UCF Reflecting Pond: A History and Celebration of an Iconic Landmark

Located in the heart of the University of Central Florida (UCF) campus, nestled between Millican Hall and the John C. Hitt Library, lies the well-known Reflection Pond, also referred to as the Reflecting Pond. More than just a scenic water feature, the Reflecting Pond has evolved into a central landmark, steeped in history, tradition, and student spirit.

Construction and Early Years

Construction on the Reflection Pond began around the same time as the Library. The pond was officially completed in the year 1970, measuring 182 by 120 feet at its widest points and going from 18 inches to 4 feet deep. It holds a bolstering estimated 228,000 gallons of water. However, the water was not introduced until May 1970, according to a Central Florida Future article. Initially, the pond featured only one small spout.

In its early years, the Reflection Pond served as a backdrop for the university's commencement ceremonies. The first university Commencement took place in 1973 and then-President Nixon and his wife joined President Millican and his wife as guest speaker. For the first few commencement ceremonies, the pond was actually drained of water and, instead, filled with energetic graduates. A video of his speech remains on NixonFoundation.org for any person to view.

A Hub of Student Life (and a Swimming Hole)

Prior to the 1990s, students could be seen in the reflection pond taking a dip, sometimes even their pets would play in the water. Individuals would play nighttime football games in the Reflection Pond and fraternities would hold gatherings in the water. UCF legend has it that the Reflection Pond cannot be entered during a non-sanctioned university event.

Maintenance and Enhancements

Over the years the Reflection Pond has been drained on various occasions for maintenance and algae. In 1996, the pond was completely drained and the floor was painted a bright blue instead of gray, in order to make the water look clearer. During the 1990’s maintenance crews recommended that more spouts of water be installed to create circulation and reduce the amount of algae. In the year 2000, the pond’s single spout was replaced with the three fountains that all work together, ones that we still have. Not only did this change make an aesthetic difference, it also helps the pond’s circulation and reduces algae.

The final repair was officially finished in spring of 2018. The cost of all these repairs is estimated to be about $1 million. What needed to be fixed were the pipes leading to the fountain’s pumps, which caused the filtration system to spring several leaks. To make things even more complicated, when Hurricane Irma hit, water flooded the electrical control areas beneath the pond. Following a complete renovation, the 18,000-square-foot fountain now includes fully automated nozzles with individual switches, transforming the pond into a dynamic water feature complete with color-changing LED lighting that can be programmed for special occasions.

Spirit Splash: The Birth of a Tradition

Since 1995, the Reflection Pond has been home to the University of Central Florida’s Homecoming Spirit Splash event. Each year, hundreds of UCF students join the Spirit Splash event in which they run toward the reflecting pond during homecoming week and they wrestle over rubber ducks in 228,000 gallons of water. Each year, students rush into the Reflection Pond on the Friday before the Homecoming football game to celebrate. This tradition, started by a Student Government Association student who was accidentally pushed into the Reflection Pond during Homecoming Activities, has made national fame and is ranked as the number one student tradition in Florida according to an article in Florida Leader magazine.

The Origin of Spirit Splash: Two Competing Stories

Pinpointing the exact origin of Spirit Splash is difficult. There are two different stories floating around as to how Spirit Splash got its start, and not much documented history of either, making its origin unclear.

One story has it that Spirit Splash began in 1995 at a Homecoming pep rally in front of Millican Hall, when the student body president at the time, Miguel Torregrossa, was thrown into the Reflecting Pond, said Mary Rubin, senior archivist at the University Archives. Wolf echoed this story. According to the article, UCF Senior Archivist Mary Rubin offered two theories. “They were shaking their milk jugs trying to get attention. To get even more attention, they wandered into what was then the most open area of the Pep Rally - the Pond. “In 1995, the student body president’s cabinet members threw him into the Reflecting Pond, and everyone jumped in after him, and on that day, the tradition started. They were shaking their milk jugs trying to get attention. Other students wanting to beat the heat wandered in, too. Event coordinators then spent a great deal of the time chasing folks out of the Pond. To appease the interest of students who wanted to get into the Pond and allow for better planning of the event, the Student Government & Homecoming Committee worked with various campus constituencies to get all the necessary approval to have the first Spirit Splash at Homecoming 1995.”

Another account suggests the event was more spontaneous. "I was at the very first Spirit Splash and may have accidentally been the one who started the tradition,” Farris wrote. “I was serving on the SGA Cabinet at the time and was standing next to then-Student Government President Miguel Torregrossa at the 1995 Homecoming Pepe [sic] Rally at the Reflection Pond. At some point, I gave Miguel a playful nudge, he lost his balance and fell into the pond, whereupon the rest of Student Government followed. Within 2 minutes almost everyone at the Pep Rally was in the pond, laughing, splashing and having a great time. Farris, now a St. Petersburg-based political consultant, stood by the post he made nearly a decade ago as the true origin of the event.

