When UCLA officially joined the Big Ten Conference on Aug. 2, 2024, it didn’t just shuffle opponents and game times — it stepped boldly into a new era of Bruin athletics.
For nearly 100 years, the Bruins called the Pac-12 home. Leaving behind decades of tradition wasn’t easy, but the promise of sharing the Bruin story nationwide, opening new doors for student-athletes and keeping our programs strong made the leap a bold but thoughtful step forward. Plus, with programs across the country watching expenses outpace revenue in the tumultuous landscape of college athletics, a lucrative annual payout between $60 million and $75 million made the move too good to pass up.
The stakes were clear: Could UCLA carry its legacy of academic and athletic excellence into a conference that stretched coast to coast? In year one, the answer was a resounding “yes,” and then some.
As Martin Jarmond, UCLA’s Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Director of Athletics, put it: “We were coming to win championships, and that’s what we did.”
UCLA Athletics
Players and staff of UCLA men’s water polo team pose with their NCAA championship trophy poolside at the Avery Aquatic Center in Palo Alto on Dec. 8, 2024.
UCLA closed out its debut Big Ten season by finishing fifth in the Learfield Directors’ Cup, an award that recognizes the top overall collegiate athletic programs in the United States, based on their performance in NCAA and NAIA championships. This was the program’s best showing since 2017–18 and a proud reminder that Bruins can thrive anywhere.
“Our success in the Big Ten this last year is a resounding statement,” Jarmond said, “It says that we’re here and we’re here to win championships and compete at the highest level. I’m extremely bullish and excited about our trajectory and future, especially this upcoming year. I think when you look at our programs — from top to bottom — you’d be hard-pressed to find another school in the country that has as many teams that are that are coming off excellent seasons and looking forward to building upon that.”
Championships, records and remarkable moments
On the field and court, Bruins teams didn’t just compete — they excelled.
UCLA won its 124th NCAA title, the second-most of any university in the nation and most in the Big Ten, when men’s water polo toppled USC, 11–8, in December.
Gymnasts Jordan Chiles and Brooklyn Moors brought home NCAA individual championships on the uneven bars and floor exercise, while the team came in second at the national championships.
Men’s volleyball finished second in the nation after advancing to the national final for the third consecutive year.
Nearly 60 Bruins earned All-America honors, with four winning individual national titles.
UCLA was the only school this season to have both softball and baseball teams advance to the College World Series. Men’s tennis continued its winning tradition by capturing the Big Ten tournament title and advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals for the 40th time since the NCAA adopted a bracket format in 1977. UCLA teams won a total of 10 conference titles, most among Big Ten schools.
“We won 10 conference championships — the most in the Big Ten,” Jarmond said. “Everybody was ready to go on day one, and the results showed.”
Bruins fans broke barriers, too. Women’s basketball set a new single-game attendance record at Pauley Pavilion, with 13,659 fans cheering on the blue and gold on two different occasions, and women’s gymnastics also set a program attendance record with 12,918 fans in attendance at the March 9 meet.
For women’s basketball, the Bruins’ inaugural Big Ten campaign was a historic one. They posted a 34–3 overall record (16–2 in the Big Ten), captured the Big Ten tournament crown, won national honors — including Lauren Betts winning Defensive Player of the Year honors and Cori Close earning Coach of the Year acclaim — and secured the program’s first Final Four appearance in the NCAA era.
Ross Turteltaub
Members of UCLA’s women’s basketball team celebrate their victory over the LSU Tigers in the NCAA tournament on March 30, 2025 — sending them to the Final Four.
Men’s basketball finished their inaugural Big Ten season at 23–11 overall (13–7 in the Big Ten), tied for fourth in conference play, and advanced to the NCAA tournament’s second round.
Football’s Big Ten debut put the Bruins on some of college football’s grandest stages and saw first-year head coach DeShaun Foster guide his team to four wins in the last six games. Historic matchups brought thousands of traveling fans, sparked new rivalries and gave our student-athletes the chance to play in some of the sport’s most legendary venues.
Miles traveled, lessons learned
Behind the headlines is a quieter story of resilience and adaptation.
