Friday, October 27
Salt Lake City, UT
6:00 PM
UCLA
at
Utah
Peyton Dueck (photo: Marie Goldfarb)
Photo by: Marie Goldfarb
Bruins Travel to Utah, Colorado
October 26, 2023 | Women's Volleyball
LOS ANGELES โ The UCLA women's volleyball team travels to Utah and Colorado this week. The Bruins (11-9, 3-7) face the Utes (9-11, 4-6) Friday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. (PT) in the Jon M. Huntsman Center and the Buffaloes (12-9, 4-6) Sunday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. (PT) in the CU Events Center. Both contests are available for streaming on Pac-12 Insider.
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UCLA (11-9, 3-7) at Utah (9-11, 4-6)
Date: Friday, Oct. 27, 2023 โ 6 p.m. (PT)
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah (Huntsman Center)
Watch: Pac-12 Insider
Talent: Jacob Suomi
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
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UCLA (11-9, 3-7) at Colorado (12-9, 4-6)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023 โ 1 p.m. (PT)
Location: Boulder, Colo. (CU Events Center)
Watch: Pac-12 Insider
Talent: Thad Anderson
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
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First Serve
ยท UCLA is led by Alfee Reft who was announced as the program's fourth head coach on Dec. 19, 2022.
ยท UCLA enters this weekend ranked No. 48 in the latest ratings percentage index (RPI) and ninth in the Pac-12 Conference standings. The upcoming matches take on more importance in terms of NCAA Tournament at-large selection hopes.
ยท Outside hitter Iman Ndiaye leads UCLA in kills (230), kills per set (2.99), points (275.5) and points per set (3.58). Ndiaye has reached double-digit kills in 13 out of 20 matches this year and leads UCLA's pin hitters with a .268 hitting percentage.
ยท Middle blockers Desiree Becker and Anna Dodson rank third and fifth in blocks in the Pac-12 with 93 and 88, respectively.
ยท Dodson owns a team-high .362 hitting percentage and ranks fourth on the squad with 2.96 points per set.
ยท Dodson leads the Pac-12 with 20 solo blocks.
ยท Setter Audrey Pak totaled 67 assists, 14 digs, seven kills and three service aces in her two starts last weekend.
ยท UCLA has split its four Pac-12 matches after a brief losing skid.
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Last Time Out
UCLA split its two matches versus Washington and then-No. 4 Washington State last weekend, defeating the Huskies in a sweep on Friday, Oct. 20 and losing in four sets to the Cougars on Sunday, Oct. 22. Pak had arguably the most impressive performance of her career against Washington, averaging 11.00 assists per set and recording a career-high four kills and three service aces. UCLA staved off nine Washington set points in the third set, resulting in a 38-36 Bruins' victory. The 38 points were UCLA's most ever in a set in program history. That stretch of extra points featured seven service errors between the squads. There were 19 total ties in the third set, and Washington's 38 points were more than its previous two sets combined (34).
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UCLA was on the verge of taking set one against Washington State last Sunday up three points with five to play at 20-17. The Cougars went on an 8-2 run to close the opening stanza. Sophomore outside hitter Grayce Olson recorded a career-high 17 kills at a .438 hitting percentage in the loss.
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Season-High Hitting Efficiency
In UCLA's victory over Washington, the Bruins hit for a .364 hitting percentage which was their best rate in conference play and second best on the season (.402% vs. Liberty on Sept. 8). Ndiaye and sophomore Cheridyn Leverette led the UCLA attack with 14 and 13 kills, respectively, and just one attacking error apiece. The duo combined for a .472 hitting percentage.
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Postseason Outlook
UCLA is searching for marquee wins to bolster its resume for postseason candidacy. The Bruins' notable preseason victories include Indiana, Long Beach State, Pepperdine and then-No. 23 Hawai'i. Since losing to UCLA, Indiana has defeated then-No. 15 Purdue and took a No. 14 Penn State team to five sets. Pepperdine currently sits in first place atop the West Coast Conference standings. The next six matches are a crucial stretch for the Bruins who face Utah, Arizona, Arizona State and Washington State โ all teams who defeated UCLA in the first half of Pac-12 play.
