Bobby Cashman
During his long tenure at UCF, Bobby Cashman has experienced unprecedented success with the Knights. Cashman has led his squads to three appearances in the NCAA Championship as he has built UCF into not only a consistent winner on the regional level, but also a nationally-recognized program.
Since arriving in Orlando in 1999, Cashman has posted a 166-122 record. In addition to guiding three of his teams to conference titles and berths in the postseason, Cashman has helped his players enjoy great individual success. In his 12 years at UCF, he has mentored one league players of the year, three conference freshmen of the year and 22 all-league honorees.
UCF returns five letterwinners from last year's squad, while adding four newcomers in the process. During his tenure, Cashman has been consistent with scheduling, often challenging his squad with tough opponents. This year is no different as the Knights will face eight nationally-ranked schools, including a trip at No. 12 Florida.
Last year, in 2012, UCF challenged itself with one of the most demanding schedules in the entire nation. The Black and Gold squad faced nine nationally-ranked opponents.
In 2010, Cashman guided the Knights to an impressive campaign. Facing a challenging schedule (UCF faced eight nationally-ranked teams), the squad went 12-8 and spent nearly the entire spring in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association national rankings. The Knights earned the No. 3 seed - the best in program history - at the Conference USA Championship. In the quarterfinals of the tournament, the squad got past East Carolina, 4-2.
During the season, Brock Sakey became the winningest singles player in UCF history. Sakey, who concluded his time in Orlando with 85 victories, earned a spot on the All-C-USA First Team at the conclusion of the year. UCF also excelled off the courts during the campaign as five Knights garnered C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll status.
The following year, in 2011, UCF faced one of the nation's most-challenging schedules. The Knights played 10 nationally-ranked squads. Off the court, seven Knights garnered spots on the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll.
In 2009, UCF advanced past the quarterfinals of the C-USA Championship for the first time since joining the league. The Knights played nine matches versus nationally-ranked opponents during the year, and Cashman's young team claimed three of them. UCF finished the second with a 12-9 record.
The Knights were regulars in the national rankings in both 2008 and 2007. UCF faced six nationally-ranked opponents, including two against top-25 squads on the road, in 2006 and went 11-10. Playing in Conference USA for the first time, the Knights won three of four contests against league foes. Two of Cashman's players garnered recognition from the league, including Sakey, who was named the C-USA Freshman of the Year.
In its final campaign in the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2005, UCF finished the season with a 14-9 record. After Cashman's squad claimed the A-Sun Championship title and a berth in the NCAA Championship, he earned conference coach of the year honors. All three of UCF's trips to the postseason have come under Cashman.
Following the 2005 regular season, two of his players - Joel Allen and Ener Gursoy - earned spots on the A-Sun All-Conference First Team. Sinan Sudas was selected to the all-freshman squad, becoming the third UCF rookie in four years to do so. In 2004, Cashman guided the Knights to their second consecutive A-Sun title, earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. When UCF took the 2003 conference crown, it marked the first league title in school history.
UCF went 15-9 in 2004. A pair of players, Catalin Bradu and Antonio Sierra, earned all-conference first-team honors. Allen and Gursoy took spots on the second team. For the second-straight season, the squad capped its year with a trip to the NCAA Championship.
In 2003, Cashman was named A-Sun Coach of the Year after guiding his team to a 20-4 record and a perfect 5-0 showing in conference matches. Bradu garnered the player of the year award and Gursoy took the freshman of the year honor. Gabriel Strangberg was a member of the all-conference first team and Augusto Sanabria made the second team.
Cashman guided UCF to one of the finest campaigns in school history in 2002. On their way to a 17-4 overall and 6-1 A-Sun record, the Knights climbed to No. 47 in the national rankings, the highest spot in school history. Both Bradu and Strangberg earned A-Sun All-Conference First Team honors.
After arriving on the UCF campus in 1999, Cashman's Knights faced the toughest schedule in school history and finished the season with an 11-11 mark. One year later, he brought a more experienced team and two talented freshmen into the 2000 season. That squad ended the year 14-7 overall and posted upset victories over No. 45 UAB, No. 59 Penn State and No. 70 Georgia State.
During his tenure, Cashman's teams have dominated conference competition. Prior to leaving the league, the Knights played in five straight A-Sun title matches. In its final four years in the conference, UCF was 18-2 against league foes in regular season matches - the best mark of any A-Sun team.
Six Knights who Cashman coached won at least 60 matches during their collegiate careers. In fact, the five-winningest players in school history all played for Cashman.
In addition to success on the court, Cashman has also stressed academic excellence to his players. Twice, his squads have earned academic team All-America recognition from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Additionally, Cashman has had players earn ITA Scholar-Athlete All-America honors on 11 occasions. Simon Jaeger, a senior on the 2005 squad, earned three ITA academic honors. In 2006, Sudas and Jimmy Roesch were both honored for their academic success.
A pair of UCF players, Johan Westin (2002) and Bradu (2004), earned academic all-district recognition ESPN The Magazine. In 2000, Sanabria was honored with the prestigious National Student-Athlete Day award.
Collegiately, Cashman played at Miami-Dade Community College before moving to Barry University. After college, he played professionally and was ranked as a high as fourth in the men's open division in Florida.
In 1993, he returned to Barry as an associate head coach. Following his stint at Barry, he spent two years as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Kansas.
A member of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Cashman has also volunteered his time at the Lipton Tennis Tournament in Miami, working a series of free clinics for inner-city children. He also taught fifth grade at St. James Elementary School from 1993-95.
Cashman, who earned his degree in human resource development and leadership from Barry in 1995, is married to the former Amy Blunck. The couple resides in Oviedo with their three children - Ryan, Patrick and Grace.