The jump to the Big Ten meant transitioning from the Pac-12’s travel to mostly Western schools. Many teams found themselves crossing the country several times a month — some logging more than 20,000 miles in a single year, nearly triple what they’d traveled before.
But instead of letting all that travel slow them down, UCLA’s coaches, staff and student-athletes turned miles into momentum.
Teams stacked back-to-back away games to cut down on extra flights. Travel days doubled as study time. Hotel ballrooms turned into film rooms and pop-up study halls. The added miles tested not just their endurance, but their adaptability, time management and grit.
“Adaptability and flexibility are key attributes that you have to have when you make a change,” Jarmond said. “We learned a lot through the travel first year. We had a strong GPA. So academically, our student-athletes were very strong — they adapted well.”
Investing in mental health and academic support
The University knew that cross-country travel could add stress and make balancing academics even tougher. That’s why before the first Big Ten whistle blew, UCLA invested in mental health services for student-athletes.
Licensed therapists joined the athletics staff and new programs helped students build better sleep habits, handle jet lag and stay balanced while living out of a suitcase and keeping up GPAs.
Advisors and faculty worked hand-in-hand with coaches to make sure coursework flexed with travel schedules. Online lectures, recorded classes and one-on-one tutoring kept Bruins plugged in, whether in a study hall, at home or an airport terminal halfway across the country.
What emerged was a stronger culture of openness and support, a community that’s helping college athletes everywhere destigmatize mental health. Bruins spoke up, supported each other and showed that mental well-being is just as vital to success as physical training.
“Some of our teams learned they might have to leave a day early — and they made the adjustments during the season,” Jarmond said. “With anything new, you learn in year one, and that helps you better prepare and tackle it in year two. Our coaches and Student-Athletes work extremely hard.”
The shift wasn’t just logistical; it was cultural. UCLA leaned into its student-first values and doubled down on support.
The power of community
If the extra miles tested our student-athletes, they also brought the Bruin family closer together. Games in Piscataway, College Park, Omaha and beyond became mini-reunions for thousands of Bruins living in Big Ten country.
To help Bruins rally behind this new chapter, the UCLA Alumni Association carried the spirit of Westwood on the road all season long. On Aug. 2, UCLA Alumni kicked things off with the B1G Event — a launch party celebrating this new chapter in UCLA Athletics history.
Sprits were high after the UCLA gymnastics team advanced to the NCAA final on April 17, 2025.
Bruin Bash pregame parties and Big Bruin Weekends turned game days into celebrations — from the James West Alumni Center and the Rose Bowl to cities across Big Ten territory. Wherever Bruins gathered, there was always a place to reconnect, share stories and get the eight-clap going before kickoff.
Being part of the Big Ten has also brought opportunities for alumni to network and learn from our partner schools. This summer, UCLA Alumni hosted the Big Ten Alumni Relations Institute at the James West Alumni Center. The three-day conference welcomed alumni relations professionals from across the Big Ten to explore emerging trends, share innovative strategies and build meaningful connections.
“We have so many alumni and fans all over,” said Jarmond, “and as we continue, we need to make sure we’re connecting with them on the East Coast and the Midwest. In year two, I’d like to challenge our alumni … we have an exciting opportunity to support our young men and young women when they travel — and we need to show up and show out.”
From record crowds at home to loyal fans on the road, Bruins showed what makes UCLA special, no matter where the team plays.
Looking ahead
As UCLA enters its second year as members of the Big Ten, the national presence is already paying off.
The Big Ten spotlight has amplified UCLA’s Olympic sports, opened new doors for students from the Midwest and welcomed thousands of new fans to the Bruin family.
“Our success in the Big Ten this last year is a resounding statement. It says that we’re here and we’re here to win championships and compete at the highest level. I’m extremely bullish and excited about our trajectory and future, especially this upcoming year.”
—Martin Jarmond, UCLA’s Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Director of Athletics
On the recruiting side, the football and men’s basketball programs attracted arguably the top transfers in the transfer portal in Nico Iamaleava and Donovan Dent, respectively, while men’s soccer reeled in the No. 1 class in the country. Returning stars abound, such as Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice in women’s basketball, Jordan Chiles in gymnastics, Roch Cholowsky in baseball, and Ryder Dodd in men’s water polo.
