Sports

Beyond Their Sport: CMU’s Mission of Development Through Summer Camps

Published

5 months ago

August 8, 2025

CMU’s summer athletic camps focused on skill development, collegiate coaching, and fostering the Maverick values of teamwork and growth

Almost every sport at CMU hosts multiple summer camps for young athletes from across western Colorado and many surrounding states. This opportunity provides a place for young athletes to expand their skills and earn recognition from a top-level NCAA Division II university. From elementary, middle and high school, students come together to not only compete and learn more about their sport, but to practice CMU’s athletic values.

Men’s and Women’s Basketball

After a successful season for both basketball squads, the men’s and women’s basketball teams hosted more than 350 teams. CMU’s men’s Basketball Head Coach, Mike Dunlap, reflected on the advantages of hosting such a large camp.

“It’s all about the organized teams that would never play, like a team from Phoenix is going to play a team from Wyoming. That’s opportunity in a pretty cool way,” Dunlap said.

Scrambling from June 1–27, the men’s and women’s basketball teams put in a lot of hours to ensure each camper learned, competed and had fun.

Football

The football coaching staff and a handful of CMU football student-athletes hosted drills, agility testing and competition to benefit youth football players, and provide an opportunity for them to showcase their talents to a top Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) program.

“Since we have started camps, at least 15 to 20 of the players each year that we signed have been at one of the camps,” said Football Assistant Coach Trevor Wikre.

With 10 camps in total, the CMU football staff travels to other states as well to host camps for out-of-state athletes. It is important for potential recruits to ensure they are on board with the Maverick’s coaching style. Wikre referred to his squad as “a blue collar football team.”

Men’s and Women’s Soccer

For grades K–9, the men’s and women’s soccer programs aim to teach, develop and inspire the next generation of soccer players. The youth camps consisted of fundamental drills and small-sided games coached by current student-athletes, alumni and coaches.

Head Men’s Soccer Coach Jon Fridal said, “[We want] to continue to help foster the growth and development of the game in the Valley and the Western Slope.”

Alongside the youth camps, the women’s soccer team hosted a camp for high school students and junior college (JUCO) transfers.

“ID camps are designed to give the player a glimpse into what a collegiate training would look like,” said Head Women’s Soccer Coach Jody Lingafeldt.

Men’s and Women’s Swim and Dive

For Head Men’s and Women’s Swim and Dive Coach, Mickey Wender, it is important that anyone with an interest in swimming stops at CMU this summer.

“We want every kid in the Valley to come through El Pomar Natatorium and experience this beautiful place,” he said.

Former CMU swimmers and coaches combine their knowledge for CMU swimming mini camps. These camps are designed for campers five years-old and up to not only learn the basics of swimming, but also to expand their skills further to ensure safety in the water. On the other hand, nearly 150 young swimmers stay overnight on campus to improve their strokes and life habits at a competitive swim camp directed by Coach Wender.

Men’s and Women’s Wrestling

Director of Camps and CMU Wrestling Assistant Coach, Joe Ritzen, looks forward to fostering growth in middle and high school wrestlers.

“[The CMU wrestling team] provides personalized instruction and guidance to help you improve your technique, strategy and mental toughness,” said Ritzen.

With multiple camp counselors and coaches, catering to an athlete’s specific needs is essential for CMU wrestling camps. With live competition sessions, Ritzen believes it is a great opportunity to see up and coming wrestlers in the area to eventually recruit.

Additionally, the CMU women’s wrestling team takes the mat with wrestlers of all ages to help grow their sport. Head Coach Travis Mercado is an advocate for women’s wrestling and looks forward to doing anything in his power to expand it.

“Wrestling as a young female can be very intimidating, especially if she is the only girl on her wrestling team or only wrestles against boys,” Mercado added. “It helps foster the idea that each individual is a very powerful person in their own right.”

Coach Mercado and his team hope to not only inspire little girls but help them feel safe and have fun at an all-female camp. For older athletes, many can improve their skills, technique, nutrition or even get recruited by a top competing program in the country.

Softball

Colorado Mesa University’s softball team tries to home in on an all-skills camp meant for campers from eight to 13 years old. Coaches and current players combine their knowledge to cover infield, outfield, pitching, catching, baserunning and hitting. The camp goes over intermediate drills and skills, yet also welcomes beginners.

