Sports

Battle of the Editors: Which UCLA team had the most disappointing finish to its Big Ten debut?

With just softball and baseball remaining in the postseason hunt, UCLA’s first year in the Big Ten is nearly in the books. From championship glory to painful upsets, this year delivered a full spectrum of highs and heartbreaks for the Bruins. As the year winds down, Daily Bruin Sports editors weigh in on which UCLA […]

Published

1 month ago

May 21, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Ira Gorawara
Sports editor
Team: Men’s basketball

Hope was in short supply for UCLA men’s basketball in the 2023-2024 season – and so were the highlights.

Adem Bona was the lone spark in an otherwise dim campaign – the Bruins treaded water in the Pac-12 and ranked a dismal 152nd in offensive efficiency, with most of the roster unable to crack a 100 offensive rating.

But as the transfer portal tends to do these days, it flipped coach Mick Cronin’s 2024-2025 plans on their head before the season tipped off.

Hype engulfed the Bruins, who had landed key prospects from the portal including veteran Kobe Johnson, four-stars Dominick Harris, Skyy Clark and Tyler Bilodeau – to name a few.

The pieces were there – on paper, at least – enough to fuel preseason optimism in Westwood and talk of a bounce-back year, deep rotation and a chance to make noise in the team’s Big Ten debut.

For a minute, it felt like Cronin pulled off the reset the program desperately craved in the 2024 offseason.

But basketball isn’t played on paper.

Chemistry felt off on Cronin’s unit all season long. Rotations shifted constantly, the offense stalled far too often and what should’ve been a cohesive unit appeared more like a collection of talented strangers.

The defense – usually a Cronin staple – lacked bite, and the late-game execution that once defined his best squads were nowhere to be found.

As the hype train derailed the Bruins’ season, UCLA’s lifeline ended in the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament, at the hands of Tennessee at Rupp Arena.

Disjointed offense, untimely turnovers and an abysmal effort from the charity stripe characterized too many postseason games.

For a program that prides itself on postseason pedigree, bowing out in the first weekend – even in a loaded Big Ten transition year – felt like a gut punch.

All the portal moves and preseason buzz fizzled when it mattered most. The disappointment lingers.

Kai Dizon
Assistant Sports editor
Team: Football

UCLA football’s offensive unit gathers at Penn State’s Beaver Stadium, where the team fell 27-11 to Penn State on Oct. 5. (Aidan Sun/Assistant Photo editor)

Coach DeShaun Foster’s rookie campaign was awry six games into the season, with the Bruins on a five-game losing streak and yet to eclipse 20 points on offense in a single contest.

Then, quarterback Ethan Garbers, who already had nine interceptions at the time, turned in a career day against Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey – tossing for 383 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-32 victory for UCLA football.

Foster proclaimed UCLA’s athletic director Martin Jarmond “hired the right guy” after defeating Nebraska 27-20 the following weekend. And against Iowa on Nov. 8, the running game that had been stuck in the trenches all season, exploded for 211 yards in a 20-17 win.

All of a sudden, the Bruins were 4-5, and just needed to win two of their final three contests to make a bowl game.

But Garbers was sacked six times in Seattle and the Bruins’ running backs were held to 40 yards as UCLA fell 31-19 to Washington.

In a do-or-die Battle for the Bell at the Rose Bowl, UCLA floundered again. Garbers had just one touchdown, and despite 99 rushing yards, first-string running back T.J. Harden failed to find paydirt.

The Bruins led 13-9 heading into the final quarter, but the Trojans put up 10 unanswered.

Yes, UCLA closed out the season with a 20-13 win over Fresno State, but I sure didn’t care. And given that it was Thanksgiving break, not many students did either. With a 5-7 record, the Bruin faithful were left with a sour introduction to the Fos Era.

Evidently, many of the team’s players were too.

On top of the players leaving via the NFL Draft or graduation – like Garbers, Carson Schwesinger, Oluwafemi Oladejo and Moliki Matavao – the Bruins lost J.Michael Sturdivant, Logan Loya, Niki Prongos and Harden to the transfer portal as practically every notable name from the 2024 roster would be absent come 2025.

Aaron Doyle
Assistant Sports editor
Team: Cross country

Members of UCLA cross country run the course during warmups. (Courtesy of UCLA Athletics)

The pressure of qualifying for the national championship can make or break a team.

And in 2024, it seemed to have broken UCLA cross country.

Graduate student Michael Mireles carried much of the burden of qualification, earning UCLA’s first-ever podium finish at a Big Ten championship after placing second in the men’s 8K race.