Financially, the move to the Big Ten kept all 25 varsity programs strong and boosted resources for travel, nutrition and wellness.
There was concern the extra miles would stretch the budget and the athletes too thin. But year one showed that smart planning, strong support and the Bruin spirit can turn challenges into an edge.
The miles aren’t going away, but maybe that’s not so bad.
The systems built this year — from mental health resources to flexible classes — laid the groundwork for even bigger success in year two and beyond.
“We want to be consistent,” Jarmond said. “In year two, you’ll see us build off the foundation we’ve laid. And E.L.I.T.E. is the standard: Energy, Leadership, Integrity, Toughness and Excellence. It’s a mindset Bruins carry into every venue, in every sport, coast to coast. We don’t need to change a whole lot. We need to adapt and welcome new environments. We’ve always done that, and that will continue.”
Final whistle
A year ago, the Big Ten move felt like a leap into the unknown. Today, as the final whistle has blown following the 2024–25 campaign, it’s now a blueprint for how Bruins can grow without giving up what makes us special: championship ambition, student-first values and a family that shows up — whether the team is playing at home or 2,800 miles away.
Bruins didn’t just adapt; they excelled. They brought home trophies, broke attendance records, raised the bar for mental health and proved success is about more than wins and losses. It’s measured in study sessions on late-night flights, in professors who work with deadlines across time zones and in teammates who lift each other up through long road trips.
UCLA Athletics
Since Martin Jarmond’s appointment as athletics director in 2020, UCLA has captured six NCAA championships, bringing the university’s overall total to 124 — the most in the Big Ten and second-most in the nation.
Most of all, it’s measured in the unshakable spirit of Bruins everywhere — a reminder that wherever we play, we play together, for each other and for UCLA.
“To all of our fans, supporters and alumni,” Jarmond said, “We have a program you can be proud of, and we’ll continue to compete at the highest level in our new conference.
“Competing in the Big Ten allows us the opportunity to engage Bruins everywhere and bring the Bruin community together in a unique way. In our second year, I encourage all Bruins to come out, watch a game, get a watch party going and just engage with other Bruins. Let’s come together and get behind these student-athletes, because they’re some of the best in the country. We’re going to keep working hard, adapting and being flexible, and achieving success at an elite level.”
It was only two years ago that Louis Sakanoko rushed to Hawaii from his home country of France just days before the start of the 2024 season.
It was quite a culture shock for the 6-foot-5 outside hitter, who struggled to speak English.
One thing he brought with him that has never gone away is his smile. His outgoing personality, and his love for life and volleyball, are evident every time he steps on the floor. It is why in just a short amount of time, in a place far away from home, Sakanoko has quickly become a fan favorite.
“I love it here so much,” Sakanoko said. “I stayed here all summer, and so I discovered a little more of all of the islands and it’s just an amazing place. And I’m so much more comfortable here than I was last year, so everything is all great.”
On a team loaded with talent at the pins, Sakanoko has managed to hold onto his spot as a starter. He started 21 matches last season and hit .259 while averaging 2.39 kills per set.
The practice gym has changed a lot since Sakanoko first got here.
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He’s one of only five players who have been with the team for more than two years.
“It is weird that it’s my third year now, but honestly it feels good,” Sakanoko said. “We have almost the same team as last year, and so it’s nice to have the same energy and the same team spirit and have this work ethic that I think everyone has now.”
Sakanoko is a big part of that team spirit. He was one of the first players in the gym for afternoon practice on Monday, and with that same smile, walked up and shook hands with all of the reporters gathered for a media session.
When asked how he manages to stay so happy, Sakanoko kept it simple.
“How can you not be (happy) in Hawaii?” he responded. “The people here are special, for sure, and the atmosphere is just so different. Like, it’s Christmas, and people are walking around in T-shirts. You can still surf. It’s the best place.”
The Rainbow Warriors are ranked No. 2 in the country to start the season and have a real shot at returning to play in the NCAA Tournament.
Sakanoko gutted his way through the end of the season last year despite getting hurt right before the UCLA match.