Baseball

After a recent renaming of CMU’s baseball field, The Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark hosted multiple camps ranging from eight to 18 years old. All positions and all levels of the sport are invited to their respective camps to grow and learn the game of baseball or try to begin the recruitment process with the Mavericks.

“Every camper is evaluated by the staff and given feedback at the end of the showcase,” said Assistant Coach Sean McKinney.

CMU’s baseball camp differs from normal recruitment camps as they offer tours for all athletes and their families. Coaches take campers to see the new baseball facilities, weight room, human performance lab and academic facilities.

“Our campus is very impressive, and we want to make sure we feature it for the camp,” McKinney continued, “We usually have 50-60 participants each camp, along with their families, that is over 100 people that we get to expose to our program and the university.”

Baseball campers participate in baserunning, bullpens and defensive drills, along with a comprehensive pro-style workout for coaches to truly evaluate their prospects. These showcases continue to prove essential to the long-lasting success of Colorado Mesa’s baseball team.

Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse

The CMU men’s lacrosse team is coming off a successful season and is looking to add more standout players to their roster by hosting a high schooler recruitment camp. Bringing young athletes to campus allows for opportunities to meet the coaching staff, current student-athletes, athletic trainers and strength coaches. Campers also get to showcase their skills by competing in an entire day of lacrosse.

Men’s Assistant Lacrosse Coach, Blake Amiatu, welcomes anyone to come to Grand Junction and looks forward to teaching their philosophies.

“We are very open about the expectations and demands of being a CMU lacrosse player,” he said.

Coach Amiatu also highlights that 95% of the current team has attended the Men’s Lacrosse showcase camp at CMU.

On the Women’s side, Head Coach Ashley Delaney is eager to begin her camps in the fall and spring rather than the summer.

Volleyball

The Maverick volleyball team holds a plethora of camps for first graders to seniors in high school. With such a large age gap, the CMU coaching staff separated the campers by skill level to ensure more personalized coaching.

“We pride ourselves on our camps teaching about more than just volleyball,” Head Volleyball Coach Austin Albers commented. “Our camps will introduce some of our team pillars and cultural beliefs…to ensure that we’re also teaching campers how to be great teammates and how to encourage and uplift others around them.”

From the morning to the evening, campers go through three training sessions. Although campers have fun at the camps, the ones looking to extend their athletic career into college can do so as coaches look to discover new talent. A new Elite Volleyball camp has been implemented this summer and will serve specifically for player evaluation.

Beach Volleyball

CMU’s beach volleyball program is successful year after year. Throughout the summer, the program hosts a beach volleyball club that mentors student athletes on the Western Slope who have an interest in growing their skills and receiving more specialized practice.

Tennis

Mesa County Tennis and Colorado Mesa University collaborate in the summer months to help foster community, competition and practice. Campers from five to 18 years old took part in three different camps from May 27 through July 17, 2025. These camps play a role in CMU’s recruiting process and can give higher level athletes a spot on a college roster.

Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach, Dan MacDonald, wants to instill good sportsmanship and improve young athletes’ skills.

“The main goal is to introduce tennis as a lifetime sport and also give high-level local players a chance to improve through drills and match play,” MacDonald said.

For more than 30 years before MacDonald became a CMU coach, Ron Elliot, the director of Mesa County Tennis, was the lead on making these camps possible and successful. MacDonald and Elliot look forward each summer to combining their tennis experience and knowledge to educate and connect with the future of tennis on the western slope.

Cheerleading

The Maverick cheerleading squad hosted their camp in Durango, Colorado in August. The team focused on teaching stunts, baskets and pyramids. Along with traditional cheers such as cheers, dancing, jumps and tumbling.

Assistant Cheerleading Coach, Mackenzie Charlesworth looks forward to giving rural high schools a quality camp experience to lower-funded schools.

“We want to focus on leveling the playing field,” said Charlesworth. “We also want to instill hope for small rural high schools that their athletes can try out [and make] college teams.”

Strength and Conditioning

The CMU Strength and Conditioning Academy meets three days a week for eight weeks throughout the summer and is offered to middle and high schoolers. Led by CMU Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Ryan, campers receive personalized workouts and instruction on strength training, how to cut, jump, sprint and much more.

“Our mission statement is to help each CMU Maverick athlete reach their full potential,” said Ryan.

Coach Ryan and his team instill this mission into campers. With all ages participating, coaches make sure that everyone is receiving instruction focused on their skill set. Coach Ryan prides himself on being able to teach new weightlifters but also help further develop older campers in their strength and conditioning journey.