The conference victory seemed like momentum that could have carried Mireles to the national championships, but it quickly slipped away at the NCAA West Regional on Nov. 15.

The men’s team opted to forgo a five-man lineup, forcing Mireles to qualify as an individual. A top-five finish would have punched his ticket to the national championship race.

Mireles looked to be in national-qualifying contention as he sat in fifth with just 1.8 kilometers to go. But at the 9K split, Mireles dropped to 17th and ultimately finished 21st, blowing his chances of going to nationals.

While the competition was stiff, Mireles seemed more than capable of making the cut. Mireles breezed right past Washington’s Nathan Green, Evan Jenkins and Tyrone Gorze, as well as Oregon’s Aiden Smith and Simeon Birnbaum at the Big Ten championships – but fell short to them when it mattered most.

Assistant coach Andrew Ferris blamed inexperience for the graduate student’s shortcomings, but there is still more to come from Mireles – just not as a Bruin.

Mireles has already announced his transfer to Oregon following the end of the outdoor track season, joining one of the teams that dashed his hopes in 2024.

Connor Dullinger
Assistant Sports editor
Team: Men’s soccer

Members of UCLA men’s soccer huddle together on the field at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. (Darlene Sanzon/Assistant Photo editor)

When UCLA men’s soccer fell 1-0 in Westwood to Loyola Marymount in the 2023 NCAA tournament’s second round, many thought the Bruins were destined for revenge come 2024.

Few imagined the Bruins would let the embarrassment of a postseason upset grace Wallis Annenberg Stadium for a second consecutive year.

But that’s exactly what happened.

Despite missing three penalty kicks to fall in the Big Ten tournament semifinals to Michigan, UCLA still managed to earn an at-large bid to 2024’s NCAA tournament, where it faced a UC Santa Barbara team that tied Westmont 2-2 – a squad that UCLA defeated 5-1 just 10 days after Santa Barbara’s draw.

And in keeping with UCLA’s season-long offensive struggles, the Gauchos shut out the Bruins. UCSB outshot UCLA by eight and advanced to the second round after defeating the Bruins 1-0 in Westwood.

Not only did the Bruins fall in dramatic fashion in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments, but they were also defeated 3-1 at home by Cal State Fullerton and 4-1 by Wisconsin in the regular season.

They also dropped crucial points on untimely goals, conceding two unanswered goals in the final 16 minutes of a 2-2 draw to Penn State and conceding an equalizer in the last 10 minutes to Michigan in a 3-3 tie.

Despite the squad’s deep roster and seven clean sheets, the Bruins failed to capitalize when they were expected to and gave up crucial goals when it mattered most.

Una O’Farrell
Assistant Sports editor
Team: Women’s water polo

Members of UCLA women’s water polo stand at the side of the pool before their semifinal in Indianapolis. (Anna Dai-Liu/Daily Bruin senior staff)

Pulling off an undefeated season – one that resulted in the first national championship in 15 years for UCLA women’s water polo – is a hefty feat, almost impossible to replicate.

A 1.000 winning percentage wasn’t necessarily coach Adam Wright’s top priority heading into the 2025 season – earning back-to-back national titles was.

And with the return of two of the 2024’s roster’s top three scorers and ACWPC National Player of the Year sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Steele, along with the addition of two-time All-American junior center Bia Mantellato, it seemed the 2025 Bruins were well-poised to make a return to glory.

But the team struggled with early losses, with a 14-4 defeat to Stanford, 2025’s eventual national champions, marking UCLA’s worst loss differential since 2010.

The Cardinal handed the Bruins’ half of its 2025 losses, but maybe the most gut-wrenching of the trio came in an overtime defeat for the MPSF crown.

And with Stanford and UCLA sitting on opposite sides of the NCAA tournament’s bracket, many predicted the two to meet again in Indianapolis.

But the reigning MPSF and NCAA champions were unable to even make the title match after suffering a 15-13 loss to the Trojans, sending the Bruins home without the opportunity to defend their national title.

In 2024, Wright said that the Bruins were “back on the map.” But just less than a year later, they’d fall just short of the very greatness they swore would become a habit.

Sabrina Messiha
Assistant Sports editor
Team: Women’s basketball

Members of UCLA women’s basketball meet during a timeout of its Final Four match against UConn. (Aidan Sun/Assistant Photo editor)

Twelve weeks atop the AP regular season poll was not enough.

The first No. 1 seed in program history was not enough.

The first Final Four appearance in NCAA history was not enough.

Despite a year stacked with accolades, awards and trophies, UCLA women’s basketball was unable to take home the biggest reward – a NCAA championship.

