After an overtime loss in the MPSF finals, reigning national champion and No. 2 seed UCLA (19-5, 5-1 MPSF) heads into the NCAA tournament with a chance at its first back-to-back titles since 2009. UCLA will face Loyola Marymount (20-11, 7-0 GCC) in Friday’s quarterfinal in Indianapolis. Before the Bruins open play, the Daily Bruin Sports’ women’s water polo beat predicts how last year’s NCAA champions will fare in this year’s tournament.
Jacob Nguyen Daily Bruin contributor Prediction: Runner-ups
My MPSF prediction of falling one game short of a conference title proved successful, but the fact that it took an overtime period for No. 1 seed Stanford to beat them hallmarks the uncertainty of this upcoming NCAA tournament.
It’s safe to say that the 2024 days of perfection are long over. UCLA came out of the MPSF semifinals by a single point before succumbing to a two-point loss in the finals.
The scapegoat answer is to say that the outcome is as uncertain as ever, but if recent memory is any indicator, history can repeat itself for the same reasons that I foresaw a conference second-place finish: inadequate depth.
In the Bruins’ MPSF semifinal victory, only six players met the back of the net. While that number increased to eight against the Cardinal, all scorers but one had a single goal.
Assuming UCLA gets past No. 10 seed Loyola Marymount and No. 3 seed USC, which it beat April 19 to close the regular season, the squad could see a rematch against Stanford or No. 4 seed Hawai’i – teams the Bruins have lost to this season – in the title match.
Across their last two matches, the Bruins took a combined 11 fewer shot attempts than their opponents. Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Steele garnered 21 saves versus Stanford goalkeeper Christine Carpenter’s 13. And while UCLA likely trusts the reigning ACWPC National Player of the Year to guard its net, a lack of offensive firepower isn’t a good recipe against the nation’s best.
To ensure a victory against either the Rainbow Warriors or the Cardinal, greater aggression has to be shown.
Nonetheless, if there’s anyone who can find a winning strategy to bounce back, it’s the two-time reigning MPSF coach of the year Adam Wright.
Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Steele extends her arm back to pass the ball. Steele notched a career-high-tying 21 saves in the Bruins’ loss to the Cardinal in the MPSF final. (Karla Cardenas-Felipe/Daily Bruin staff)
Rahaf Abumansour Daily Bruin staff Prediction: National champions
Flipping the script has defined UCLA women’s water polo throughout the 2025 season – along with maintaining its new role as underdogs.
The Bruins have made a habit of staging comebacks and going on scoring spurts against MPSF champions like Stanford among many others.
But consistency remains elusive, with five losses across their season, all to teams that they will likely face in the NCAA tournament. Loyola Marymount shouldn’t pose much of a threat in the opening round, and a semifinal matchup against either Harvard or USC should also be manageable – if the Bruins play to their standard and execute with the discipline that they have shown they can possess.
Consistency will be key to another NCAA championship – and now is when this team needs it most.
Their only nail in the coffin comes in a likely title-game rematch against No. 1 seed Stanford, who just edged the squad out in a dramatic overtime finish in the MPSF final and whom UCLA has lost to three times this season.
It’s not a question of if but when the Bruins make it to the final. Then, the choice will be theirs: redemption or collapse under pressure.
And with Steele coming off a season-high 21 saves against the Cardinal, the Bruins may just have the momentum – and the firepower – to finish the job.
Junior utility Anna Pearson raises her arm to pass the ball. (Andrew Diaz/Daily Bruin)
Ava Abrishamchian Daily Bruin staff Prediction: National champions
The Bruins enter the NCAA tournament as underdogs by ranking – but certainly not by pedigree.
After a heartbreaking loss to Stanford in the MPSF title match, the reigning national champions need to regroup as the No. 2 seed. With a chance at their first back-to-back NCAA title since 2009, the Bruins have to channel what they’ve been doing all year: making crucial comebacks.
Comebacks have been UCLA’s signature this season. The Bruins have a habit of erasing deficits by stringing together last-minute runs to grind out wins.