Colorado Mesa University is proud to host a strong series of summer athletic camps every year. From one of largest basketball camps in the country, to several niche recruitment camps and an entire summer dedicated to strength and conditioning for upcoming athletes. CMU offers a wide variety of opportunities for all ages to not only learn and grow themselves but also embrace the Maverick Spirit.

To hear more about summer camps offered by CMU outside of athletics, visit coloradomesa.edu/camps/

Written by CMU Student Payton Wade

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Stanford men’s volleyball falls to Lewis in season opener

Published

5 minutes ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

No. 9 Stanford men’s volleyball (0-1, 0-0 MPSF) fell to No. 12 Lewis University (2-0, 0-0 MIVA) in its season opener at Burnham Pavilion Saturday evening. Despite a hard-fought battle, the Cardinal ultimately lost the match in straight sets of 30-28, 25-21 and 25-22.

“Our team came out a little flat in the beginning, and there were some plays that didn’t go our way, but overall, I liked the fight,” said senior opposite hitter Moses Wagner, who led the team with 12 kills, six digs, an ace and a block. “It’s the first game of the season, and there’s definitely a lot to improve. I think it’s just about fighting a little bit harder going into this week, serving better, passing better, and focusing on all the small stuff.”

Stanford started slow in the first set, with the Flyers quickly taking a 5-2 lead. The Cardinal returned points, however, in the following rallies, with kills from Wagner and sophomore middle blocker Kaumana Carreira and an ace from senior outsider hitter Theo Snoey bringing the score to a tight 8-8. Stanford was able to temporarily widen the gap to 15-11, but the Flyers responded with powerful blocks and well-placed kills that led to a lead change at 17-16.

The Cardinal reclaimed the lead at 20-19 with a kill by junior outside hitter Nate Clinton and even brought the crowd to its feet for the match point at 24-21. Lewis clawed its way back, though, to 24-24 and matched each Cardinal point until 28-28. Unfortunately, this was followed by a kill from Lewis senior outside hitter Daniel Haber and the ball tipping over the net in an unlucky play, closing out the first set in a 30-28 win for the Flyers.

The second set was equally tight, with neither team leading by more than one point until an ace by Lewis junior setter Diego Estrada gave the Flyers a 15-13 lead. Several Lewis service errors and a kill by Cardinal middle blocker Gray Mandelbaum kept the score within four points for subsequent rallies, but Lewis increased its lead to 23-18 with a kill by redshirt sophomore setter Cameron Hoying that left the crowd groaning. Although the Cardinal managed to secure the next three points and Carreira made a significant block, the Flyers won the second set 25-21 off of a Stanford service error.

Stanford took the court for the third set with renewed energy and some new additions. Freshman Erik Ask started at outside hitter and contributed three kills and a dig, sophomore libero Evan Porter totaled six digs and sophomore setter Ryan Grant had 12 assists and two digs. Still, Lewis carried the momentum, scoring the first point of the set. A kill by Cardinal redshirt junior middle blocker Luke McFall tied the score early on, but the Flyers regained their lead, earning six points in a row and maintaining a gap of at least three points for the remainder of the set. Toward the end, Stanford made a valiant push, scoring four consecutive points to narrow the deficit from 18-24 to 22-24. Regrettably, they came up short. Lewis scored the final point to close out the set 25-22 and win the match.

In spite of the disappointing result, the team remains optimistic heading into the regular season, according to Wagner.

The Cardinal will face off against No. 7 Loyola Chicago (1-1, 0-0 MIVA) at the First Point Collegiate Challenge tournament in Phoenix, Arizona on Jan. 17 at 3 p.m.

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Instant impact: 13 Section III girls volleyball players who are turning heads early

Published

21 minutes ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Syracuse, N.Y. — Many Section III girls volleyball players have thrived in new or expanded roles this winter.

We polled CNY coaches to see which players have excelled as newcomers to varsity play or who have seamlessly handled increased responsibilities.