While the Final Four outing doesn’t undermine the ground-breaking successes of the program, the nature of the loss makes for the most disappointing season end. All eyes were on UCLA to bring home a national championship, but they were upset by a No. 2 seed UConn.

It was more than an upset – it felt like a complete obliteration. The Huskies’ 85-51 over the Bruins marked the largest winning margin in NCAA Final Four history.

After UCLA maintained a perfect record against all schools except USC, it fell to a new foe. The Huskies were able to shut down junior center Lauren Betts, forcing the ball to a thoroughly defended perimeter.

“We wanted to take away their 3s, but we also wanted to make things hard for Lauren Betts,” said former UConn star guard Paige Bueckers.

And that is exactly what the Huskies did.

Only four Bruins scored in the first half. Only three players put up points from the field until the final quarter. UCLA put up just 13 points in the final 10 minutes of its season, as UConn ran away with a 34-point win.

And in the meantime, UCLA students gathered in Pauley Pavilion watched their team crumble.

Next season presents another opportunity for the Bruins to bring home the trophy. And if they don’t, may their fall be more graceful.

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Sports

Ask the AD with Russo & Rizzo on ESPN 106.3 – June 24, 2025

Story Links Keiser Director of Athletics Kris Swogger visited Russo & Rizzo on ESPN West Palm 106.3 on Tuesday, June 24, for his recurring “Ask the AD” segment. During this time, Swogger discussed the world of college sports, all things in Keiser Athletics, and more. Russo & Rizzo airs Monday through […]

Published

4 minutes ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Keiser Director of Athletics Kris Swogger visited Russo & Rizzo on ESPN West Palm 106.3 on Tuesday, June 24, for his recurring “Ask the AD” segment. During this time, Swogger discussed the world of college sports, all things in Keiser Athletics, and more.

Russo & Rizzo airs Monday through Friday on 106.3 on your FM dial. Fans can also listen live by clicking HERE.

ESPN West Palm is Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast’s home for sports, featuring entertaining and engaging sports talk, the best coverage of the local-area stories, and a presence at the biggest sports marketing events in the community.

General athletic news can be found at KUSeahawks on Facebook, kuseahawks on Instagram, and kuseahawks on X.

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Sports

Ten Hornets Named CSC Academic All-District in Track and Field

Men’s Track and Field | 6/25/2025 10:31:00 AM Story Links June 24, 2025-Emporia State track and field had a combined nine athletes earn Academic All-District honors as selected by College Sports Communicators. For the men Ty Anderson, Jonah Remsberg, Immanuel Dukpe, Mitch Budke, and a Brooks Lowe were named CSC […]

Published

22 minutes ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Men’s Track and Field | 6/25/2025 10:31:00 AM

June 24, 2025-Emporia State track and field had a combined nine athletes earn Academic All-District honors as selected by College Sports Communicators. For the men Ty Anderson, Jonah Remsberg, Immanuel Dukpe, Mitch Budke, and a Brooks Lowe were named CSC Academic All-District for their work in the classroom while Mia Manley, Abigael Reid Harelson, Madison Vermetten, Savanah Stewart and Isabel Vikoler were honored for the women.

Ty Anderson has a 3.60 GPA in business and earned First-Team All-American honors on the track. The school record holder in the 100m at 10.13 he finished seventh in the 100m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Mitch Budke has a 3.93 GPA in social science education and was ranked 16^th in the central region in the javelin. His mark of 63.26m (207-6) is ranked 35^th nationally.

Immanuel Dukpe has a 3.67 GPA in health and human performance and was a two-time First-Team All-American outdoors. A school record holder in the 400m at 46.29 and as a member of the 4x400m relay at 3:06.66 he placed eighth in both events at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Brooks Lowe maintains a 3.51 GPA in physical education and was ranked seventh nationally with a mark of 69.16m (226-11) in the javelin.

Jonah Remsberg maintains a 3.54 GPA in health and human performance and was a two-time Second-Team All-American in the multi-events. He is ranked second in Emporia State history in the heptathlon with 5,265 points and is second in the decathlon with 7,033 points. He placed 11th at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the heptathlon and was ninth outdoors in the decathlon.

Mia Manley has a 4.00 GPA in elementary education and is ranked second all-time at Emporia State in the pole vault. She cleared 3.87m (12-08.25) at the ESU Relays to rank 11^th in the region and 29^th in the nation outdoors.

Abigael Reid Harelson has a 3.63 GPA in health and human performance and was a second-team All-American in the 400m hurdles. She ran 59.95 to rank second all-time at Emporia State on her way to the MIAA Championship in the 400m hurdles. She finished 11^th in the nation at the NCAA Championships after entering the competition ranked 23^rd nationally.

