Thursday, January 25
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 PM
UCLA
vs
UC Santa Barbara
Photo by: Jesus Ramirez
MVB Hosts UCSB and Travels to UCSD
January 23, 2024 | Men's Volleyball
Bruins Home to #17 UCSB and Away to #20 UCSD in Non-League Matches — Second-ranked UCLA (5-1), will return home to host No. 17 UC Santa Barbara (2-5) on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. The match will be televised by Pac-12 Los Angeles with Anne Marie Anderson calling the action. On Friday, UCLA heads down the freeway to play at No. 20 UC San Diego (2-5) at 7 p.m. in LionTree Arena to cap off a week of matches against Big West opponents. Last season the Bruins compiled a 12-1 record against Big West opponents, with the lone loss coming at Hawai'i. UCLA defeated both UCSB and UCSD twice in 2023.
This Week--
• First Serve vs. UC Santa Barbara (Thu. Jan. 25): 7 p.m. PT
Video: (Pac-12 Network) https://pac-12.com/live?networks=P12LAX
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=498656
• First Serve at UC San Diego (Fri. Jan. 26): 7 p.m. PT
Video: https://www.espn.com/watch/
Live Stats: https://ucsdtritons.com/sidearmstats/mvball/summary
National Ranking Comparison (as of Jan. 22)
UCLA/ UCSB/ UCSD
4th-2.19 ACES 30th-1.52 T42nd-1.00
23rd-11.76 KILLS 19th-11.90 38th-10.19
8th-2.76 BLKS 28th-1.85 11th-2.56
36th-7.24 DIGS 26th-7.69 45th-6.62
2nd-.391 HIT % 29th-.268 38th-.222
18th-.195 OPPT. HIT %41st-.311 38th-.304
Last Week -- UCLA, which saw its 16-match win streak snapped in five sets by then No.4-ranked Ohio State last Friday, rebounded on Saturday to topple No. 7 Penn State in straight sets. The 16-match win streak was UCLA's longest since it captured the last 14 matches of 2006 and the first two of 2007. The Bruins will enter Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) play next month having won 19 straight regular-season league contests over the past two seasons since a loss at Stanford (Mar. 11, 2022).
On Saturday, Alex Knight registered nine kills in the sweep of the Nittany Lions. On Friday, Ethan Champlin registered a season-high 18 kills in the loss to Ohio State. The Bruins could not overcome 30 service errors against OSU and the Buckeyes (.305) became the first team since almost a year ago to hit over .300 against the Bruins (.311 by BYU on 2/18/23) in a match. Andrew Rowan set the Bruins to a combined .362 attack percentage over those two matches. After six matches, UCLA owns a 58.0 to 28.5 edge over opponents in total blocks and 46 to 20 margin in service aces. It has out hit the first six opponents by a combined .391 to .195.
UCLA and Rankings — UCLA was voted No. 2 in this week's AVCA coaches poll and No. 3 in Off the Block media poll. The Bruins have been ranked as high as No. 2 in the AVCA poll at some point in seven of the last eight seasons (not in 2021) ... The Bruins have risen as high as No. 1 in the AVCA poll in five seasons under Coach John Speraw -- 2024,2023, 2022, 2016, 2014 ... UCLA has ended a season ranked No. 1 in the AVCA poll a record 10 times (1987, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995,1996, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2023) over the years.
Team NCAA Ranking Notes — UCLA entered the week ranked in the Top 10 this season in hiittng %, at .391 (2nd), and blocks per set, at 2.76 (8th). Last season, UCLA led the nation in hitting percentage (.382), blocks (2.8/set) and set assists (12.64/set). It marked the second straight season in which the Bruins topped the nation in hitting percentage after posting a .374 mark in 2022. The Bruins were second nationally in 2023 in aces (2.02). UCLA hit at least .400 in 17 matches in the 2023 season. The Bruins had seven matches last season with at least 10 aces, including the championship match against Hawai'i (UCSD-18, Ohio St.-11, UCI-10, CUI-13, Purdue Ft. Wayne-10, Stanford-11, Hawai'i-10). UCLA recorded double-digit total blocks in 14 matches a year ago with a high of 18.5 against Pepperdine. In 2024, UCLA has three double-digit block efforts (Lewis, Loyola,OSU), one double-digit ace performance (Lewis-14) and has hit at least .400 in two matches.
MPSF — UCLA, which finished atop the 2023 MPSF standings with an 12-0 record, is picked to repeat by the coaches in 2024 ... The '24 Pre-season MPSF coaches poll: 1-UCLA, 2-Stanford, T3-BYU, T3-Grand Canyon, 5-USC, 6-Pepperdine, 7-CUI ... this year's MPSF Post-Season Tournament, which determines the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship Tournament, will be held at USC on April 17-20.