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Dodson Domination
Dodson is putting together another All-Pac-12 caliber season with a team-leading .362 hitting percentage and 1.19 blocks per set. Both marks are currently career highs for the Fort Collins, Colo. native. She has eclipsed a .350 hitting percentage in 10 of her 19 matches this season. Defensively, she leads the Pac-12 with 20 solo blocks. Dodson has recorded multiple solo blocks in seven contests.
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Over her last eight matches, Dodson has recorded 38 total blocks for an average of 1.41 blocks per set. At Long Beach State on Sept. 2, she notched her best performance of the year with 12 kills for an errorless .600 hitting percentage to go along with seven total blocks (3 BS, 4 BA) for 18.0 points.
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Elite Duo
Becker and Dodson have combined for 181 total blocks which is the most among all Pac-12 blocking duos this season. In second is No. 9 Oregon's Kara McGhee and Karson Bacon with 179 total blocks.
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Immediate Impact
Becker has been one of the most valuable transfer additions in the Pac-12 this season. The graduate from Northwestern has tallied 4.0+ blocks in 15 of 20 matches this season. At Long Beach State on Sept. 2, Becker established a new career high in total blocks with 9.0 (2 BS, 7 BA). Becker has also reached 7+ blocks in four other contests. Offensively, she has been efficient when distributed the ball with a .312 hitting percentage. Becker's most impressive offensive display of the season came in UCLA's home opener versus USC on Sept. 20 in which she hit for an error-free 12 kills. It was her fourth career performance with at least 10 kills and no errors.
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When it Matters
In last Friday's marathon third set versus Washington, Pak relied upon UCLA's most steady performers this season โ Dodson and Becker โ despite only having one kill between them entering the set. Becker struck for her first kill of the match with UCLA trailing 29-28 to erase a Husky set point. Dodson did the same with UCLA trailing 32-31 and put the eventual match point at the line, 37-36, with her third kill of the night.
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Ndiaye of the Tiger
Ndiaye has recorded four of the five highest single-match point totals in her career in this season alone. The Dallas, Texas native recorded the second 20-kill outing of her career in UCLA's season-opening match at LSU with 20 at a .444 clip on Aug. 25. She is the only Bruin on the active roster to have recorded a 20-kill performance. Her first such performance came last season versus Colorado on Oct. 2, 2022 when she racked a career-high 22 kills.
Defensive Improvement
Ndiaye recorded the first two double-doubles of her career in back-to-back matches at Oklahoma on Sept. 16 (16 K, 12 D) and versus USC on Sept. 20 (16 K, 12 D). She picked up her third career double-double in UCLA's win over Washington last weekend (14 K, 11 D). Ndiaye is averaging 1.81 digs per set this season which more than quadruples her average over the previous three seasons (0.42).
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Reft, Team USA Qualifies for 2024 Olympics
Alfee Reft returned from his seasonal assistant coaching position with the U.S. Women's National Team on Sept. 29. He returned to UCLA after helping Team USA finish the FIVB Road to 2024 Paris Olympic Qualifier with a 6-1 record. The national team punched its ticket with a 3-1 victory over Germany last Sunday. Reft serves UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer and Team USA Head Coach Karch Kiraly. In total, Reft has spent 12 years as both a player and coach on the U.S. Men's and Women's National Teams. Reft will be with the Bruins for every match the remainder of the 2023 season. Associate Head Coach Jen Malcom filled in as acting head coach during Reft's absence for a record of 4-3.
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Non-Conference Recap
UCLA went 8-2 in its non-conference schedule with signature wins over LSU, Pepperdine and then-No. 23 Hawai'i โ all teams who appeared in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Bruins also defeated Long Beach State a week after the Beach took down reigning NCAA Champion Texas. UCLA put up 19.0 total blocks versus Long Beach State, its third-highest single-match blocking total over the last seven seasons.