However, consistency has been harder to pin down. Each of their losses has come against teams in their year’s tournament field, which means comebacks are primed to happen.
The leader of their comebacks? Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Steele. With a career-best 21 saves in the MPSF final, last year’s ACWPC Player of the Year is the anchor for a championship run. On the other side of the pool, junior center Bia Mantellato consistently finds the back of the net to put points on the board in ways the Bruins will desperately need.
Their opening match against Loyola Marymount should be a tune-up. For the Bruins, the threat lies further down the line. A semifinal against USC may present problems. However, the Bruins were able to defeat the Trojans on April 19 after their crosstown rivals upset them Feb. 2.
When their ticket is punched for the finals, a rematch looms against No. 1 seed Stanford. Having lost to the Cardinal three times this season, the Bruins will demand a comeback to seek redemption.
For me, the weight of the moment won’t crack them. The Bruins will have the opportunity to come back, and they will.
Junior center Bia Mantellato raises her fist in celebration. (Edward Ho/Daily Bruin)
Felicia Keller Daily Bruin senior staff Prediction: Loss in the semifinal
Teams have to be nearly flawless in the NCAA tournament in order to win the women’s water polo national championship.
And this season, more than most, the level of play of the three teams at the top of the order – UCLA, USC and Stanford – is incredibly narrow.
With the exception of UCLA beating Stanford, each team has at least a win and a loss on each other.
Last season, the Bruins were quite literally perfect — without a single loss on the year.
But this season has been different — they’ve been fallible.
I see UCLA advancing past LMU in the quarterfinal but losing to USC in the semifinal.
It wasn’t a back-to-back MPSF tournament championship for UCLA, and it won’t be a back-to-back NCAA tournament championship either.
HANOVER, N.H. – The Dartmouth men’s and women’s track and field teams hosted the Ivy vs. America East Challenge, marking their final home meet of the indoor season.
Both teams had impressive finishes, placing first overall. The women wrapped up the meet with a final score of 73.83, while the men finished with a score of 63.
Andie Murray won the women’s 500m, finishing the race in 1:15.39. Emmy Thornton clinched the 800m with a final time of 2:20.65. Claire McDonald placed first in the 3000m with her 9:59.68 mark. Mariella Schweitzer won the 60m hurdles with an impressive 8.67 finish, as well as the long jump with a 5.97 mark.
Charlotte DiRocco secured points for Dartmouth after clearing 1.65m in the high jump, finishing in first place. Similarly, Ellison Weiner cleared 3.65m to clinch first place in the pole vault. As for the throws, Kylee Bennett and Zaneta Pivcova clinched the weight throw and shot put, with 15.41m and 14.54m marks, respectively.
Jack Rousseau won the 400m for the men with his final time of 50.13, followed by Noe Kemper clinching the 800m with a 1:54.31 finish. Michael Bueker, Keion Grieve, Jack Inglis and Jack Intihar clinched the men’s 4×4 with a 3:27.64 finish. As for the jumps, David Adams cleared 4.95m to clinch the pole vault for the Big Green, Intihar clinched the long jump 7.14m mark and Roy Leibovitz won the triple jump with a 15.45m mark, which is good for No. 14 in the nation.
Colton McMaster rounded out the meet for the men, clinching the shot put and weight throw with 17.53m and 19.17m marks, respectively.
The Big Green will return to action when heading to New Haven, Conn., for the annual Dartmouth-Yale-Columbia meet on Saturday, Jan. 17.
A brand-new track and field facility will open in Athens on Feb. 18, aiming to serve both the University of Georgia campus and the local community, according to its athletic department.
Located on South Milledge Avenue, the complex will feature a 400-meter, nine-lane Spec Towns Track with an infield long jump, a triple jump and a pole vault facility. The venue will have a capacity of 2,500 that can accommodate up to 4,000 for select events with a grandstand, a press box, an observation deck, restrooms and concession stands.