Here are the responses we got:

Grace Bertone-Nicotra, Christian Brothers Academy, sophomore, middle blocker

“Despite being the youngest player on my team and a first-year varsity player, Grace plays with the intensity and level-headedness of a senior. She’s an outstanding athlete and even better teammate, always showing up every day with a positive attitude and a drive to get better.” — Kristen DeLorenzo

Phoenecia Hathway, Sandy Creek, outside hitter, senior

“Her overall insight, team leadership, execution of skills under pressure and ability to encourage her team to excel no matter what the circumstances is an important quality an MVP must possess.” — Dori Hathway

Alachiir Kuany, East Syracuse Minoa, middle hitter, sophomore

“Alachiir is becoming a dominant player in our league. She is proving that she is going to be a problem for other schools for years to come. When she has it going, she is probably the toughest player in the league to stop.” — Jake Cline

Makayla Rodgers, Central Valley Academy, senior, defensive specialist/libero

“She brings great effort into playing the position consistently and is one of our key passers and defenders for our team this year.” — Kevin Wheelock

Alachiir Kauny, East Syracuse Minoa, sophomore, middle blocker

“Alachiir as a tenth grader has already shown that she is one of the best middles in the league. Teams are already gameplanning around her and she is a very tough player to stop. We are very lucky to have Alachiir on our team and we all can’t wait to see her development throughout the rest of the season and the rest of her varsity career.” — Jake Cline

Melina Poturovic, Utica Academy of Science, middle blocker, freshman

“Melina has been doing an incredible job this season. She is one of our three captains, and leads our team in both blocks and kills thus far. The team is continuously inspired by her unmatched energy and we are so lucky to have her.” — Ku Ku

Alyssa Tyldesley, Holland Patent, sophomore, middle blocker

“She is a sophomore and is filling the role of middle. She has stepped up into the position and is doing an amazing job as well as being extremely supportive when she is off the court.” — Lisa Aiello

India Clarry-Sohriakoff, Manlius Pebble Hill, senior, outside hitter

“She gives 100% everyday, always looking to get better at whatever she does, a true leader. She is a three-year starter on varsity, first two years as a libero, we were in need of an outside hitter and asked her to transition. She accepted the challenge, leads the team in kills and is second in digs. She is always looking out for her teammates, younger players offering support and encouragement.” — Jim Tuck

Abby Leamer, Morrisville-Eaton, sophomore, outside hitter

“Abby has stepped into a leadership role on the floor as an outside hitter and primary passer. Abby is a very consistent performer with a calm demeanor. The Morrisville-Eaton Mavericks graduated 5 seniors last year, and with that, Abby has had to step up to fill gaps as a sophomore. She is one of the hardest-working athletes in the gym. She is a steady, high-flying, and effective attacker. When you watch Abby, you see that she possesses a high volleyball IQ. Great things will happen with Abby on the floor.” — Wil Curtis

Savannah Wilcox, Mount Markham, junior, setter

“Savannah took over for Addie Jones, who had 1000 career assists. She has worked very hard to go from a role player as a sophomore to running the offense as our starting setter as a junior. She had 113 assists through the first 4 matches of the season.” — Terry McKane

Sydney Catello, Oneida, sophomore

“Sydney Catello is chosen as an instant impact player because she leads our team in both kills and aces while setting the tone as a vocal and reliable leader on the court. Her strong leadership, combined with her impact on both offense and defense, makes her an invaluable asset to the team.” — Gracie Morris

Ellie McNally, Port Byron, sophomore, middle blocker

“As a newcomer to varsity as a tenth grader, Ellie McNally has made a great impact. She has taken on a big role in the middle. Since losing both our middles last year she has been willing to learn and has been putting in the work and getting better and better each practice. I can’t wait to see what text two years can bring with her.” — Keirstan Bozeat

Arynn Day, Remsen, freshman, setter

“Arynn is a freshman that made the varsity team this year. She is a starting setter and has made a positive impact on our team since the very first game. She averages between 10-20 assists each game and has the most assists on the team. She is a consistent defensive player as well. She has also racked up many aces this year, which is extra impressive as a freshman.” — Amy Piaschyk

Jenna Preski, Rome Free Academy, senior, outside hitter

“This impact player is a previous varsity player that has stepped up tremendously this season. As a coach, it’s not just the stats that she produces on the volleyball court, but it’s the “IMPACT” she has on and off the court to keep the team together. Jenna Preski has embraced the captain/leadership role where she emphasizes the coaches’ coaching philosophy by communicating, motivating and providing the team with direction in teamwork and the importance of supporting each other in all aspects of volleyball (the good and the bad). Jenna Preski leads by example and demonstrated herself with her commitment and devotion to the team. She always fosters positive and encouraging energy and brings the best out of her teammates.” — Pete Keoviengsamay

