Kemal Ishmael, the senior free safety, has won the C-USA defensive player of the year award. Joining Ishmael, is kick returner Quincy McDuffie who won C-USA special teams player of the year award.
This was the third time the Knights have had a player win C-USA defensive player of the year award, making it the most of any school in the conference. They also tied for most C-USA special teams player of the year awards in the conference as McDuffie received the honor.
Ishmael, one of the three team captains for UCF is ranked number three all-time in UCF tackles, currently racking up 360 tackles in his career. Kemal Ishmael has been a workhorse for Knights, starting every game since his freshman season in 2009.
Head Coach George O’Leary told the Orlando Sentinel, “I think when you look at guys, you talk about winners, everybody wants to win, but there’s not very many that work to win. Kemal’s out there, he works to win every day in practice.”
Quincy McDuffie, out of nearby Edgewater highschool, has not been shy to momentum changing kickoff returns this season, including the 99-yard return against East Carolina, which got the Knights back in the game after getting down 0-14 early. Eventually, the Knights prevailed and the win helped them secure a spot in the C-USA championship game.
McDuffie is the UCF all-time leader in kickoff return yards at 2,501 yards totaled with six touchdowns.
On Tuesday, six UCF Knights were named first-team all-conference and 14 players received conference honors as the Knights added to their collection.
