ON DECK THIS WEEK
No. 3 UCLA will play five game in three days at the UCSB Invitational in Santa Barbara, Calif. The Bruins get things started Friday at 4:30 p.m., when they take on the Chinese National Team in a scrimmage. Games will once again start counting Friday morning , though, as UCLA is set to take on No. 8 Michigan in a morning (9:00 a.m.) tilt. The Bruins will return to the UCSB Campus Pool later that afternoon (1:45 p.m.) to take on Fresno Pacific. They will conclude their time at the invite Sunday with games against No. 19 UC Santa Barbara (10:30 a.m.) and No. 16 UC San Diego (2:00 p.m.).

SERIES HISTORY
The Bruins hold a 21-0 all-time mark against Michigan, including a 12-5 victory over the Wolverines in last year's UCSB Invite (Jan. 22, 2017). Saturday afternoon's meeting with the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific, meanwhile, will represent the first between the schools. UCLA has won 39 of 40 contests against UC Santa Barbara, with the most recent meeting coming April 1, 2017 at the Hawai'i Invitational, where the Bruins picked up a 19-2 win. Rounding out the list of weekend opponents, UCLA holds a 28-3 all-time mark against UC San Diego, with their last meeting commencing in a 19-3 Bruin victory at last year's Barbara Kalbus Invitational (Feb. 24, 2017).

WEEK IN REVIEW
The Bruins picked up their first win of 2018, knocking off Loyola Marymount, 11-2, as part of the UCLA Invitational (Jan. 13). UCLA's defense stepped up in Adam Wright's debut as head coach, holding the Lions scoreless for 22:55 of gameplay after the visitors scored the game's opening goal. Four Bruins scored two goals each for the cause, while freshman Jahmea Bent tallied eight saves in her debut. UCLA scored seven consecutive goals to bury LMU and tacked on four more in the final frame. As part of the invite, the Bruins also took part in a pair of unscored exhibition contests against crosstown rival USC.

DAZZLING DEBUTS
Bent (Los Angeles, Calif./Eagle Rock Senior HS) tallied save after save against the Lions, including a denial of Marissa Bryant-Manago's penalty shot that would have cut the Bruins' second-quarter advantage in half. Half of Bent's saves came during the games first eight minutes and included two as UCLA faced a disadvantage. Fellow freshman Roxy Wheaton (Walnut Creek, Calif./Las Lomas HS) and Lexi Liebowitz (Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley HS) each found the back of the net, with Wheaton scoring twice. Wheaton also won a sprint, while Liebowitz assisted on a goal, recorded two steals and added two earned exclusions for good measure. Fellow newcomers Myna Simmons (Orange, Calif./Orange Lutheran HS) and Hannah Zari (Fair Oaks, Calif./American River College) did not play in the opener.

BRUINS THIRD IN WEEK 1 POLL
One week after being slotted in a tie for second in the preseason rankings, the Collegiate Water Polo Association announced the Bruins were ranked No. 3 in its Week 1 poll. Stanford maintained its hold on the top spot (99 points), while USC moved into sole possession of the No. 2 spot (94). The Bruins are third (92), while California (91) and Arizona State (81) round out the Top 5. UCLA was previously voted tied for third with USC in the preseason MPSF rankings, behind Stanford and Cal and in front ASU and San Jose State, respectively.

THE WRIGHT WAY
Adam Wright, who has coached the UCLA men's water polo team to three NCAA Championships (2014, 2015, 2017), will now guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams, Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero announced July 20, 2017. Wright has an overall record of 227-37 (.860) and an MPSF mark of 51-12 (.810). From 2014-16, Wright's Bruins set an NCAA record with 57 consecutive victories and a conference record with 26 consecutive MPSF wins. Prior to becoming head coach of the men's program in 2009, he served as an assistant coach with the men's and women's teams during the 2008-09 school year, helping the women win an unprecedented fifth consecutive NCAA Championship in May 2009.

FAMILIAR FACES
Wright completed his staff on Aug. 31, 2017 with the hiring of Kodi Hill, who joined Dusty Litvak as an assistant coach. A 2017 graduate of UCLA, Hill was an instrumental member of a Bruin class that amassed a record of 105-17 over its four years in the pool. Litvak previously served under Wright in the same role for the men's team during 2013 and 2014 and worked in a volunteer capacity with the women's team each of the past two seasons.