The way that season ended has made preparation for this year feel a little different.
“We always want to win a championship,” Sakanoko said. “I got injured before the semi and Kristian got hurt earlier and so we felt like we had it taken away from us a little. We gained some experience from that, but we all want to win a championship this year. I definitely feel like this could be our year.”
Sakanoko famously tied a UH record with nine aces in just his second match as a Rainbow Warrior.
He is one of five returning players who had at least 20 aces a season ago.
As Hawaii prepares to start the season tonight hosting New Jersey Institute of Technology at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, Sakanoko isn’t worried about the quick turnaround from the holiday break.
Practices with such a deep and talented team can at times seem a lot tougher than the actual matches.
“It’s funny, because when you come back from Christmas, you maybe haven’t played for a week or two and so maybe you think you’re a little slow, but you can’t be in these practices,” Sakanoko said. “Every single day in here is like a fight. You have to fight your way if you want to be on the court the next weekend. I think that’s why we’re so good. We have so many players that can push you, and that’s been that way ever since I got here.”
Sakanoko doesn’t think he’s changed much in his time at UH, but his attitude on the practice floor has been noticed by teammates.
Setter Tread Rosenthal, the only other third-year starter, singled out Sakanoko’s growth as a leader as one of the things to be excited about for this season.
“I think Louis has gotten much more mature and literally, this year, has taken a big step off the court of being more mature and more focused on what we need to do to be the best at the end of the year,” Rosenthal said.
Isabelle Hoppe, like most everybody else in the volleyball world, had heard the rumors. But it wasn’t until the end that she thought how it might impact her life.
Photos: Wisconsin volleyball 2025 season in photos
Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) serves against UW Milwaukee on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin middle blocker Alicia Andrew (17) is greeted by fans after taking the floor prior to a match against Southern California at the Wisconsin Fieldhouse in Madison, Wis. Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
JOHN HART,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin defenders jump to block a spike by Kansas outside hitter Jovana Zelenovic (9) on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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The Wisconsin student section reacts after Wisconsin wins the third set against Kansas on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin setter Charlie Fuerbringer (24) sets the ball for a spike against Texas on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin setter Charlie Fuerbringer (24) sets the ball against Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wiss.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan, left, and middle blocker Carter Booth, right, go up for a block against UC-Davis Sept. 4.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) and Wisconsin middle blocker Carter Booth (52) yell after a block to win the first set against Purdue on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) elevates to contest a ball at the net against Illinois on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) is introduced prior to the match against Illinois on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin setter Charlie Fuerbringer (24) high-fives kids lined up before playing UC-Davis on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) hits the floor after saving the ball from touching the ground against Texas on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) helps setter Charlie Fuerbringer (24) off the floor after losing a point to Texas on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin head coach Kelly Sheffield huddles with his senior players following the teamÕs win over UNC during a second round NCAA Tournament match between the teams at the Wisconsin Fieldhouse in Madison, Wis. Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
JOHN HART,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) watches as the ball flies in the air before a serve against Notre Dame on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) goes up for a spike against UC-Davis on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin players react after a Minnesota touch goes out of bounds on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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The Wisconsin bench celebrates after a point against UW Milwaukee on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) attempts to spike over three Iowa defenders on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Nebraska middle blocker Rebekah Allick (5) yells after a block on Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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A young fan smiles after getting a high-five from a Wisconsin player during introductions against Minnesota on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Una Vajagic (1) dives for a ball flying out of bounds against Michigan on Saturday, Oct.5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) is introduced prior to the teamÕs non-conference match against Florida at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
JOHN HART,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) blocks a spike against Michigan on Saturday, Oct.5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Madison Quest (10) emerges from the locker room before playing Michigan on Saturday, Oct.5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin right side hitter Addy Horner (2) and Wisconsin middle blocker Natalie Wardlow (12) collide trying to set the ball against Nebraska on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) extends to hit a ball going out of bounds against Minnesota on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin middle blocker Alicia Andrew (17) and right side hitter Wisconsin setter Charlie Fuerbringer (24) put up a block against Indiana outside hitter Jaidyn Jager (24) in the first set of a match at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis. Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
AMBER ARNOLD STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) lines up a bump after a return by Iowa on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin middle blocker Carter Booth (52) reacts after a point against Kansas on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin players, including Wisconsin middle blocker Alicia Andrew, left, and libero/defensive specialist Kristen Simon (7) celebrate the teamÕs win over UNC during a second round NCAA Tournament match between the teams at the Wisconsin Fieldhouse in Madison, Wis. Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Trevell Jordan couldn’t have been happier with where he was.
