UCF outfielder Jack Zyska makes memorable first impression
If Jack Zyska wanted to introduce himself to UCF baseball fans properly, he found a heck of a way to do it.
The 5-foot-11 outfielder connected on a first-pitch fastball in the eighth inning, driving the ball deep to center. He knew he hit it well but wasn’t sure if it had enough to make it 390 feet and over the wall.
“It probably went 392 feet,” Zyska joked.
Added relief pitcher Chase Centala: “From the bullpen, we knew it was gone.”
The 2-run home run capped an 8-run sixth inning for the Knights, who would go on to win 12-11 in the season-opener against Bryant on Friday night. It was the first home run since last season for Zyska, who finished 3 of 5 with 3 runs and 2 RBIs.
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“That felt unbelievable,” said the redshirt senior. “I said to the guys in the dugout, ‘I’ve missed that feeling of strolling up and having it go out like that.’ It’s a pretty good feeling and I missed it and glad it’s back.”
Zyska is one of 17 transfers to join the program after five seasons at Notre Dame, where he appeared in 133 games (98 starts). He was a .236 batter with the Fighting Irish with 18 home runs, 63 runs scored, 74 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.
The move to UCF reunites him with his former hitting coach, Rich Wallace, who took over the Knights in July.
“I’ve said for a while he’s going to be a hell of a head coach,” said Zyska. “I feel very fortunate to be playing for him.”
After struggling with a shoulder injury last season, Zyska entered the transfer portal looking for a fresh start. One of the first people to reach out to him was Wallace.
“I had no feelings for UCF before that,” said Zyska. “Once he started talking about it, and the phone calls got more serious, I fell in love [with the idea] and realized this was the right decision.”
While at Notre Dame with Wallace, Zyska was part of a team that made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances (2021-22) while winning consecutive regional titles. The Fighting Irish advanced to Omaha and the College World Series in 2022 before losing in the second round.
That familiarity with Wallace’s coaching style has been a plus for the Knights.
“He understands the system,” said Wallace. “We have our own language both offensively and defensively. Our guys have called him Coach Zyska since he’s gotten here. But he’s been through the battles and seen where we want this program to go.”
Zyska doesn’t see himself as a player/coach. He’s more of a translator.
“When Wally came to Notre Dame, I was just a sophomore and his system and the way he teaches offensive philosophies, the approaches, the signs are very complex at first,” said Zyska. “Once you get the hang of it, though, it’s very second nature.”
Said third baseman Andrew Brait: “He was really good at kind of dumbing that down for us in the locker room.”
Since his arrival, Zyska has fit in with his teammates, so much so that they voted him a captain.
“He’s just an experienced guy and he’s been around for a long time,” said pitcher Tyler Nesbitt. “He knows what it takes. He’s been to Omaha with Notre Dame. Wallace was there when they went, so he knows Wallace personally, and he’s just been that guiding factor for us.”
As UCF transitioned from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12, the Knights knew they’d face stiffer challenges. The league has four teams in the preseason top-25 rankings: TCU (5), Texas (16), Texas Tech (19) and Kansas State (24).
According to the Big 12’s preseason poll, UCF is expected to finish in the league’s bottom half (10th).
Zyska has faced Power Five programs and knows the Knights must be ready.
“Any competitor will want to play against the best competition,” he said. “I played them on the national scale the last couple of years. It’s a great challenge.”
Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on X at @osmattmurschel.