Baseball
Record: 28-31, 11-13 Pac-10 * Pac-10 Finish: T-5th
Though the Bruins narrowly missed out on a trip to the NCAA Tournament, playing a difficult conference schedule against four teams who advanced to postseason play, the UCLA baseball season was not without its highlights. The Bruins trounced 2002 NCAA Champion and 2003 regional host Texas 13-2 at the Kia Baseball Bash in Fullerton in February, and sophomore Wes Whisler was placed on the Pac-10's first team for the second-straight year. Brett McMillan, Billy Susdorf, Warren Trott, and Doug Silva received honorable mention all-conference status.
Softball
Record: 54-7, 17-4 Pac-10 * NCAA Finish: 1st * Pac-10 Finish: 2nd
The UCLA softball team captured its 10th national championship since 1978 with a sterling pitching performance by junior Keira Goerl in the national final against California. Goerl no-hit the defending-champion Golden Bears over nine innings, after pitching four games in two days on the way to the final. An RBI single by Toria Auelua scored Stephanie Ramos for the winning run in the 1-0 victory. Goerl was named to the All-America first-team along with seniors Natasha Watley, Tairia Mims, and Claire Sua. Watley earned the Honda Broderick Cup as the nation's top female athlete and was also named the Pac-10 Softball Player of the Year. Goerl was chosen as the conference's Pitcher of the Year.
Women's Golf
NCAA Finish: T-5th * Pac-10 Finish: 3rd
The UCLA women's golf team tied for fifth at the NCAA Championships in West Lafayette, IN, after qualifying with a third place finish at the NCAA West Regional. Sophomore Charlotte Mayorkas was named a first-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-10. Mayorkas (T-17th place) and Hana Kim (T-11th place) finished among the Top 20 nationally and were just five and four shots, respectively, off the lead. Kim, first-year transfer from Northwestern, earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors, and junior Gina Umeck earned conference honorable mention honors. The team set a school record for lowest single round team score, and Mayorkas won her first collegiate tournament in April with record-setting scores.
Men's Golf
Pac-10 Finish: 1st * NCAA Finish: 3rd
O.D. Vincent had a successful first season as the head coach of the UCLA men's golf team. The Bruins won a total of seven tournaments during the year to lead the nation and finished third nationally. Individually, juniors John Merrick (T-16th place) and Travis Johnson (T-19th) earned All-America honors, as well as three-year letterman Steve Conway, who won two tournaments during the season. At the Pac-10 Championships, the Bruins placed first to earn their first conference title in 18 years, and Merrick won the individual title and set a course record with a nine-under par 63 in the tournament's final round. UCLA also won the NCAA West Regional title, its first ever.
Women's Water Polo
NCAA Finish: 1st * MPSF Finish: 3rd * Record: 23-4, 8-2 MPSF
The UCLA women's water polo team won its second NCAA title in three years,
coming from behind to defeat Stanford 4-3 in a thrilling championship
match. The team won 18 of its last 19 games to finish the season, avenging
the only loss it had during that stretch, to Stanford 3-2 in overtime at
the MPSF finals, in the national championship game. Six Bruins were named
to the three All-America teams, with NCAA Tournament MVP Robin Beauregard
and Natalie Golda tabbed for the first team.
Women's Rowing
Pac-10 Finish: 6th
In its second season after regaining varsity status, the UCLA women's
rowing team completed the season with a sixth-place finish at the Pac-10
Championships in Rancho Cordova, CA. The UCLA women's varsity eight won
nine of the 13 races in which it competed, including four of six dual
meets. Season highlights included besting five other squads to win the Berg
Cup and six other schools to capture the Miller Cup for the first time
since 1990. The UCLA women's novice eight also enjoyed a successful spring
schedule, winning 11 of 13 races, including a perfect dual-meet record, and
culminating with a Pac-10 Conference title.
Women's Tennis
NCAA Finish: T-5th * Pac-10 Finish: 5th * Record: 16-11, 4-4 Pac-10
Playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation, the UCLA women's
tennis team won three matches in the NCAA Tournament before falling in the
quarterfinals to Duke. All of the Bruins' losses came to teams ranked in
the top 10. Four Bruins finished the postseason ranked in the top-100,
including Sara Walker (12), Jackie Carleton (20), Susi Wild (50), and Sarah
Gregg (96).
Men's Tennis
NCAA Finish: T-3rd * Pac-10 Finish: 2nd * Record: 24-4, 6-1 Pac-10
The UCLA men's tennis team advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA
Championships in Athens, GA before falling to Vanderbilt, 4-3, in a
heartbreaking match that took six hours to complete. The men's team played
a similarly tough schedule to the women's team, with all four of UCLA's
losses coming to teams in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's top
seven. Five Bruins finished the postseason ranked in the top-100,
including Tobias Clemens (5), Marcin Matkowski (24), Chris Lam (37), Erfan
Djahangiri (88), and Rodrigo Grilli (98).
Men's Track & Field
NCAA Finish: 19th * Pac-10 Finish: 4th * Record: 1-0
The Bruin men won the inaugural NCAA West Region title, scoring 101 points, and placed fourth at the Pac-10 Championships with 123 points. Juniors Dan Ames and Juaune Armon were Regional and Pac-10 Champions in the shot put/discus and long jump, respectively, and senior Kyle Erickson was the West Region 400m hurdles champion. At the NCAA outdoor championships, the Bruins placed 19th and had five All-Americans: Ames-shot put, Armon-long jump, Yoo Kim-pole vault, Pat Luke-pole vault and Scott Wiegand-shot put. Coach Art Venegas was named the Mondo West Region Coach of the Year for the 2003 indoor and outdoor track seasons.
Women's Track & Field
NCAA Finish: 8th * Pac-10 Finish: 1st * Record: 1-0
Coach Jeanette Bolden's Bruins won their seventh consecutive Pac-10 Championship and the inaugural NCAA West Region title with 155 and 138 points, respectively. At the NCAA Championships, the Bruins placed eighth with 28 points, and junior Sheena Johnson won the 400m hurdle title in a meet record breaking 54.24, the No. 2 time in collegiate and school history. The Bruins had five All-Americans: Monique Henderson-400m, Johnson-100mH/400mH, Lena Nilsson-1500m, Cari Soong-hammer and Ysanne Williams-400mH. Bolden was named the Mondo West Region Coach of the Year and was also named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year for the seventh consecutive year.