MVB This Week — The top-ranked UCLA men's volleyball team (5-0, 2-0) plays MPSF matches on Wednesday at Cal Baptist (3-2, 0-2) and on Saturday will host #15 USC (0-4, 0-2) at 3 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion. The USC match is the first of four straight at home for UCLA. SoCal BMW Crosstown Cup points will be up for grabs as well in the match against USC.
Live Coverage — Fans can follow the matches on UCLA's live Twitter feed @UCLAMVB.
AT Cal Baptist -- available on internet radio http://www.uclabruins.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?type=live&db_oem_id=30500 The video/stats link for the match is at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/cbulancers/
USC - Live television on Pac-12 Networks with Kevin Barnett and Al Scates calling the action.
It is also available on internet radio http://www.uclabruins.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?type=live&db_oem_id=30500
Link for live stats http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=ucla
In The Rankings — The Bruins are No. 1 in the AVCA national rankings for the first time since 2014. USC comes in at #15 this week while Cal Baptist is listed as receiving votes on this week's poll and is unranked. Last year, UCLA was ranked as high as #4 in the AVCA poll. It was last ranked first in the AVCA polls #4 and #5 of the 2014 season after beginning the year by winning nine of the first 10 matches.
Scouting the Opponents — Cal Baptist lost MPSF matches last week at CSUN (25-19, 25-16, 25-23) and at Long Beach State (25-16, 22-25, 25-12, 15-18). In the opening week of the season CBU picked up three wins against Quincy (3-2), NJIT (3-1) and Lindenwood (3-0).
USC lost MPSF matches last week at CSUN (25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 25-19) and at Long Beach State (20-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-17). In the opening week of the season, the Trojans dropped matches against Ohio State (25-11, 25-20, 25-15) and at Penn State (25-22, 28-26, 29-27) in the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge. USC plays host to UCSB on Thursday.
Recapping — The Bruins defeated their fourth straight ranked opponent on the road in a 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 25-23, 25-23) victory at #4 UC Irvine last Friday. Mitch Stahl (career-high) and Jake Arnitz each had 14 kills and hit .458 and .344, respectively. Stahl added team high totals of three aces and five block assists. Last Saturday, UCLA won 3-0 at UC San Diego (25-18, 25-17, 25-14) while out-serving the Tritons 11 aces to 0. Micah Ma'a led the way with six service aces, seven kills and eight digs. JT Hatch topped the team with 12 kills and Dylan Missry added nine (hitting .455) and seven digs. Hagen Smith had 20 set assists, six kills and four block assists. This is the first time the Bruins have started a season 5-0 since it went 7-0 to open the 2005 season.
2016 Honors — Jan. 11 Mitch Stahl - AVCA National Player of the Week and MPSF Player of the Week. Micah Ma'a Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Co-Freshman of the Week.
Overview — Head Coach John Speraw and Assistant Coach Brad Keller are joined by a couple of staff newcomers this season in Assistant Coach John Hawks and Volunteer Assistant Coach Spencer McLachlin.
Several players who finished the 2015 campaign as starters return --- junior middle blocker Mitch Stahl, junior libero Jackson Bantle, sophomore outside hitter JT Hatch, sophomore outside hitter Jake Arnitz, sophomore opposite Christian Hessenauer, along with setters Hagen Smith (junior) and Eric Matheis (sophomore). The Bruins lost starting middle blocker Trent Kersten to graduation. There are no seniors on the 2016 roster. Six incoming freshmen have been added to the roster --- 5-9 libero Davis Gillett (Huntington Beach HS), 6-5 middle blocker Jonah Kay (Rancho Bernardo HS), 6-1 outside hitter Dominic Brousard (San Clemente HS), 6-4 outside hitter Dylan Missry (Sachem HS North-Holbrook, NY), 6-3 setter/hitter Micah Ma'a (Punahou Honolulu, HI HS) and 5-11 libero Spencer Sachs (Deerfield ,IL HS).
2015 Honors — Four Bruins were named to last season's All-MPSF teams. JT Hatch was a second-team all-league selection and the MPSF Freshman of the Year. Middle blockers Trent Kersten (graduated) and Mitch Stahl were chosen All-MPSF honorable mention. Jake Arnitz joined Hatch on the All-MPSF Freshman team. Hatch and Arnitz were each named to the 2015 Off the Block Freshman All-America team.
Coach Speraw: Year Four at UCLA — John Speraw (UCLA '95), who is in his fourth season as the head coach at his alma mater, has captured three NCAA titles as a head coach (2012, 2009, 2007), three as an assistant coach (1996, 1998, 2000) and two as a player (1993, 1995). Also the head coach of the U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team, Speraw led that squad to the 2015 FIVB World Cup and automatic qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games. Speraw came back to UCLA after 10 seasons at UC Irvine where he led the Anteaters to three NCAA championships, and a 199-106 (.646) overall record. In winning that 2007 title, Speraw became the only individual to produce a championship as a head coach, assistant coach and player in collegiate men's volleyball history. On Mar. 25, 2013, he was named head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team for the next quadrennial ending at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero. In the summer of 2014, he guided the U.S. team to a win over top-ranked Brazil in the FIVB World League gold-medal match. In the summer of 2012, he had served as an assistant coach for the National Team, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the London Olympics. Speraw won the National Coach of the Year award in 2007.
Elsewhere in MPSF: Jan. 20-UCSD at Pepperdine, Cal Lutheran at CSUN; Jan. 21-Grand Canyon at Hawaii; Jan. 22- BYU at Long Beach, UCSB at Cal Bapt., UCI at Pepperdine, UCSD at Stanford, Grand Canyon at Hawaii; Jan. 23 UCSD at Holy Names, BYU at Long Beach, UCI at Stanford.