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500 Block Club
UCLA middles Anna Dodson and Desiree Becker both achieved the 500th kills of their collegiate careers earlier this season. Dodson reached the milestone in the Bruins' second match of the season versus LSU on Aug. 26. Becker achieved the milestone in UCLA non-conference finale versus Oklahoma on Sept. 16.
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Paking a Punch
Pak has been a big block so far this season for the Bruins. Pak has recorded 4.0+ total blocks in five matches this year, setting a career high with 5.0 versus Hawai'i on Sept. 10. The Moraga, Calif. native is up to 38.0 total blocks over 65 sets played in 2023. Her previous season high was three blocks over three sets in 2021.
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Unleash the Dodson
Dodson has eclipsed a .350 hitting percentage in 10 of her 19 matches this season. At Long Beach State on Sept. 2, she notched her best performance of the year with 12 kills for an errorless .600 hitting percentage to go along with seven total blocks (3 BS, 4 BA) for 18.0 points.
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Utah Series History; Last Time Versus the Utes
UCLA leads the all-time series versus Utah, 22-10, dating back to 1980. The Utes swept the Bruins in their previous meeting earlier this season on Oct. 1. UCLA was limited to 28 kills at a .147 hitting percentage. Dodson led UCLA with seven blocks and six kills.
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Colorado Series History; Last Time Versus the Buffaloes
UCLA leads the all-time series versus Colorado, 18-8, dating back to 1992. Grayce Olson led the Bruins with a match-high 13 kills and two blocks in UCLA's 3-0 victory over Colorado earlier this season on Sept. 29. Dodson added eight kills at a .462 clip with a team-high five blocks.
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UCLA Picked Fifth
UCLA was picked to finish fifth in the annual Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll. UCLA is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Pac-12 a year ago with a 10-10 conference record. The Bruins' notable 2022 wins included a five-set comeback at then-RV Hawai'i in the Outrigger Volleyball Challenge on Sept. 4 and their lone victory over a ranked foe at then-No. 25 Washington State on Nov. 22.
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Dodson: Preseason All-Pac-12
Redshirt senior middle blocker Anna Dodson was named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 Team for the first time in her career in 2023. Last season, Dodson was selected to the All-Pac-12 Team and AVCA Pacific South All-Region Honorable Mention after leading UCLA with a .330 hitting percentage on her 259 kills. Dodson achieved double-digit kills in 13 matches and ranked second on the team with 2.54 kills per set in her 27 starts and 102 sets played. She is UCLA's second-highest returning point scorer (259) behind outside hitter Iman Ndiaye.
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A New Era in Westwood
Reft was hired in December 2022 as the fourth head coach in program history on Dec. 18, 2022. Reft came to UCLA after leading San Diego to its first-ever National Semifinal appearance in the NCAA Tournament in his third year as associate head coach. The Oxnard, Calif. native also brings Big Ten Conference experience to UCLA after serving as an assistant at the University of Illinois from 2018-19 and at the University of Minnesota from 2010-12. He accumulated a 68-32 conference record across both stints and reached the Final Four with the Fighting Illini in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
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Dodson the Defender
Dodson has led the Bruins in blocks in each of the last two seasons with 109 in her Fall 2021 campaign and 77 in 2022. The last Bruin to lead the team in blocks in three consecutive years was Zoë Nightingale who paced UCLA across the 2012-14 seasons. The Fort Collins, Colo. native enters her fourth season in Westwood averaging 0.90 blocks per set across her career.
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Notes on Ndiaye
UCLA's top returning attacker is Iman Ndiaye who ranked second on the team with 269 kills and third with 307.0 total points in 2022. Ndiaye reached double-digit kills on 14 occasions in 2022, including a career-best performance with 22 kills at a .421 clip (22-6-38) versus Colorado on Oct. 2. She is the only active UCLA player to have a 10-block match in their career. The Plano West High School product (Dallas) was an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention recipient last season. She was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and All-Freshman Team in Spring 2021.