2023 Milestones — Last season was UCLA's 27th appearance in the NCAA Championship match (20-7 record). The total of 31 wins in a season was the most since 1995 (Coach John Speraw was a player for the Bruins that season) when UCLA went 31-1. UCLA's 3-0 win over Long Beach in the NCAA Semifinals was the 21st sweep of the season which was the most since the 1995 team established the school record at 25. The Bruins produced an unbeaten conference season (12-0) for the first time since 1995 (19-0). On the heels of a 22-5 campaign in 2022, the Bruins registered the first back-to-back 20-win seasons by the program since 2012 and 2013. Speraw won his 400th match as a men's collegiate head coach (also head coach at UC Irvine where he won three NCAA titles 2012, 2009, 2007) and his 200th match as UCLA's head man earlier in 2023 against UC Irvine. The AVCA named seven Bruins to its 2023 All-America teams which marked the most in program history. Speraw became the first Bruin head coach to be recognized as the AVCA National Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year since Al Scates in 1998.
Six Starters Returning — UCLA returns six starters in sophomore setter Andrew Rowan (27 starts in 2023), junior opposite Ido David (27), redshirt junior middle blocker Guy Genis (23), redshirt senior outside hitter Alex Knight (26), redshirt senior middle blocker Merrick McHenry (30) and senior OH Ethan Champlin (31). The lone starter not back is libero Troy Gooch (33). Five Bruins were recognized by Off the Block in the 2024 Pre-season All-America Team selections -- MB Merrick McHenry, OH Ethan Champlin, S Andrew Rowan and Opposite Ido David were named to the first team. OH Alex Knight, the 2023 NCAA Tournament Most Oustanding Player, was a second-team pick. Also returning are S/libero Ayrton Garcia-Jurado, MB Sean McQuiggan, OH Cooper Robinson (1), libero Matthew Aziz, MB Christopher Hersh, OH/opposite Grant Sloane (4), opposite David Decker, OH Zach Rama (4), MB Matthew Edwards (1) and libero Coleman McDonough.
New to the Mix — UCLA adds redshirt senior setter David Flores who made 22 starts last season for Ball State. Flores ranked sixth in the nation in set assists and set BSU to the nation's fifth-highest attack percentage (.355). In addition, transfer libero Hideharu Nakamura transferred (Orange Coast College), opposite Jaidin Russell (Newton, Mass. South HS), hitter Luca Curci (Newport Harbor HS), middle blocker Thiago Zamprogno (Cardinal Gibbons Fla. HS), middle blocker Spencer Graves (Loyola HS), middle blocker Micah Wong Diallo (Marshall HS) and hitter Kahale Clini (Punahou) have joined the Bruins for 2024.
This Week--
• First Serve vs. UC Santa Barbara (Thu. Jan. 25): 7 p.m. PT
Video: (Pac-12 Network) https://pac-12.com/live?networks=P12LAX
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=498656
• First Serve at UC San Diego (Fri. Jan. 26): 7 p.m. PT
Video: https://www.espn.com/watch/
Live Stats: https://ucsdtritons.com/sidearmstats/mvball/summary
National Ranking Comparison (as of Jan. 22)
UCLA/ UCSB/ UCSD
4th-2.19 ACES 30th-1.52 T42nd-1.00
23rd-11.76 KILLS 19th-11.90 38th-10.19
8th-2.76 BLKS 28th-1.85 11th-2.56
36th-7.24 DIGS 26th-7.69 45th-6.62
2nd-.391 HIT % 29th-.268 38th-.222
18th-.195 OPPT. HIT %41st-.311 38th-.304
Last Week -- UCLA, which saw its 16-match win streak snapped in five sets by then No.4-ranked Ohio State last Friday, rebounded on Saturday to topple No. 7 Penn State in straight sets. The 16-match win streak was UCLA's longest since it captured the last 14 matches of 2006 and the first two of 2007. The Bruins will enter Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) play next month having won 19 straight regular-season league contests over the past two seasons since a loss at Stanford (Mar. 11, 2022).
On Saturday, Alex Knight registered nine kills in the sweep of the Nittany Lions. On Friday, Ethan Champlin registered a season-high 18 kills in the loss to Ohio State. The Bruins could not overcome 30 service errors against OSU and the Buckeyes (.305) became the first team since almost a year ago to hit over .300 against the Bruins (.311 by BYU on 2/18/23) in a match. Andrew Rowan set the Bruins to a combined .362 attack percentage over those two matches. After six matches, UCLA owns a 58.0 to 28.5 edge over opponents in total blocks and 46 to 20 margin in service aces. It has out hit the first six opponents by a combined .391 to .195.