The new venue replaces the old one on South Lumpkin Street, which had not hosted an event for the Georgia men’s or women’s track and field team since April 2023. Now, the Bulldogs are slated to host the Spec Towns Invitational at the new complex this April, the Torrin Lawrence Memorial in May and the SEC championships in 2027.
High school competitions will also be held at the new facility with theClassic City Track and Field Invitational scheduled for March, making it the first competition on the venue’s calendar, and the GHSA state track meet in May.
The project, which cost $59.8 million, was funded exclusively by donations and gifts, and will become one of the “premier track and field destinations in the country,” according to the university’s director of athletics Josh Brooks.
“We are excited about the opportunities this facility will create for our athletes, our campus and our community,” Brooks said. “While it will support our student-athletes at the highest level, it will also create opportunities that will bring athletes of all ages to our campus throughout the year.”
The new complex will have a strong emphasis on strengthening ties between the university and local community, as public usage hours will give residents a new place to run and exercise, while big events can boost the local economy through hotel stays and visits to local businesses and restaurants.
“The Classic City Track and Field Invitational in March will mark the first competition in the new facility, bringing a regional high school meet to campus and expanding access to elite facilities for local student-athletes,” Alison McCullick, the university’s director of community relations, said. “In addition to competitions, the space will remain open for walking, running and everyday recreation, making it a year-round asset for the university and Athens.”
LONG BEACH, Calif. — In their collegiate debuts, Jackson Cryst and Jake Pazanti made immediate impacts for Long Beach State men’s volleyball, earning Big West Player of the Week honors following a dominant opening weekend. The Beach opened the 2026 season with two straight-set victories, defeating Lindenwood and McKendree at the Pyramid, as Cryst was named Men’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week and Pazanti earned Long Beach State Freshman of the Week recognition.
Cryst anchored the Long Beach State defense in his first collegiate action, averaging 1.50 blocks per set and totaling nine blocks over the weekend. His presence at the net helped limit opponents to a combined .157 hitting percentage and contributed to the Beach averaging 3.33 blocks per set across the two matches. Cryst also added seven kills on .462 hitting, showing efficiency and composure on both sides of the net.
Pazanti also impressed in his collegiate debut, directing the Long Beach State offense with poise and balance. The freshman setter recorded 58 assists (9.67 per set) while guiding the Beach to a .351 team hitting percentage in the opening weekend.
In addition to his setting responsibilities, Pazanti contributed six kills on .750 hitting, 16 digs, five blocks, and two service aces, impacting the match in every phase during his first career starts.
Long Beach State men’s volleyball returns to action this week with a three-game road stretch through the Buckeye State to face Central State, George Mason and Ohio State as the Beach continue early-season competition following a successful opening weekend.
WESTON, Mass. — Hannah Griffin, Zoe Kirk, and Justin Thuotte each represented the Pride this week in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) weekly awards. Kirk earned her second Rookie of the Week honor of the season, while Griffin collected her first career Track Athlete of the Week award. Thuotte was named Field Athlete of the Week, marking his first honor of the season and the fifth weekly award of his career.
Zoe Kirk continued her strong rookie campaign with a pair of top-10 finishes. She placed third overall in the high jump with a mark of 1.50 meters, setting a new indoor program record and surpassing the previous mark of 1.46 held by teammate Grace Micklon. Kirk also finished ninth in the 60-meter hurdles, clocking a time of 9.93.
Hannah Griffin captured the top spot in the 800 meters with a time of 2:44.36, edging her nearest competitor by nearly one second.
Justin Thuotte delivered another standout performance at the Wesleyan Winter Invitational, winning the long jump with a mark of 6.70 meters to set a new indoor program record, besting his own previous mark of 6.65 from the last meet. He also placed third in the triple jump at 12.99 meters and rounded out his day with a 10th-place finish in the weight throw, posting a personal-best mark of 13.59 meters.
Regis track and field stays close to home this weekend, traveling to Brighton, Massachusetts, to compete at the Suffolk Ice Breaker at The Track at New Balance.