Makenna Montieth, Sandy Creek, junior

“Makenna Montieth has made a positive impact on this year’s winter volleyball team. Her work ethic on and off the court, in and out of season has helped her excel to become another piece of the overall plan to be a competitive, successful team again this season. Intentionally increasing her level of play and being committed to not settle for anything less than her best is a huge attribute to the overall success of our team this year.” — Doriann Hathway

Madison McCall, South Lewis, sophomore, outside hitter

“Madison is in her second season on varsity as a sophomore. She was a setter last season, but injuries within the team required her to move to the outside hitter position this season. She has proved herself to be an asset in this role averaging five kills and six digs per game.” — Molly McCall

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Men’s Volleyball Completes Second Sweep of Weekend Against Wildcats

Published

37 minutes ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Box Score MALIBU, Calif. – The Pepperdine men’s volleyball team (2-0) secured their second sweep of the weekend Sunday afternoon, defeating the Wildcats of Daemen (0-2) in three straight sets.

“The two matches this weekend were good,” head coach Jonathan Winder said. “Both opponents were quality. Both matches we were able to have some really good service runs and stuff a lot of balls, so that is a good sign for [us.].”

With the most kills in the first set with 12, Grant Lamoureux led the charge with four of his own. The Waves pulled away from the Wildcats fairly early with the help of James Eadie serving six straight for five points behind the line. The set ended on a Ryan Barnett ace as Pepperdine took the early 1-0 lead with a 25-17 win.

The second set had an identical score to the first as Ryan Barnett and Cole Hartke both picked up four kills. Withstanding a potential momentum shift, the Waves remained steady going down early 7-3. It was Eadie for the second straight set who would lift Pepperdine out from the deficit, bringing them back to within one on four straight serves. Back-to-back blocks from Eadie, with assists from Barnett and Andrej Polomac, gave the Waves the 19-16 lead they would hold onto in the 25-17 set win.

In contrast to set two, the Waves took the lead from the jump in the third, never letting up. Barnett shined with five kills and two aces in the 25-14 victory. The biggest lead for the home team came on an ace from Noé Matthey at 9-18 before the final nine-point win to secure the sweep.

WAVES VS. WILDCATS

PEPPERDINE ATTACK BY SET
Set     K         E        TA       Pct
1         12      4         24       .333
2         10       3         22       .318
3         10      3         19       .368

DAEMEN ATTACK BY SET
Set     K         E        TA       Pct
1         11       7         25       .160
2         6         7         21       -.048
3         6         7         18       -.056

In the third and final match of the season-opening home stretch, the Waves welcome No. 10 UC Irvine to Malibu Friday night. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. with streaming available on B1G+ (subscription required) and live stats available at www.pepperdinewaves.com

GAME NOTES
• Cole Harke and Ryan Barnett led the Waves with nine kills a piece.
• Overall, the Waves hit .338 compared to the Wildcat’s .031.
• Barnett came out on top with the better hitting percentage of .412.
• Barnett and Grant Lamoureux put on the best show behind the line with three aces a piece.
• Andrej Polomac led Pepperdine in the second straight match in digs with eight.
• Polomac also led in assists, accounting for 24 of Pepperdine’s 29.

ABOUT PEPPERDINE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Pepperdine men’s volleyball boasts one of the richest histories in collegiate volleyball, with five NCAA National Championships. Four of those championships came under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Marv Dunphy who totaled 612 victories in 34 seasons at the helm. With 19 NCAA Appearances and 63 All-Americans, the program has consistently been a destination for top talent across the country. Under current head coach Jonathan Winder, the Waves reached the NCAA Final Four in his third season at the helm in 2025.

TICKETS
For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming home events, visit here.

FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine women’s soccer news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineMVB_ .

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Sports

Fall River area high school girls volleyball all-scholastic team

Published

54 minutes ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Jan. 12, 2026, 4:00 a.m. ET

FALL RIVER — The 2025 Herald News Fall All-Scholastic continues with girls volleyball.

Top players from Greater Fall River schools — Atlantis Charter, Joseph Case, Diman, Durfee, Somerset Berkley and Westport — put on a show last fall.

The Cardinals advanced to the Final Four for the third time in four years. Senior captain Madilyn Botelho was once again named the Player of the Year.

