and 38 in 2000, but the 2009's team 34-win total and this year's 36-victory total joined the aformentioned teams as the only ones in school history with over 30 victories in school history.
Prior to last weekend at Exchange Park in Pensacola, CF's only state tournament wins were over Seminole (2006) and Indian River (2009).
CF also equalled a school-record with consecutive winning seasons.
The Patriots have also upped their total number of conference wins by eight from 2010 to this season and overall victories by 21.
CF's game against rival Santa Fe in the Atlantic District Championship was easily the most important matchup between the conference foes and showed the Patriots have turned the corner.
Had the Patriots been able to knock off the Saints twice last Sunday and Chipola in the FCSAA State Championship Game, they would have been the first program since FSC-Jacksonville in 2009 to lose their first game at state and rally to win the state championship.
CF was also trying to duplicate Seminole State's accomplishment the previous year of being the third-place team from the Mid-Florida Conference to win the state crown.

Robertson signs with CF Volleyball

The College of Central Florida volleyball program added another standout signee recently.

Mariah Robertson signed with CF's
Volleyball program recently

Mariah Robertson, who led Lakewood Ranch High School to its first-ever trip to the final four this past season, inked a deal with the Patriots.
Robertson, the 2011 Bradenton Herald's Player of the Year, helped the Mustangs to the FHSAA Class 6A Final Four, before a tough five-set loss to St. Augustine this past season.
As a junior, she led Lakewood Ranch in nearly every statistical category, as she totaled 372 kills, 204 digs, 75 blocks and 66 aces.
During her senior year, she earned first-team all-area honors by the Brandenton Herald and the Sarasota Herald Tribune (as she did as a junior as well).
The 5-foot-10 Robertson joins a loaded recruiting class for coach Flavia Siqueira's program, which will look to defend its state title and qualify for the national tournament for the third consecutive year.
Also part of CF's recruiting class for 2013 are: Amanda Saunders (Ocala West Port HS), Jasmyn Perry (Tampa Freedom HS), Emily Baty (Groveland South Lake HS), Donjane' Smith (Fresno, Calif., Edison HS) and Jorddaly's Santos Marrero.

CF Softball signee O'Steen makes impact

College of Central Florida softball signee Lindsay O'Steen helped her Mayo Lafayette High School squad finish as the FHSAA Class 1A state runner-ups earlier this week.
O'Steen helped the Hornets to the championship game with six shutout innings in her team's 5-1 win over Chipley in the state semifinals, before a 3-0 loss in the championship game to Bristol Liberty County.
In volleyball, O'Steen, the Class 1A state player of the year, helped Lafayette to consecutive titles.
She was trying to lead the school to back-to-back titles in softball, as well.
In the semis, O'Steen allowed four hits and struck out five.