WATCH: Melbourne High Graduate and UCF Student-Athlete Audrey Buck Talks With Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson

Redshirt Sophomore on the Knights Soccer Team

WATCH: Audrey Buck, a redshirt sophomore on the UCF Women’s Soccer Team recently met with the Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson at the UCF Soccer and Track Complex. Buck talked about playing for the Knights, college life, and much more in this exclusive interview.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – There is nothing quite like spending time on a college campus, even as a visitor. With over 65,000 students, UCF is one of the largest universities in the country.

I recently visited the campus to meet with UCF women’s soccer player, Audrey Buck, who is a Melbourne High School graduate and redshirt sophomore on the Knights team.

Buck and I met on the soccer field and chatted for about 15 minutes. She said it all started with her parents signing her up to play soccer as a child. She told me, “I really stuck with it for a while.”

Although she played tennis and ran track, soccer is her first love. Buck talked about the importance of conditioning and how playing other sports helped her on the soccer field. It also emphasized to her that soccer was what she enjoyed most.

I asked Buck what it takes to make a soccer player excel. Besides the obvious tactical aspect, she said, “Being a team player and being coachable ls a big part of being a great athlete and great soccer player. You have to have a great mentality; you have to want to work hard; and you have to be willing to be invested into what your coaches want to teach you, and what they want to build as a program.”

Regarding the impact the transfer portal has had on the team, Buck said the new players “have meshed very well and have brought a lot to the program They made a lot of progress in the spring and it feels like they are hungry and have a lot to prove.”

Having a passion for soccer, a genuine team sport, Buck talked about the camaraderie within the Knights program. She said, “We spend a lot of time off the field together relaxing.”  She mentioned team dinners, spending time at the beach, and watching other UCF sports teams play as some of the activities they enjoy doing together.

Buck is not only an excellent soccer player, but she is very bright, having made the 2023 Fall Academic All-Big 12 Team.

Audrey Buck is living the good life. She is experiencing college life as a student/athlete on a beautiful campus. By making a positive impact on those she encounters, Buck continues to be a bright spot. I, for one, can’t wait to see where life takes her!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia.  He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.

Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018,  Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey.

Wilson is especially proud of his chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.

He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 24 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.

The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.

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