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High School All-American Mullen
The Bruins' most highly-touted incoming freshman is setter Ashley Mullen from Kansas City, Mo. (Liberty HS). She has started in four of UCLA's first five matches of the season. Mullen was an AVCA First Team High School All-American her senior year and was selected as an UnderArmour All-American to compete in the annual All-American game. Mullen was ranked as the No. 4 setter in the nation and 26th overall recruit by PrepVolleyball in 2022. One of 25 nominees for All-USA TODAY Girls Volleyball Player of the Year, Mullen amassed 3,457 career assists in high school, including 1,124 as a senior (10.10 AST/S).
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Dodson Selected to USAV Collegiate National Team
Two-time All-Pac-12 middle blocker Anna Dodson received national attention this offseason when she was named to the USA Volleyball 2023 Collegiate Women's National Team (CNT). From June 18-24 in Anaheim, Calif., Dodson trained alongside the Women's National Team Olympic Champions as the prepared for the Volleyball Nations League.
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Big Ten Bound in 2024-25
UCLA Athletics announced its decision to join the Big Ten Conference on June 30, 2022. This move will go into effect at the start of the 2024-25 season. In doing so, the Bruins will be joining the preeminent volleyball conference in the country with five of the last 10 NCAA Women's Volleyball champions coming from the Big Ten. Joining UCLA in this move are USC, Washington and Oregon. UCLA and USC have combined for seven NCAA Women's Volleyball Championships. UCLA won 10 conference championships while in the Pac-12, all coming under Hall of Fame Coach Andy Banachowski. Overall, the Bruins have played in 38 NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournaments which ranks fourth among all programs behind only Penn State, Stanford and Nebraska. In addition, UCLA has advanced to the NCAA Final Four 12 times and has posted a record of 94-35 in the NCAA Tournament.
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Glad for Grads
Two Bruins on this year's 2023 roster have earned undergraduate degrees. In Spring 2023, Dodson added two bachelor degrees to her résumé in sociology and gender studies. She now is working toward her master's degree in John Wooden's Transformative Coaching and Leadership (education major). Becker earned her bachelor of arts in history from Northwestern in 2023. She is now pursuing a master's degree in legal studies with the career objective of becoming an entertainment lawyer.
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UCLA (11-9, 3-7) at Utah (9-11, 4-6)
Date: Friday, Oct. 27, 2023 โ 6 p.m. (PT)
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah (Huntsman Center)
Watch: Pac-12 Insider
Talent: Jacob Suomi
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
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UCLA (11-9, 3-7) at Colorado (12-9, 4-6)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023 โ 1 p.m. (PT)
Location: Boulder, Colo. (CU Events Center)
Watch: Pac-12 Insider
Talent: Thad Anderson
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
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First Serve
ยท UCLA is led by Alfee Reft who was announced as the program's fourth head coach on Dec. 19, 2022.
ยท UCLA enters this weekend ranked No. 48 in the latest ratings percentage index (RPI) and ninth in the Pac-12 Conference standings. The upcoming matches take on more importance in terms of NCAA Tournament at-large selection hopes.
ยท Outside hitter Iman Ndiaye leads UCLA in kills (230), kills per set (2.99), points (275.5) and points per set (3.58). Ndiaye has reached double-digit kills in 13 out of 20 matches this year and leads UCLA's pin hitters with a .268 hitting percentage.
ยท Middle blockers Desiree Becker and Anna Dodson rank third and fifth in blocks in the Pac-12 with 93 and 88, respectively.
ยท Dodson owns a team-high .362 hitting percentage and ranks fourth on the squad with 2.96 points per set.
ยท Dodson leads the Pac-12 with 20 solo blocks.
ยท Setter Audrey Pak totaled 67 assists, 14 digs, seven kills and three service aces in her two starts last weekend.
ยท UCLA has split its four Pac-12 matches after a brief losing skid.