MILWAUKEE – Ella Parker has been announced as the newest addition to the Milwaukee volleyball roster, head coach Susie Johnson announced on Monday afternoon.
Parker will join the Panthers this spring after spending the last three semesters at St. John’s University in Queens, N.Y., where she was a member of the Red Storm for the past two seasons.
“We are excited to add Ella to our team this spring,” said Johnson. “Having played in the Big East Conference, she has match experience and will bring a lot to our program in the Horizon League. We’re excited that she not only can score points for us but defend as well.”
This past fall, Parker played in 16 matches for St. John’s and recorded 138 kills, along with 10 service aces, 26 digs, and 15 blocks. She posted a season-high 16 kills on Oct. 4 at UConn while hitting .361 and later recorded a season-best .692 hitting percentage with nine kills without an error against LeMoyne earlier in the year.
As a true freshman in 2024, Parker saw action in three matches before an injury ended her season.
Originally from Corrales, New Mexico, Parker was a three-year member of the Cougar volleyball team at Cibola High School in Albuquerque. During her prep career, she earned AVCA Girls High School All-Region honors as both a junior and a senior and was named to the All-American Watch List.
A multiple-time All-State, All-Region, All-Area, and All-Conference selection, Parker was also chosen for the New Mexico Red and Green All-Start Team. She set Cibola program records for both most kills in a season and most kills in a match.
Parker played club volleyball for Duke City Volleyball Academy and competed in beach volleyball with the Albuquerque Beach Volleyball Academy. Away from the court, she was also a competitive swimmer for more than 10 years.
Parker joins fellow transfer Kameron Stover, along with incoming freshmen Olivia Doerre, Emma Duffy, Kayla Landerud, and Hope Wagner as newcomers for the 2026 volleyball season.
PORTLAND, ORE. – The University of Alaska Anchorage had three Seawolves earn GNAC Athlete of the Week honors for indoor track and field.
Liv Heite was named the women’s track athlete of the week. Her top effort was a 60-meter hurdles time of 8.91 seconds, upping her name to third on the GNAC performance list this winter. Heite is the reigning GNAC silver medalist in the event from last season. She also ran 8.09 seconds in the 60 meters, 26.02 seconds in the 200 meters and ran a leg of a UAA 4×400 meter relay squad that posted 3:57.48 minutes to round out her productive weekend. Now in her third season at UAA, Heite is a four-time GNAC medalist earning silver in both the 2024 and 2025 100-meter hurdles (outdoor), silver in the 2025 60-meter hurdles (indoor), and silver in the 2025 400-meter hurdles (outdoor)
“Liv looks like she is ready to pick up where she left off,” said head coach Ryan McWilliams. “She started the season off faster than she did last year and ran consistently over the weekend. I think she is ready to take it to the next level.”
Sarah Dittman was named the women’s field athlete of the week. She kicked things off with a high jump mark of 4-11.75 feet (1.52 meters) and a long jump of 17-4.25 feet (5.29 meters), placing fifth in both events. Each of those marks slotted her fourth among GNAC competitors so far in the indoor season. Dittman also contributed on the track, running a 200 meters time of 26.79 seconds, a 60-meter hurdles time of 10.61 seconds and running a leg of UAA’s 4×400 meter relay unit that posted a time of 4:14.89 minutes.
“Sarah had an encouraging start to her college career,” said head coach Ryan McWilliams. “I am really looking forward to seeing where her growth and development over the course of this season is going to take her.”
Tyler Drake was named the men’s field athlete of the week. His weekend was highlighted by a third-place finish in the long jump, as he cleared 22-3 feet (6.78 meters). That stands as the second-best long jump by a GNAC athlete so far this season. On the track, he posted times of 23.55 seconds in the 200 meters and 8.36 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles.
“Tyler had himself a great start to his college career,” said head coach Ryan McWilliams. “He set personal bests in the hurdles and long jump and moved himself into the top-10 on UAA’s performance list. His long jump start is even more encouraging because of how obvious it is that he still has so much room to grow.”