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Important Ticket & Parking Information For Men’s Volleyball Doubleheaders

Published

1 hour ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team will host a pair of doubleheaders this Wednesday and Friday at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center with matches starting at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. each day. Below are important ticket and parking information for this week’s matches.

Parking

With UH-Mānoa back in session, there will be NO ON-CAMPUS PARKING (Lower Campus or Upper Campus) for the 11:00 a.m. match each day. On-campus parking is reserved for students, faculty, and staff only. Public parking will be available for the 7:00 p.m. match each day.

Men’s Volleyball Season Parking Passes are not valid for the 11:00 a.m. matches, but will be accepted for the 7:00 p.m. matches.

For the 11:00 a.m. matches, fans are encouraged to find street parking, get dropped off, use public transportation, or ride share to campus.
- A limited amount of paid public parking is available at Varsity Building Lot, which is a short 5-10 walk to Bankoh Arena, or at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai’i, which is a 15-20 minute walk. There is no shuttle service for either location.

Tickets

A single ticket is valid for both 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. matches each day. Fans must bring their ticket to both matches for admittance. (Buy tickets)

The 11:00 a.m. match is general admission seating (excluding courtside seats).

The 7:00 p.m. match will be normal reserved seating.

Tickets may be purchased at etickethawaii.com.
- Wednesday’s “Hawai’i’s Heroes Night” features the popular $5 Serve and Save ticket promotion for select upper level seats and 50% off adult tickets for first responders.
- Friday’s “Alumni Appreciation Night” provides 30% off upper level adult tickets for UH Alumni hawaiiathletics.evenue.net/promotions/UHALUM2526

The 11:00 a.m. matches were scheduled as a community-driven initiative to bring students to the UH-Mānoa campus. Wednesday’s match is part of UH’s on-going “Education Day” program and invites students from various elementary schools throughout O’ahu. Friday’s 11:00 a.m. match is billed “Club Team Take Over Day” and will turn the spotlight on club volleyball as dozens of mainland and local club teams are expected to bring the energy in a spirited atmosphere.

#HawaiiMVB

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No. 1 Bruins Sweep Past Concordia, 3-0

Published

1 hour ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LOS ANGELES – The No. 1 UCLA men’s volleyball program took down Concordia on Sunday evening in straight sets, 3-0. The match was both teams’ first MPSF match of the season.

Zach Rama and David Decker led the way for the Bruins (2-0, 1-0 MPSF). Rama had his second double-digit kill performance of the season, finishing with 11 on the night, while Decker set a new career-high five service aces in the win. Middle Blockers Cameron Thorne and Micah Wong Diallo tallied six and nine kills, respectively, and combined to hit 15-for-18 (.833 hitting percentage) on the night.

As a squad, the Bruins hit. 472 for the match, and limited Concordia (0-2, 0-1 MPSF) to a .182 hitting percentage. UCLA had 41 kills, 12 service aces and seven blocks on the night.

In the opening set, Decker went on a hot serving run from the line, helping the Bruins earn five points in a row, adding an ace and a kill to make it 13-5 Bruins early on in the first set.

Setter Andrew Rowan then added three aces in a row of his own to push the Bruins in front 18-7, before UCLA closed out the opening frame on an attack error by Concordia, giving UCLA set one 25-13.

In the second set the Bruins continued to pile on the pressure from the service line. UCLA had three service aces in the set and also hit a match-high .542 en route to a 25-20 set two win. Decker recorded two service aces in a row to put the Bruins up 10-7.

Concordia closed the gap to 17-15 midway through before A Thorne kill and a Decker ace pushed UCLA’s advantage to 19-15. The Bruins then closed out the set with a kill from Rama to take the second set, 25-20.

In the final set of the match the Bruins won it 25-17. UCLA never trailed in the set and opened up a 10-6 lead after a block from Thorne, and a service ace from Kelly. UCLA then pushed the lead to 15-8 off a kill from Sean Kelly and another ace from Rowan.

Christopher Hersh recorded his first action of the season and hammered home a kill to put UCLA up 19-12, before Rama recorded two kills in a row to extend UCLA’s lead to 22-14. Decker then clinched the set and the match with his fifth kill of the night to give UCLA the set win 25-17 and the match sweep, 3-0.

Up Next: UCLA returns to action on Saturday night at the First Point Collegiate Challenge in Phoenix, Arizona. The Bruins will take on Ball State on Saturday evening at 6:00 pm PT, and the match will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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