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Last Time Out
UCLA split its two matches versus Washington and then-No. 4 Washington State last weekend, defeating the Huskies in a sweep on Friday, Oct. 20 and losing in four sets to the Cougars on Sunday, Oct. 22. Pak had arguably the most impressive performance of her career against Washington, averaging 11.00 assists per set and recording a career-high four kills and three service aces. UCLA staved off nine Washington set points in the third set, resulting in a 38-36 Bruins' victory. The 38 points were UCLA's most ever in a set in program history. That stretch of extra points featured seven service errors between the squads. There were 19 total ties in the third set, and Washington's 38 points were more than its previous two sets combined (34).
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UCLA was on the verge of taking set one against Washington State last Sunday up three points with five to play at 20-17. The Cougars went on an 8-2 run to close the opening stanza. Sophomore outside hitter Grayce Olson recorded a career-high 17 kills at a .438 hitting percentage in the loss.
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Season-High Hitting Efficiency
In UCLA's victory over Washington, the Bruins hit for a .364 hitting percentage which was their best rate in conference play and second best on the season (.402% vs. Liberty on Sept. 8). Ndiaye and sophomore Cheridyn Leverette led the UCLA attack with 14 and 13 kills, respectively, and just one attacking error apiece. The duo combined for a .472 hitting percentage.
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Postseason Outlook
UCLA is searching for marquee wins to bolster its resume for postseason candidacy. The Bruins' notable preseason victories include Indiana, Long Beach State, Pepperdine and then-No. 23 Hawai'i. Since losing to UCLA, Indiana has defeated then-No. 15 Purdue and took a No. 14 Penn State team to five sets. Pepperdine currently sits in first place atop the West Coast Conference standings. The next six matches are a crucial stretch for the Bruins who face Utah, Arizona, Arizona State and Washington State โ all teams who defeated UCLA in the first half of Pac-12 play.
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Dodson Domination
Dodson is putting together another All-Pac-12 caliber season with a team-leading .362 hitting percentage and 1.19 blocks per set. Both marks are currently career highs for the Fort Collins, Colo. native. She has eclipsed a .350 hitting percentage in 10 of her 19 matches this season. Defensively, she leads the Pac-12 with 20 solo blocks. Dodson has recorded multiple solo blocks in seven contests.
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Over her last eight matches, Dodson has recorded 38 total blocks for an average of 1.41 blocks per set. At Long Beach State on Sept. 2, she notched her best performance of the year with 12 kills for an errorless .600 hitting percentage to go along with seven total blocks (3 BS, 4 BA) for 18.0 points.
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Elite Duo
Becker and Dodson have combined for 181 total blocks which is the most among all Pac-12 blocking duos this season. In second is No. 9 Oregon's Kara McGhee and Karson Bacon with 179 total blocks.
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Immediate Impact
Becker has been one of the most valuable transfer additions in the Pac-12 this season. The graduate from Northwestern has tallied 4.0+ blocks in 15 of 20 matches this season. At Long Beach State on Sept. 2, Becker established a new career high in total blocks with 9.0 (2 BS, 7 BA). Becker has also reached 7+ blocks in four other contests. Offensively, she has been efficient when distributed the ball with a .312 hitting percentage. Becker's most impressive offensive display of the season came in UCLA's home opener versus USC on Sept. 20 in which she hit for an error-free 12 kills. It was her fourth career performance with at least 10 kills and no errors.
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When it Matters
In last Friday's marathon third set versus Washington, Pak relied upon UCLA's most steady performers this season โ Dodson and Becker โ despite only having one kill between them entering the set. Becker struck for her first kill of the match with UCLA trailing 29-28 to erase a Husky set point. Dodson did the same with UCLA trailing 32-31 and put the eventual match point at the line, 37-36, with her third kill of the night.
