Friday, November 10
Pullman, WA
7:00 PM
UCLA
at
Washington State
Cheridyn Leverette (photo: Lillie Yazdi)
Photo by: Lillie Yazdi
Bruins in Washington for Two Big Matches
November 09, 2023 | Women's Volleyball
LOS ANGELES – The UCLA women's volleyball team closes its season series at No. 9 Washington State and Washington this week. The Bruins (14-10, 6-8) play the Cougars (19-6, 9-5) at Bohler Gym in Pullman, Wash. Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. (PT) on the WSU Live Stream. UCLA caps the weekend at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, Wash. to take on the Huskies (14-11, 5-9) at 1 p.m. on Pac-12 Insider.
UCLA (14-10, 6-8) at No. 9 Washington State (19-6, 9-5)
Date: Friday, Nov. 10, 2023 – 7 p.m. (PT)
Location: Pullman, Wash. (Bohler Gym)
Watch: WSU Live Stream
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
UCLA (14-10, 6-8) at Washington (14-11, 5-9)
Date: Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023 – 1 p.m. (PT)
Location: Seattle, Wash. (Alaska Airlines Arena)
Watch: Pac-12 Insider
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
First Serve
· UCLA is led by first-year head coach Alfee Reft who was announced as the program's fourth head coach on Dec. 19, 2022.
· UCLA enters this weekend ranked No. 52 in the latest ratings percentage index (RPI) and sixth in the Pac-12 Conference standings.
· Washington State is currently in a tie for fifth in the conference standings.
· Outside hitter Iman Ndiaye leads UCLA in kills (275), kills per set (3.06), points (327.5) and points per set (3.64).
· Ndiaye has reached double-digit kills in 16 out of 24 matches this year and leads UCLA's pin hitters with a .267 hitting percentage.
· Middle blockers Anna Dodson and Desiree Becker rank third and sixth in blocks in the Pac-12 with 110 and 104, respectively.
· Dodson owns a team-high .366 hitting percentage and ranks fourth on the squad with 2.98 points per set.
· Dodson ranks third in the Pac-12 in solo blocks (21) and fifth in hitting percentage (.366).
· UCLA has won four out of its last seven Pac-12 matches for its best stretch in conference play.
Last Time Out
UCLA split its two matches at then-No. 15 Arizona State (L, 0-3) and Arizona (W, 3-0) last week. After dropping a 31-29 set one versus the Sun Devils last Friday, the Bruins fell flat, hitting below .100 in each of the final two sets. In last Sunday's victory over the Wildcats, the Bruins rallied late in each of their three set victories. UCLA's pin hitter combo of Grayce Olson and Cheridyn Leverette each tallied double-digit kills with 11 and 10, respectively, for a combined .405 hitting percentage. Becker was an error-free 5-for-6 on her swings while swatting four blocks.
Hot Hand
UCLA has recorded three of its four highest hitting percentages of the season in the last three weeks. On Oct. 20, the Bruins hit for their best mark in Pac-12 play with a .364 mark against Washington. UCLA went for hitting percentages of .363 and .333 at Utah and Colorado, respectively.
Dodson Domination
Dodson is putting together another All-Pac-12 caliber season with a team-leading .366 hitting percentage and 1.26 blocks per set. Both marks are currently season highs for Dodson. Dodson recorded 15 total blocks in UCLA's matches versus Utah and Colorado on Oct. 27 and 29 which marked the most in a Pac-12 weekend series of her career. Her nine blocks (0-9) against Utah also established a new career high. She has four hitting performances with no errors this season and has eclipsed a .350 hitting percentage in 12 of her 23 matches in 2023.
Defensively, she ranks third in the Pac-12 with 21 solo blocks. Dodson has recorded multiple solo blocks in seven contests. Over her last 12 matches, Dodson has recorded 60 total blocks for an average of 1.76 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.
Elite Duo
Becker and Dodson have combined for 214 total blocks which is the most among all Pac-12 blocking duos this season. In second is No. 7 Oregon's Kara McGhee and Karson Bacon with 213 total blocks. With her three blocks versus Arizona last Sunday, Dodson (110 BLK) has surpassed her former season high of 109 total blocks set during the Fall 2021 campaign. Dodson is chasing the first 150-block season by a Bruin since Zoë Nightingale in 2012. Becker (104 BLK) has now recorded back-to-back 100-block campaigns dating back to her time at Northwestern and is 20 blocks away from surpassing her former season high of 118 set in 2022 as a Wildcat.
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 which include Washington State, No. 4 Stanford and No. 25 USC who defeated UCLA in the first half of Pac-12 play.
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 16 of 24 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 .337 hitting percentage, which is good for 10th in the Pac-12. Last weekend at Utah and Colorado, Becker recorded 15 kills and just one attacking error for a combined hitting percentage of .609. 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.
