Matthew Occhipinti didn’t need to wait any longer.

The standout linebacker from Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey committed to UCF on Wednesday, a couple weeks after he took a midweek official visit to Orlando.

He said everything about the Knights felt right, from the coaching staff to the culture to the future of the program.

"I just fell in love with the place," Occhipinti told UCFSports.com. "The school, the coaches, the development, the energy, it was exactly what I was looking for."

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Occhipinti is a team captain and First Team All-State selection at one of the nation's top high school football programs. He had previously taken official visits to UConn, Cincinnati and West Virginia earlier in June, and had been scheduled to visit Louisville this weekend before deciding to shut things down.

"I just felt like UCF was the perfect fit," Occhipinti said.

A big reason for that comfort level is his connection with UCF linebackers coach Mark D'Onofrio, a fellow New Jersey native with extensive experience at the highest levels of college football.

"I first met Coach D'Onofrio when he was at Stanford," Occhipinti said. "Then when I saw he was at UCF, I immediately sent my film over. I got a text from him, we got on the phone, and he offered me. That's when the relationship really took off."

D'Onofrio sees Occhipinti as a true mike linebacker in his system.

"He said he looks for smart, tough finishers, and I think I fit that perfectly," Occhipinti said. "I'm a coach's kid, I've got great instincts, I can get the defense lined up. I love to compete, and I like to finish plays with violence."

The visit to Orlando was Occhipinti's first time at UCF. He said the campus and football environment blew him away.

"First of all, the area is beautiful. Palm trees, great weather. It's a great place to live," he said. "But the football part of it, the energy, the attention to detail, the way Coach D'Onofrio teaches, it just stood out. He's been a coordinator, a linebackers coach, he's developed guys and put them in the league."

Even after taking other visits - he was just in Morgantown seeing WVU this past weekend - he couldn't stop thinking about UCF. He made the call to commit last night.

"I told my coach what I was planning to do and he said, 'Absolutely. It's a great decision,'" Occhipinti said. "I called Coach D'Onofrio and told him I was committing. Then I got on the phone with Coach (Scott) Frost. They were both really happy."

Football runs deep in the Occhipinti family. His father is a longtime coach who currently serves on the Don Bosco Prep staff. He was a football standout himself back in his day before opting to play college baseball at Seton Hall.

"I grew up on the football field," Occhipinti said. "Just being around it my whole life helped me learn faster and develop early."

His family fully supports the decision and is just as excited as he is about the next chapter.

"They're ecstatic," he said. "They love the coaches, they love UCF. We all think it’s a great place to be."

Occhipinti plans to graduate early and enroll at UCF in January.

UCF is up to 13 commits in the Class of 2026 with a final official visit weekend coming up.