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Ndiaye of the Tiger
Ndiaye has recorded four of the five highest single-match point totals in her career in this season alone. The Dallas, Texas native recorded the second 20-kill outing of her career in UCLA's season-opening match at LSU with 20 at a .444 clip on Aug. 25. She is the only Bruin on the active roster to have recorded a 20-kill performance. Her first such performance came last season versus Colorado on Oct. 2, 2022 when she racked a career-high 22 kills.
Defensive Improvement
Ndiaye recorded the first two double-doubles of her career in back-to-back matches at Oklahoma on Sept. 16 (16 K, 12 D) and versus USC on Sept. 20 (16 K, 12 D). She picked up her third career double-double in UCLA's win over Washington last weekend (14 K, 11 D). Ndiaye is averaging 1.81 digs per set this season which more than quadruples her average over the previous three seasons (0.42).
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Reft, Team USA Qualifies for 2024 Olympics
Alfee Reft returned from his seasonal assistant coaching position with the U.S. Women's National Team on Sept. 29. He returned to UCLA after helping Team USA finish the FIVB Road to 2024 Paris Olympic Qualifier with a 6-1 record. The national team punched its ticket with a 3-1 victory over Germany last Sunday. Reft serves UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer and Team USA Head Coach Karch Kiraly. In total, Reft has spent 12 years as both a player and coach on the U.S. Men's and Women's National Teams. Reft will be with the Bruins for every match the remainder of the 2023 season. Associate Head Coach Jen Malcom filled in as acting head coach during Reft's absence for a record of 4-3.
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Non-Conference Recap
UCLA went 8-2 in its non-conference schedule with signature wins over LSU, Pepperdine and then-No. 23 Hawai'i โ all teams who appeared in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Bruins also defeated Long Beach State a week after the Beach took down reigning NCAA Champion Texas. UCLA put up 19.0 total blocks versus Long Beach State, its third-highest single-match blocking total over the last seven seasons.
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500 Block Club
UCLA middles Anna Dodson and Desiree Becker both achieved the 500th kills of their collegiate careers earlier this season. Dodson reached the milestone in the Bruins' second match of the season versus LSU on Aug. 26. Becker achieved the milestone in UCLA non-conference finale versus Oklahoma on Sept. 16.
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Paking a Punch
Pak has been a big block so far this season for the Bruins. Pak has recorded 4.0+ total blocks in five matches this year, setting a career high with 5.0 versus Hawai'i on Sept. 10. The Moraga, Calif. native is up to 38.0 total blocks over 65 sets played in 2023. Her previous season high was three blocks over three sets in 2021.
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Unleash the Dodson
Dodson has eclipsed a .350 hitting percentage in 10 of her 19 matches this season. At Long Beach State on Sept. 2, she notched her best performance of the year with 12 kills for an errorless .600 hitting percentage to go along with seven total blocks (3 BS, 4 BA) for 18.0 points.
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Utah Series History; Last Time Versus the Utes
UCLA leads the all-time series versus Utah, 22-10, dating back to 1980. The Utes swept the Bruins in their previous meeting earlier this season on Oct. 1. UCLA was limited to 28 kills at a .147 hitting percentage. Dodson led UCLA with seven blocks and six kills.
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Colorado Series History; Last Time Versus the Buffaloes
UCLA leads the all-time series versus Colorado, 18-8, dating back to 1992. Grayce Olson led the Bruins with a match-high 13 kills and two blocks in UCLA's 3-0 victory over Colorado earlier this season on Sept. 29. Dodson added eight kills at a .462 clip with a team-high five blocks.
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UCLA Picked Fifth
UCLA was picked to finish fifth in the annual Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll. UCLA is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Pac-12 a year ago with a 10-10 conference record. The Bruins' notable 2022 wins included a five-set comeback at then-RV Hawai'i in the Outrigger Volleyball Challenge on Sept. 4 and their lone victory over a ranked foe at then-No. 25 Washington State on Nov. 22.
