Ryder Dodd, who was named the NCAA Championship MVP, is this week's UCLA Student-Athlete of the Week.
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
Ryder Dodd Named UCLA Student-Athlete of the Week
December 11, 2024 | Men's Water Polo
LOS ANGELES – Freshman Ryder Dodd (Long Beach, Calif./JSerra Catholic HS) of UCLA Men's Water Polo has been selected the Student-Athlete of the Week for competitions held between Dec. 3-Dec. 9. He was also selected to the NCAA All-Tournament Team and was named the NCAA Championship MVP.
The attacker led UCLA's offense at the NCAA Championship with 12 goals in the three victories, including two scores in the 11-8 win over No. 2 in the NCAA Championship game on Sunday. Those two goals increased his season total to 102, surpassing the 101 goals by Ryan Bailey (UC Irvine, 1998), the previous MPSF single-season record. Dodd, who also set the UCLA freshman single-season scoring record finished second on the Bruins' all-time charts behind Stefan Pollmann's 115 goals during the 1990 campaign (Pac-10 Conference). He also added three steals, one assist, one field block, drew one exclusion, and won two sprints against the Trojans.
In the 17-14 semifinal win at No. 4 Stanford (Dec. 7), Dodd had a game-high six goals to lead all scorers. It marked his 17th hat trick of the year and his ninth game of the season with five or more goals. Dodd, the only player in the MPSF to score in every game in 2024, also scored multiple goals in 27-of-28 games on the year. He also had one assist and won his only sprint against the Cardinal.
Dodd opened his first NCAA Championship tournament with four goals in the 22-6 win over No. 20 Salem in the first round on Friday, Dec. 6.
The Bruin attacker secures his second-career UCLA student-athlete of the week award to close out the 2024 campaign.
Also Nominated
Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; Eric Dailey Jr., M. Basketball
Previous Winners
Aug. 21 – Bridgette Marin-Valencia, W. Soccer; Aug. 28 – Lilly Reale, W. Soccer; Sept. 4 - Cheridyn Leverette, W. Volleyball; Sept. 11 – Ryder Dodd, M. Water Polo; Sept. 18 – Bode Brinkema, M. Water Polo; Sept. 25 – Sofia Cook, W. Soccer; Oct. 2 – Pablo Ereño, M. Golf; Oct. 9 – Quincy McMahon, W. Soccer; Oct. 16 – Jose Contell, M. Soccer; Oct. 23 – Ethan Garbers, Football; Oct. 30 – Grayce Olson, W. Volleyball; Nov. 6 – Carson Schwesinger, Football; Nov. 13 – Quincy McMahon, W. Soccer; Nov. 20 - Maggie Boyd/Sally Perez, Beach Volleyball; Nov. 27 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; Dec. 4 – Carson Schwesinger, Football
The attacker led UCLA's offense at the NCAA Championship with 12 goals in the three victories, including two scores in the 11-8 win over No. 2 in the NCAA Championship game on Sunday. Those two goals increased his season total to 102, surpassing the 101 goals by Ryan Bailey (UC Irvine, 1998), the previous MPSF single-season record. Dodd, who also set the UCLA freshman single-season scoring record finished second on the Bruins' all-time charts behind Stefan Pollmann's 115 goals during the 1990 campaign (Pac-10 Conference). He also added three steals, one assist, one field block, drew one exclusion, and won two sprints against the Trojans.
In the 17-14 semifinal win at No. 4 Stanford (Dec. 7), Dodd had a game-high six goals to lead all scorers. It marked his 17th hat trick of the year and his ninth game of the season with five or more goals. Dodd, the only player in the MPSF to score in every game in 2024, also scored multiple goals in 27-of-28 games on the year. He also had one assist and won his only sprint against the Cardinal.
Dodd opened his first NCAA Championship tournament with four goals in the 22-6 win over No. 20 Salem in the first round on Friday, Dec. 6.
The Bruin attacker secures his second-career UCLA student-athlete of the week award to close out the 2024 campaign.
Also Nominated
Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; Eric Dailey Jr., M. Basketball
Previous Winners
Aug. 21 – Bridgette Marin-Valencia, W. Soccer; Aug. 28 – Lilly Reale, W. Soccer; Sept. 4 - Cheridyn Leverette, W. Volleyball; Sept. 11 – Ryder Dodd, M. Water Polo; Sept. 18 – Bode Brinkema, M. Water Polo; Sept. 25 – Sofia Cook, W. Soccer; Oct. 2 – Pablo Ereño, M. Golf; Oct. 9 – Quincy McMahon, W. Soccer; Oct. 16 – Jose Contell, M. Soccer; Oct. 23 – Ethan Garbers, Football; Oct. 30 – Grayce Olson, W. Volleyball; Nov. 6 – Carson Schwesinger, Football; Nov. 13 – Quincy McMahon, W. Soccer; Nov. 20 - Maggie Boyd/Sally Perez, Beach Volleyball; Nov. 27 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; Dec. 4 – Carson Schwesinger, Football
Players Mentioned
ATK
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