UCLA and Rankings — UCLA was voted No. 2 in this week's AVCA coaches poll and No. 3 in Off the Block media poll. The Bruins have been ranked as high as No. 2 in the AVCA poll at some point in seven of the last eight seasons (not in 2021) ... The Bruins have risen as high as No. 1 in the AVCA poll in five seasons under Coach John Speraw -- 2024,2023, 2022, 2016, 2014 ... UCLA has ended a season ranked No. 1 in the AVCA poll a record 10 times (1987, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995,1996, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2023) over the years.
Team NCAA Ranking Notes — UCLA entered the week ranked in the Top 10 this season in hiittng %, at .391 (2nd), and blocks per set, at 2.76 (8th). Last season, UCLA led the nation in hitting percentage (.382), blocks (2.8/set) and set assists (12.64/set). It marked the second straight season in which the Bruins topped the nation in hitting percentage after posting a .374 mark in 2022. The Bruins were second nationally in 2023 in aces (2.02). UCLA hit at least .400 in 17 matches in the 2023 season. The Bruins had seven matches last season with at least 10 aces, including the championship match against Hawai'i (UCSD-18, Ohio St.-11, UCI-10, CUI-13, Purdue Ft. Wayne-10, Stanford-11, Hawai'i-10). UCLA recorded double-digit total blocks in 14 matches a year ago with a high of 18.5 against Pepperdine. In 2024, UCLA has three double-digit block efforts (Lewis, Loyola,OSU), one double-digit ace performance (Lewis-14) and has hit at least .400 in two matches.
MPSF — UCLA, which finished atop the 2023 MPSF standings with an 12-0 record, is picked to repeat by the coaches in 2024 ... The '24 Pre-season MPSF coaches poll: 1-UCLA, 2-Stanford, T3-BYU, T3-Grand Canyon, 5-USC, 6-Pepperdine, 7-CUI ... this year's MPSF Post-Season Tournament, which determines the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship Tournament, will be held at USC on April 17-20.
2023 Milestones — Last season was UCLA's 27th appearance in the NCAA Championship match (20-7 record). The total of 31 wins in a season was the most since 1995 (Coach John Speraw was a player for the Bruins that season) when UCLA went 31-1. UCLA's 3-0 win over Long Beach in the NCAA Semifinals was the 21st sweep of the season which was the most since the 1995 team established the school record at 25. The Bruins produced an unbeaten conference season (12-0) for the first time since 1995 (19-0). On the heels of a 22-5 campaign in 2022, the Bruins registered the first back-to-back 20-win seasons by the program since 2012 and 2013. Speraw won his 400th match as a men's collegiate head coach (also head coach at UC Irvine where he won three NCAA titles 2012, 2009, 2007) and his 200th match as UCLA's head man earlier in 2023 against UC Irvine. The AVCA named seven Bruins to its 2023 All-America teams which marked the most in program history. Speraw became the first Bruin head coach to be recognized as the AVCA National Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year since Al Scates in 1998.
Six Starters Returning — UCLA returns six starters in sophomore setter Andrew Rowan (27 starts in 2023), junior opposite Ido David (27), redshirt junior middle blocker Guy Genis (23), redshirt senior outside hitter Alex Knight (26), redshirt senior middle blocker Merrick McHenry (30) and senior OH Ethan Champlin (31). The lone starter not back is libero Troy Gooch (33). Five Bruins were recognized by Off the Block in the 2024 Pre-season All-America Team selections -- MB Merrick McHenry, OH Ethan Champlin, S Andrew Rowan and Opposite Ido David were named to the first team. OH Alex Knight, the 2023 NCAA Tournament Most Oustanding Player, was a second-team pick. Also returning are S/libero Ayrton Garcia-Jurado, MB Sean McQuiggan, OH Cooper Robinson (1), libero Matthew Aziz, MB Christopher Hersh, OH/opposite Grant Sloane (4), opposite David Decker, OH Zach Rama (4), MB Matthew Edwards (1) and libero Coleman McDonough.
New to the Mix — UCLA adds redshirt senior setter David Flores who made 22 starts last season for Ball State. Flores ranked sixth in the nation in set assists and set BSU to the nation's fifth-highest attack percentage (.355). In addition, transfer libero Hideharu Nakamura transferred (Orange Coast College), opposite Jaidin Russell (Newton, Mass. South HS), hitter Luca Curci (Newport Harbor HS), middle blocker Thiago Zamprogno (Cardinal Gibbons Fla. HS), middle blocker Spencer Graves (Loyola HS), middle blocker Micah Wong Diallo (Marshall HS) and hitter Kahale Clini (Punahou) have joined the Bruins for 2024.
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