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Dodson: Preseason All-Pac-12
Redshirt senior middle blocker Anna Dodson was named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 Team for the first time in her career in 2023. Last season, Dodson was selected to the All-Pac-12 Team and AVCA Pacific South All-Region Honorable Mention after leading UCLA with a .330 hitting percentage on her 259 kills. Dodson achieved double-digit kills in 13 matches and ranked second on the team with 2.54 kills per set in her 27 starts and 102 sets played. She is UCLA's second-highest returning point scorer (259) behind outside hitter Iman Ndiaye.
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A New Era in Westwood
Reft was hired in December 2022 as the fourth head coach in program history on Dec. 18, 2022. Reft came to UCLA after leading San Diego to its first-ever National Semifinal appearance in the NCAA Tournament in his third year as associate head coach. The Oxnard, Calif. native also brings Big Ten Conference experience to UCLA after serving as an assistant at the University of Illinois from 2018-19 and at the University of Minnesota from 2010-12. He accumulated a 68-32 conference record across both stints and reached the Final Four with the Fighting Illini in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
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Dodson the Defender
Dodson has led the Bruins in blocks in each of the last two seasons with 109 in her Fall 2021 campaign and 77 in 2022. The last Bruin to lead the team in blocks in three consecutive years was Zoë Nightingale who paced UCLA across the 2012-14 seasons. The Fort Collins, Colo. native enters her fourth season in Westwood averaging 0.90 blocks per set across her career.
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Notes on Ndiaye
UCLA's top returning attacker is Iman Ndiaye who ranked second on the team with 269 kills and third with 307.0 total points in 2022. Ndiaye reached double-digit kills on 14 occasions in 2022, including a career-best performance with 22 kills at a .421 clip (22-6-38) versus Colorado on Oct. 2. She is the only active UCLA player to have a 10-block match in their career. The Plano West High School product (Dallas) was an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention recipient last season. She was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and All-Freshman Team in Spring 2021.
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High School All-American Mullen
The Bruins' most highly-touted incoming freshman is setter Ashley Mullen from Kansas City, Mo. (Liberty HS). She has started in four of UCLA's first five matches of the season. Mullen was an AVCA First Team High School All-American her senior year and was selected as an UnderArmour All-American to compete in the annual All-American game. Mullen was ranked as the No. 4 setter in the nation and 26th overall recruit by PrepVolleyball in 2022. One of 25 nominees for All-USA TODAY Girls Volleyball Player of the Year, Mullen amassed 3,457 career assists in high school, including 1,124 as a senior (10.10 AST/S).
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Dodson Selected to USAV Collegiate National Team
Two-time All-Pac-12 middle blocker Anna Dodson received national attention this offseason when she was named to the USA Volleyball 2023 Collegiate Women's National Team (CNT). From June 18-24 in Anaheim, Calif., Dodson trained alongside the Women's National Team Olympic Champions as the prepared for the Volleyball Nations League.
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Big Ten Bound in 2024-25
UCLA Athletics announced its decision to join the Big Ten Conference on June 30, 2022. This move will go into effect at the start of the 2024-25 season. In doing so, the Bruins will be joining the preeminent volleyball conference in the country with five of the last 10 NCAA Women's Volleyball champions coming from the Big Ten. Joining UCLA in this move are USC, Washington and Oregon. UCLA and USC have combined for seven NCAA Women's Volleyball Championships. UCLA won 10 conference championships while in the Pac-12, all coming under Hall of Fame Coach Andy Banachowski. Overall, the Bruins have played in 38 NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournaments which ranks fourth among all programs behind only Penn State, Stanford and Nebraska. In addition, UCLA has advanced to the NCAA Final Four 12 times and has posted a record of 94-35 in the NCAA Tournament.
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Glad for Grads
Two Bruins on this year's 2023 roster have earned undergraduate degrees. In Spring 2023, Dodson added two bachelor degrees to her résumé in sociology and gender studies. She now is working toward her master's degree in John Wooden's Transformative Coaching and Leadership (education major). Becker earned her bachelor of arts in history from Northwestern in 2023. She is now pursuing a master's degree in legal studies with the career objective of becoming an entertainment lawyer.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
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