Live Coverage — Fans can follow the matches on UCLA's live Twitter feed @UCLAMVB.
AT Cal Baptist -- available on internet radio http://www.uclabruins.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?type=live&db_oem_id=30500 The video/stats link for the match is at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/cbulancers/
USC - Live television on Pac-12 Networks with Kevin Barnett and Al Scates calling the action.
It is also available on internet radio http://www.uclabruins.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?type=live&db_oem_id=30500
Link for live stats http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=ucla
In The Rankings — The Bruins are No. 1 in the AVCA national rankings for the first time since 2014. USC comes in at #15 this week while Cal Baptist is listed as receiving votes on this week's poll and is unranked. Last year, UCLA was ranked as high as #4 in the AVCA poll. It was last ranked first in the AVCA polls #4 and #5 of the 2014 season after beginning the year by winning nine of the first 10 matches.
Scouting the Opponents — Cal Baptist lost MPSF matches last week at CSUN (25-19, 25-16, 25-23) and at Long Beach State (25-16, 22-25, 25-12, 15-18). In the opening week of the season CBU picked up three wins against Quincy (3-2), NJIT (3-1) and Lindenwood (3-0).
USC lost MPSF matches last week at CSUN (25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 25-19) and at Long Beach State (20-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-17). In the opening week of the season, the Trojans dropped matches against Ohio State (25-11, 25-20, 25-15) and at Penn State (25-22, 28-26, 29-27) in the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge. USC plays host to UCSB on Thursday.
Recapping — The Bruins defeated their fourth straight ranked opponent on the road in a 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 25-23, 25-23) victory at #4 UC Irvine last Friday. Mitch Stahl (career-high) and Jake Arnitz each had 14 kills and hit .458 and .344, respectively. Stahl added team high totals of three aces and five block assists. Last Saturday, UCLA won 3-0 at UC San Diego (25-18, 25-17, 25-14) while out-serving the Tritons 11 aces to 0. Micah Ma'a led the way with six service aces, seven kills and eight digs. JT Hatch topped the team with 12 kills and Dylan Missry added nine (hitting .455) and seven digs. Hagen Smith had 20 set assists, six kills and four block assists. This is the first time the Bruins have started a season 5-0 since it went 7-0 to open the 2005 season.
2016 Honors — Jan. 11 Mitch Stahl - AVCA National Player of the Week and MPSF Player of the Week. Micah Ma'a Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Co-Freshman of the Week.
Overview — Head Coach John Speraw and Assistant Coach Brad Keller are joined by a couple of staff newcomers this season in Assistant Coach John Hawks and Volunteer Assistant Coach Spencer McLachlin.
Several players who finished the 2015 campaign as starters return --- junior middle blocker Mitch Stahl, junior libero Jackson Bantle, sophomore outside hitter JT Hatch, sophomore outside hitter Jake Arnitz, sophomore opposite Christian Hessenauer, along with setters Hagen Smith (junior) and Eric Matheis (sophomore). The Bruins lost starting middle blocker Trent Kersten to graduation. There are no seniors on the 2016 roster. Six incoming freshmen have been added to the roster --- 5-9 libero Davis Gillett (Huntington Beach HS), 6-5 middle blocker Jonah Kay (Rancho Bernardo HS), 6-1 outside hitter Dominic Brousard (San Clemente HS), 6-4 outside hitter Dylan Missry (Sachem HS North-Holbrook, NY), 6-3 setter/hitter Micah Ma'a (Punahou Honolulu, HI HS) and 5-11 libero Spencer Sachs (Deerfield ,IL HS).
2015 Honors — Four Bruins were named to last season's All-MPSF teams. JT Hatch was a second-team all-league selection and the MPSF Freshman of the Year. Middle blockers Trent Kersten (graduated) and Mitch Stahl were chosen All-MPSF honorable mention. Jake Arnitz joined Hatch on the All-MPSF Freshman team. Hatch and Arnitz were each named to the 2015 Off the Block Freshman All-America team.
Coach Speraw: Year Four at UCLA — John Speraw (UCLA '95), who is in his fourth season as the head coach at his alma mater, has captured three NCAA titles as a head coach (2012, 2009, 2007), three as an assistant coach (1996, 1998, 2000) and two as a player (1993, 1995). Also the head coach of the U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team, Speraw led that squad to the 2015 FIVB World Cup and automatic qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games. Speraw came back to UCLA after 10 seasons at UC Irvine where he led the Anteaters to three NCAA championships, and a 199-106 (.646) overall record. In winning that 2007 title, Speraw became the only individual to produce a championship as a head coach, assistant coach and player in collegiate men's volleyball history. On Mar. 25, 2013, he was named head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team for the next quadrennial ending at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero. In the summer of 2014, he guided the U.S. team to a win over top-ranked Brazil in the FIVB World League gold-medal match. In the summer of 2012, he had served as an assistant coach for the National Team, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the London Olympics. Speraw won the National Coach of the Year award in 2007.
Elsewhere in MPSF: Jan. 20-UCSD at Pepperdine, Cal Lutheran at CSUN; Jan. 21-Grand Canyon at Hawaii; Jan. 22- BYU at Long Beach, UCSB at Cal Bapt., UCI at Pepperdine, UCSD at Stanford, Grand Canyon at Hawaii; Jan. 23 UCSD at Holy Names, BYU at Long Beach, UCI at Stanford.