Belfatto, who now works as a marketing manager in Orlando, confirmed Farris’s account and further said that the event was planned to create a tradition for UCF students to rally behind after its football program entered Division I-A, now called Division I. “We were a football school now,” Belfatto said.

The Evolution of Spirit Splash

With UCF still refusing to allow the pep rally to take place in the Reflecting Pond, the organizers tried developing several other concepts, including a firework-themed event called Excalibur. The first official Spirit Splash was held that year on Nov. The Central Florida Future, now archived by UCF in an online database, first uses the term “Spirit Splash” in a Nov.

The 1997 Spirit Slash featured the football players, dancers and cheerleaders; the local band Average Joe; and UCF mascot Knightro and his then-girlfriend Glycerine. The Homecoming Committee threw out pennants, Frisbees, cups, golf towels and a Knightro doll. That Spirit Splash also featured the basketball team to promote their game against Auburn, with the Marching Knights leading the crowd to the arena to watch the game.

The Mystery of the Rubber Ducks

Another Spirit Splash mystery that remains is the reasoning behind the ducks. It is unclear as to when the ducks were introduced, or where the idea came from. “Apparently, one year [the foam figures] weren’t ordered in time and they were looking for a substitute to give out that was small enough, not too hard to throw into a crowd, quick to arrive, and cost effective, and they came up with the rubber ducks,” Eric Smith, the current Homecoming coordinator, said. The University Archives’ duck collection starts in 2002, and Rubin said she was unsure of whether this was the year the ducks were first introduced.

Spirit Splash Today

In 2011, Spirit Splash was awarded best campus tradition by the National Association for Campus Activities and it's one of UCF's oldest traditions.

The landmark is also very popular on graduation day. As thousands of students count down - “Three! Two! One!” - the cheers turn into one big roar, and everyone rushes into the cool water of the Reflecting Pond all at once, trying to grab a coveted rubber duck without getting trampled by their peers. This is Spirit Splash, one of the nation’s best campus traditions.

Spirit Splash, awarded Best Campus Tradition in 2011 by the National Association for Campus Activities, is a staple of Homecoming Week each year. Students, and even members of the surrounding community, line up hours in advance of the stampede into the Pond to get their hands on a Spirit Splash T-shirt, dance to upbeat music and claim their spots for the rush up to the edge of the Pond.

UCF’s self-proclaimed “biggest campus tradition” hasn’t always been around, however. While UCF itself was established in 1963, and the Pond was constructed in 1967, Spirit Splash didn’t make its debut until 1995.

Since then, it has evolved over the years into a bigger and more sophisticated tradition. While there are no attendance numbers for the very first Splash, UCF Homecoming’s 2015 Executive Director Joey Wolf said there were a projected 15,000 to 17,000 students in attendance last year.

“It's very fun. It has lots of energy, lots of people," Ashley Mendoza, a UCF student who's participated in the event two years in a row. "It was fun trying to catch a duck -- I actually caught one the first year."

“It has gotten bigger and is always trying to introduce new elements in it, such as our live performance by That Drummer, That DJ this year,” Wolf said. “It is so full of school spirit and is a time where everyone from the school and community comes together with alumni and shows what UCF has to offer.”

Another new feature this year, a Spirit Splash live stream, was announced Oct. 15 by the Office of Student Involvement. to watch the live stream.

The 1995 Homecoming Pep Rally probably was not the first time people entered the Reflecting Pond against the university’s wishes, nor was it the first time students showed their school spirit in preparation for the Homecoming Game.

The Reflecting Pond Today

The pond is hard to miss, even on a campus as large as ours. The reflecting pond is hands-down one of the most recognizable spots on campus. What is now a gorgeous landmark was once a murky and mud-filled pit back when the campus was brand new. This was obviously an eye-sore, so what was their new plan?

Graduating students love to take and post pictures of themselves in their gowns in front of the Reflecting Pond. Actually, it’s not uncommon to see them standing in the pond rather than in front of it.

The UCF Reflection Pond is a landmark on the campus of the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, Florida. It is a large, man-made pond located in the center of the campus, surrounded by trees and walking paths. The Reflection Pond is a key cultural staple of UCF. Many big events are help near there.

In addition to its aesthetic and recreational value, the UCF Reflection Pond is also used for a variety of academic and cultural events, including concerts, theatrical performances, and graduation ceremonies. It is also a popular spot for studying and reflection, with many students and faculty members using the peaceful surroundings to meditate, brainstorm, or simply take a break from the hustle and bustle of campus life.

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