June 22, 2006
The UCLA athletic program enjoyed another stellar year in 2005-2006.
UCLA will enter the 2006-2007 school year with 99 NCAA team championships to its credit -- poised to become the first school in history to win 100 NCAA team titles.
On Thursday, it was announced that UCLA had placed second in competition for the Directors' Cup, which is presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors, USA Today and the U.S. Sports Academy. The Bruins finished third in both 2004-05 and 2003-04.
The Bruins won two NCAA team championships in 2005-06. UCLA has won 13 team titles in the last four years, the most of any school in the country (Stanford is second with 10). The 13 NCAA titles ties the most successful four-year stretch in school history since the NCAA began awarding NCAA titles to women's teams in 1981-82. UCLA won 15 NCAA men's titles in a four-year stretch from 1969-70 through 1972-73.
During the 2005-2006 school year, UCLA won NCAA team titles in men's volleyball and women's water polo, the 98th and 99th in school history. The Bruins also reached the championship game in men's basketball and women's soccer, finishing second nationally in both sports. They also earned a third-place (tied) finish in softball and a fifth-place (tied) finish in men's tennis.
In addition, UCLA finished tied for seventh in men's golf, tied for ninth in women's volleyball and women's tennis, 11th in women's golf, tied for 13th in women's gymnastics, tied for 14th in women's outdoor track and field, tied for 15th in women's indoor track and field, tied for 17th in women's basketball and men's soccer and 20th in women's swimming. The UCLA football team won the Vitalis Sun Bowl and finished with a No. 13 ranking on the ESPN Coaches poll. In women's rowing the Varsity Eight placed 12th in NCAA competition.
Overall, 16 UCLA teams placed in the Top 20 in NCAA competition and the football team finished with a No. 13 ranking by the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll.
In addition, UCLA won seven conference titles and post-season league tournaments in two other sports.