Savannah Stewart maintains a 3.99 GPA in health and human performance and is ranked tenth all-time in the pole vault at Emporia State both indoors and outdoors. She cleared 3.43m (11-03.00) to rank 34^th in the region outdoors after going over 3.36m (11-00.25) indoors to rank 38^th in the region.

Madison Vermetten has a 3.91 GPA in biology and is ranked in the top ten at Emporia State in the weight throw indoors along with the hammer outdoors. She had a mark of 17.41m (57-01.50) in the indoor weight throw that ranks third all-time at ESU, 14^th in the region, and 35^th in the nation. Her hammer throw of 52.48m (172-2) was 18^th in the region and 55^th in the nation while ranking fifth all-time for the Hornets.

Isabel Vikoler had a 3.99 graduate GPA in forensic science and is ranked in the top ten in the multi-events in Emporia State history. She was ranked 19^th in the region in the heptathlon with 4,546 points outdoors while ranking 21^st regionally with 3,125 points in the pentathlon indoors. She was also in the top 50 regionally in the 60m hurdles indoors and long jump outdoors.

To be nominated, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically and maintain at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average. They must rank in the top 50 of the region in at least one event in either cross country, indoor or outdoor track & field.

The Division II CSC Academic All-America® program is partially supported financially by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the program.

Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced July 16.

2025 Emporia State Track & Field CSC Academic All-District Honors

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Sports

In-State Freshmen Avery LaPlaca and Gracie Armato Sign with Volleyball Program

Story Links STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific volleyball program stayed in the Northern California area to find its two newest recruits in freshmen Avery LaPlaca from Sacramento and Gracie Armato from Brentwood, bringing Head Coach Greg Gibbons‘ roster up to 15 student-athletes. LaPlaca, out of Sacramento Country Day High School, lettered three […]

Published

23 minutes ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific volleyball program stayed in the Northern California area to find its two newest recruits in freshmen Avery LaPlaca from Sacramento and Gracie Armato from Brentwood, bringing Head Coach Greg Gibbons‘ roster up to 15 student-athletes.

LaPlaca, out of Sacramento Country Day High School, lettered three times in her high school career as a defensive specialist compiling over 100 aces and three league titles, highlighted by a trip to the state semi-finals in 2023. A standout student as well, LaPlaca made her high school’s honor roll all four years and will be majoring in Health, Exercise and Sport Science.

She enters the Tiger family already with deep immediate family roots at Pacific as her grandfather, Nick LaPlaca (1968), was a member of both the football and baseball programs while her brother, Nick Santos LaPlaca (2024), was also a member of the baseball program.

Armato, a recent graduate of Heritage High School, ended her high school career as the record holder for single season kills, the league MVP and the BVAL MVP. Also, a prolific student, Armato was a member of her high school honor roll, a scholar athlete, received Heritage High School’s Athletic Director’s Academic Award and a California State Seal of Civic Engagement. While at Pacific, she will be pursuing a degree in business marketing/advertising.

“Avery brings depth at the defensive position and Gracie is a very experienced setter with amazing energy and an extreme competitor. They add a lot to our team and excited to get started,” Gibbons said.

Pacific volleyball returns to the court for its 2025 season on August 29 against Cal Baptist in Northridge, Calif.

Tigers Tickets

Tickets for upcoming events can be purchased through the PacificTigers.com tickets tab, or by calling the Box Office at 209-946-2474. Groups of 10 or more are eligible for a group discount and exclusive fan experiences.

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For all the latest on Pacific Volleyball, be sure to follow the team on X (@PacificVball), Instagram (@pacificvolleyball) and Facebook page (Pacific Volleyball).

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Sports

Pro Beach Volleyball Was a Hit at EHP Resort in East Hampton

Pro Beach Volleyball Was a Hit at EHP Resort in East Hampton Pro Beach Volleyball Was a Hit at EHP Resort in East Hampton Link 0

Published

30 minutes ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

<br /> Pro Beach Volleyball Was a Hit at EHP Resort in East Hampton

Pro Beach Volleyball Was a Hit at EHP Resort in East Hampton

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Sports

Track & Field and Cross Country Teams Boast 10 CSC Academic All-District Selections

Story Links GREENWOOD, Ind. – College Sports Communicators announced its 2024-25 Academic All-District selections for the sports of cross country and track & field with 10 Panthers being recognized for their efforts in the classroom this academic year. Earning Academic All-District honors were Divine Aniamaka, Natalie Block, Cailin Kinas, […]

Published

41 minutes ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

GREENWOOD, Ind. – College Sports Communicators announced its 2024-25 Academic All-District selections for the sports of cross country and track & field with 10 Panthers being recognized for their efforts in the classroom this academic year.