The Mesa, Ariz., native was a roughly 30-minute drive from home at nearby Grand Canyon University, playing volleyball as a freshman for a school that was coming off an appearance in the semifinals of the NCAA Championships.
Jordan started 21 matches before missing the last four with an injury and was named to the All-MPSF Freshman Team. The Lopes were eliminated in the semifinals of the MPSF Tournament, but despite an 18-10 season, the plan was to run it back.
“We were a really young team, so we were pumped for the upcoming season,” Jordan said. “We had already made a bunch of plans of all the things we were going to do together to get ready.”
One meeting that came on a couple of hours’ notice and lasted all of five minutes changed everything.
“It came out of the blue, on one Sunday morning, where our coach texted our group chat and (wrote) the (athletics director) wants to meet with you guys,” Jordan recalled. “This was over the summer and half our team already left for home and we got to the meeting thinking it was going to be about what it was going to be like next year with the coaches. The AD walked in, said we are cutting your program, and we got two questions off before she booked it out of the room. It was quick.”
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Suddenly, Jordan had to find somewhere else to play volleyball. He had chosen Grand Canyon because it was so close to home.
Never did he ever think his next journey would take him to an island six hours away in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
“It was a big move to come across the ocean over here,” Jordan said.
Ultimately it was his connections to a bunch of players on the team that led to the 6-foot-10 sophomore middle blocker joining the Rainbow Warriors in the fall.
He knew sophomore hitter Finn Kearney, who grew up in nearby Phoenix, and also played with setter Tread Rosenthal, Justin Todd and opposite Kainoa Wade with Team USA.
Jordan was on the United States U21 team that won a bronze medal for the first time ever at the FIVB World Championships in China in August with Wade and Rosenthal.
“It was a really cool experience and achievement, especially for me. I didn’t make the first two USA teams. I was on the alternate roster, sadly, but I think that lit a fire underneath me for this last one,” Jordan said. “It really brought a better version out of me getting cut from those other two tryouts, and when I went in there, I went in with the mentality of, ‘I want to play.’”
That’s the same mentality Jordan is bringing into the practice gym at UH as he tries to crack the starting lineup on a loaded Hawaii team ranked No. 2 in the country in the preseason AVCA rankings entering today’s home opener against New Jersey Institute of Technology at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Hawaii lost Kurt Nusterer — who had one year left of eligibility but left to pursue a major career opportunity — in the middle but returns sophomore Ofeck Hazan. UH also landed a 7-foot freshman in Roman Payne and has Justin Todd, another Team USA alum who can play both on the outside and in the middle.
Jordan landed in Hawaii for the first time in August when he came to start school.
Off the court, the biggest difference was getting used to the palm trees and the tropical climate after spending his whole life growing up in the desert.
On the court, Jordan is used to playing with some of the best players in the country in his experiences with the USA team.
Compared to his one year at Grand Canyon, the major difference is the daily grind that comes in the practice gym.
“We’re all talented and there is for sure a standard that has been set to the highest bar that we have,” Jordan said. “And that’s why you have to come into the gym every day to compete. There’s always going to be someone better than you, so that’s why you want to play to the best of your ability every day in the gym and get as much out of each other as you can.”
TREVELL JORDAN
6-10, Soph., Middle Blocker
All-MPSF Freshman Team (at Grand Canyon)
Hit .889 for Team USA to win bronze at FIVB World Championships
DeLand won its sixth consecutive district title and made the furthest postseason run in the Volusia-Flagler area in 2025.
The Bulldogs advanced to the Region 1-7A semifinals but had to play Winter Park, the No. 1 team in Florida. DeLand’s season came to an end there, but it was still a successful campaign for one of the area’s perennial powers.