Paking a Punch
Audrey Pak recorded the top two assist and blocking performances of her career at Utah and Colorado two weeks ago. Against the Utes, Pak established a new career high in assists (44) and blocks (6). Versus the Buffaloes, she put up 37 assists and five blocks. Both marks are good for second most in her career. The Moraga, Calif. native has started at setter in each of the Bruins' last nine matches.
This season, Pak has recorded 4.0+ total blocks in seven matches this year and is up to 51.0 total blocks over 78 sets played. Her previous season high blocking total was three over three sets in 2021. Pak is averaging 0.68 blocks per set which ranks second among Pac-12 setters, trailing only Washington State's Argentina Ung (0.77 B/S).
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 notched the fourth double-double of her career in UCLA's loss to then-No. 15 Arizona State last Friday with 10 kills and 14 digs. The 14 digs marked a career high. She recorded the first two double-doubles of her career in back-to-back matches earlier this season 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 on Oct. 20 (14 K, 11 D). Ndiaye is averaging 1.88 digs per set this season which more than quadruples her average over the previous three seasons (0.42). She has also tripled her former season-high dig total of 51 set in 2022 with 169 in 2023.
Reft, Team USA Qualifies for 2024 Paris 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. 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.
Non-Conference Recap
UCLA went 8-2 in its non-conference schedule with signature wins over LSU, Pepperdine and then-No. 23 Hawai'i – 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.
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.
Washington State Series History
UCLA leads the all-time series versus Washington State, 51-13, dating back to 1986. The Bruins dropped their first meeting of the year with the Cougars, 3-1, on Oct. 22 at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Grayce Olson recorded a career-high 17 kills at a .438 rate to lead the Bruins. UCLA was up three points with five to play at 20-17 in set one before Washington State went on an 8-2 run to steal the opening stanza. The Bruins won a contentious second set in extra points, 28-26. A kill by Dodson on an assist from Pak denied Washington State of set point, and one play later, Pak evened the match at a set apiece with a dump kill.
Washington Series History
UCLA leads the all-time series versus Washington, 47-35, dating back to 1980. The Bruins hit for a .402 hitting percentage in their sweep over the Huskies on Oct. 20 at Pauley Pavilion earlier this season, which was good for UCLA's most in a Pac-12 match this season. Set scores were 25-18, 25-16 and 38-36. UCLA's 38 points were its most ever in a set in program history. That stretch of extra points featured seven service errors between the two squads. UCLA capitalized on its fifth match point which resulted in a setting error by Washington's Kierstyn Barton. Audrey Pak recorded a career-high four kills, 33 assists and three aces to lead the Bruins.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
UCLA (14-10, 6-8) at No. 9 Washington State (19-6, 9-5)
Date: Friday, Nov. 10, 2023 – 7 p.m. (PT)
Location: Pullman, Wash. (Bohler Gym)
Watch: WSU Live Stream
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
UCLA (14-10, 6-8) at Washington (14-11, 5-9)
Date: Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023 – 1 p.m. (PT)
Location: Seattle, Wash. (Alaska Airlines Arena)
Watch: Pac-12 Insider
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
First Serve
· UCLA is led by first-year head coach Alfee Reft who was announced as the program's fourth head coach on Dec. 19, 2022.
· UCLA enters this weekend ranked No. 52 in the latest ratings percentage index (RPI) and sixth in the Pac-12 Conference standings.
· Washington State is currently in a tie for fifth in the conference standings.
· Outside hitter Iman Ndiaye leads UCLA in kills (275), kills per set (3.06), points (327.5) and points per set (3.64).
· Ndiaye has reached double-digit kills in 16 out of 24 matches this year and leads UCLA's pin hitters with a .267 hitting percentage.
· Middle blockers Anna Dodson and Desiree Becker rank third and sixth in blocks in the Pac-12 with 110 and 104, respectively.
· Dodson owns a team-high .366 hitting percentage and ranks fourth on the squad with 2.98 points per set.
· Dodson ranks third in the Pac-12 in solo blocks (21) and fifth in hitting percentage (.366).
· UCLA has won four out of its last seven Pac-12 matches for its best stretch in conference play.
Last Time Out
UCLA split its two matches at then-No. 15 Arizona State (L, 0-3) and Arizona (W, 3-0) last week. After dropping a 31-29 set one versus the Sun Devils last Friday, the Bruins fell flat, hitting below .100 in each of the final two sets. In last Sunday's victory over the Wildcats, the Bruins rallied late in each of their three set victories. UCLA's pin hitter combo of Grayce Olson and Cheridyn Leverette each tallied double-digit kills with 11 and 10, respectively, for a combined .405 hitting percentage. Becker was an error-free 5-for-6 on her swings while swatting four blocks.