Earning Academic All-District honors were Divine Aniamaka, Natalie Block, Cailin Kinas, Jack Misky, Jeremiah Johnson, Lucas Picco, Liam Richards, Isabel Roloff, Olivia VanZeeland, and Kallie Volk.

Aniamaka earns his first spot on the CSC Academic All-District Team after earning the Student-Athlete of the Season from the Horizon League this past spring campaign. He was also named a member of the Horizon League All-Academic Team this spring. He currently has a 3.84 GPA while studying biomedical engineering at Milwaukee.

Block was named to her second consecutive CSC Academic All-District squad after earning her first distinction a season ago. Like Aniamaka, Block was also named the Spring Student-Athlete of the Season this spring and was also a part of the Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team. Block is in graduate school at Milwaukee and has a 3.95 GPA following her undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences.

Kinas earned her second-straight CSC academic distinction following her first honor as a junior in 2024. Kinas made it a clean sweep during the Horizon League season for Milwaukee earning a spot on the All-Academic Team in the fall season with cross country, the winter season with indoor track & field, and the spring season for outdoor track & field. Wrapping up her fourth year at Milwaukee, Kinas owns a 4.00 GPA and is a nutritional sciences major.

Misky is the third repeat honoree from College Sports Communicators and earns All-District honors for the second-straight year. This year Misky was a member of the Horizon League All-Academic Team for the outdoor track & field season. Following the spring semester, Misky has a 3.77 GPA in the kinesiology program.

Johnson also picked up All-Academic recognition from the Horizon League this spring season and makes his debut as a Panther on the Academic All-District Team. In his two years at Milwaukee, Johnson now owns a 3.75 GPA as a graduate student in the information science & technology program.

Picco earns his first Academic All-District honor for the first time in his career, following a strong sophomore campaign with the Panthers. Through his first two years studying at UW-Milwaukee, Picco has a 3.77 GPA and is studying economics.

Richards makes his debut on the Academic All-District Team as a sophomore after being named a member of the Horizon League All-Academic Team this spring. Richards currently owns a 3.51 GPA while studying mechanical engineering at UW-Milwaukee.

Roloff was a two-time selection to the Horizon League All-Academic Team, earning honors in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. This is her first time selected as a member of the CSC Academic All-District team. Following her junior year at Milwaukee, Roloff owns a 4.00 GPA and is studying accounting.

VanZeeland also makes her debut on the Academic All-District team as announced by CSC. VanZeeland was recognized twice this year by the Horizon League as a member of the All-Academic Team. While at Milwaukee, VanZeeland has earned a 3.91 GPA through her junior year in the kinesiology program.

Volk rounds out Milwaukee’s Academic All-District honorees with her first career selection for Milwaukee. Volk was named to the Horizon League Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team. She currently boasts a 4.00 GPA while studying kinesiology at Milwaukee.

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Sports

Volleyball Completes 2025 Schedule – Iowa State University Athletics

AMES, Iowa – The 2025 volleyball schedule including the non-conference slate and times for conference matchups has been finalized. The non-conference schedule includes matches with all three in-state universities and the Cyclone Invite. ISU will first hold its annual Cardinal and Gold Scrimmage at Hilton Saturday, Aug. 16 at 1 p.m. The Cyclones will also […]

Published

42 minutes ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

ISU will first hold its annual Cardinal and Gold Scrimmage at Hilton Saturday, Aug. 16 at 1 p.m. The Cyclones will also host Drake for an exhibition Saturday, Aug. 23 at 9 a.m.

Regular season then begins with the Ohio Tournament. Iowa State faces Bucknell Friday, Aug. 29 and Ohio Saturday, Aug. 30. The following week, ISU heads to Milwaukee for a tournament with Central Michigan, Milwaukee and South Alabama.

The Cyclones take on the UNI Panthers in Cedar Falls Tuesday, September 9, meeting UNI for the first time since 2022.

Iowa State hosts its home tournament Sept. 12-14. The Cyclones open with Saint Louis on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and play Omaha Sunday at 2 p.m. Saint Louis and Omaha match up on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Iowa hosts the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series this season, held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17.

Non-conference closes with the Illinois Tournament, where ISU will see host Illinois Friday, Sept. 19 and Eastern Illinois Saturday, Sept 20.

The full schedule including times for Big 12 matches are available here.

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