Hot Hand
UCLA has recorded three of its four highest hitting percentages of the season in the last three weeks. On Oct. 20, the Bruins hit for their best mark in Pac-12 play with a .364 mark against Washington. UCLA went for hitting percentages of .363 and .333 at Utah and Colorado, respectively.
Dodson Domination
Dodson is putting together another All-Pac-12 caliber season with a team-leading .366 hitting percentage and 1.26 blocks per set. Both marks are currently season highs for Dodson. Dodson recorded 15 total blocks in UCLA's matches versus Utah and Colorado on Oct. 27 and 29 which marked the most in a Pac-12 weekend series of her career. Her nine blocks (0-9) against Utah also established a new career high. She has four hitting performances with no errors this season and has eclipsed a .350 hitting percentage in 12 of her 23 matches in 2023.
Defensively, she ranks third in the Pac-12 with 21 solo blocks. Dodson has recorded multiple solo blocks in seven contests. Over her last 12 matches, Dodson has recorded 60 total blocks for an average of 1.76 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.
Elite Duo
Becker and Dodson have combined for 214 total blocks which is the most among all Pac-12 blocking duos this season. In second is No. 7 Oregon's Kara McGhee and Karson Bacon with 213 total blocks. With her three blocks versus Arizona last Sunday, Dodson (110 BLK) has surpassed her former season high of 109 total blocks set during the Fall 2021 campaign. Dodson is chasing the first 150-block season by a Bruin since Zoë Nightingale in 2012. Becker (104 BLK) has now recorded back-to-back 100-block campaigns dating back to her time at Northwestern and is 20 blocks away from surpassing her former season high of 118 set in 2022 as a Wildcat.
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 which include Washington State, No. 4 Stanford and No. 25 USC who defeated UCLA in the first half of Pac-12 play.
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 16 of 24 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 .337 hitting percentage, which is good for 10th in the Pac-12. Last weekend at Utah and Colorado, Becker recorded 15 kills and just one attacking error for a combined hitting percentage of .609. 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.
Paking a Punch
Audrey Pak recorded the top two assist and blocking performances of her career at Utah and Colorado two weeks ago. Against the Utes, Pak established a new career high in assists (44) and blocks (6). Versus the Buffaloes, she put up 37 assists and five blocks. Both marks are good for second most in her career. The Moraga, Calif. native has started at setter in each of the Bruins' last nine matches.
This season, Pak has recorded 4.0+ total blocks in seven matches this year and is up to 51.0 total blocks over 78 sets played. Her previous season high blocking total was three over three sets in 2021. Pak is averaging 0.68 blocks per set which ranks second among Pac-12 setters, trailing only Washington State's Argentina Ung (0.77 B/S).
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 notched the fourth double-double of her career in UCLA's loss to then-No. 15 Arizona State last Friday with 10 kills and 14 digs. The 14 digs marked a career high. She recorded the first two double-doubles of her career in back-to-back matches earlier this season 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 on Oct. 20 (14 K, 11 D). Ndiaye is averaging 1.88 digs per set this season which more than quadruples her average over the previous three seasons (0.42). She has also tripled her former season-high dig total of 51 set in 2022 with 169 in 2023.
Reft, Team USA Qualifies for 2024 Paris 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. 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.
Non-Conference Recap
UCLA went 8-2 in its non-conference schedule with signature wins over LSU, Pepperdine and then-No. 23 Hawai'i – 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.
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.
Washington State Series History
UCLA leads the all-time series versus Washington State, 51-13, dating back to 1986. The Bruins dropped their first meeting of the year with the Cougars, 3-1, on Oct. 22 at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Grayce Olson recorded a career-high 17 kills at a .438 rate to lead the Bruins. UCLA was up three points with five to play at 20-17 in set one before Washington State went on an 8-2 run to steal the opening stanza. The Bruins won a contentious second set in extra points, 28-26. A kill by Dodson on an assist from Pak denied Washington State of set point, and one play later, Pak evened the match at a set apiece with a dump kill.
Washington Series History
UCLA leads the all-time series versus Washington, 47-35, dating back to 1980. The Bruins hit for a .402 hitting percentage in their sweep over the Huskies on Oct. 20 at Pauley Pavilion earlier this season, which was good for UCLA's most in a Pac-12 match this season. Set scores were 25-18, 25-16 and 38-36. UCLA's 38 points were its most ever in a set in program history. That stretch of extra points featured seven service errors between the two squads. UCLA capitalized on its fifth match point which resulted in a setting error by Washington's Kierstyn Barton. Audrey Pak recorded a career-high four kills, 33 assists and three aces to lead the Bruins.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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