University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
John Hawks Named MPSF Coach of the Year
April 28, 2026 | Men's Volleyball
LOS ANGELES โ UCLA head coach John Hawks was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year for the first time in his career on Tuesday. Hawks, in his second season as the head men's volleyball coach of the Bruins, will lead his team into next week's NCAA Men's Collegiate Volleyball Championship Tournament after producing a 29-1 record this season and capturing both the MPSF regular season crown and tournament title.
The 2026 Bruins were awarded the top seed into the NCAA tournament after finishing the conference season 13-1, and 29-1 overall. UCLA has won 23 conference matches in Hawks' first two years in charge of the program.
In addition to the regular-season championship, the Bruins claimed the 2026 MPSF Tournament title, their first since 2023 and only their second conference tournament crown since 2007. A total of six Bruins earned all-MPSF honors, while four Bruins, Sean Kelly, Zach Rama, Andrew Rowan, and Cameron Thorne all earned first-team honors under the tutelage of Hawks and his staff.
UCLA has won as many as 29 matches on the season for the first time since it went 31-2 in 2023. UCLA went on to claim its 20th NCAA Championship that season.
Through the MPSF Tournament, the Bruins lead the nation in winning percentage at .967 and are the only team in the country with a winning percentage above .900. UCLA is also first in the nation in assists per set at 12.75, are second in hitting percentage at .380, third in kills per set with 13.47, and fourth in aces per set at 1.99. Earlier this season, Hawks notched win No. 50 at UCLA, and boasts a 51-8 overall record (.864 winning percentage) as UCLA's head men's volleyball coach.
Hawks and the Bruins will begin the quest for the program's 22nd national title in an NCAA regional final match on May 2 at 5 pm PT, inside Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial, against the winner of the UC Irvine vs. Penn State. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.
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The 2026 Bruins were awarded the top seed into the NCAA tournament after finishing the conference season 13-1, and 29-1 overall. UCLA has won 23 conference matches in Hawks' first two years in charge of the program.
In addition to the regular-season championship, the Bruins claimed the 2026 MPSF Tournament title, their first since 2023 and only their second conference tournament crown since 2007. A total of six Bruins earned all-MPSF honors, while four Bruins, Sean Kelly, Zach Rama, Andrew Rowan, and Cameron Thorne all earned first-team honors under the tutelage of Hawks and his staff.
UCLA has won as many as 29 matches on the season for the first time since it went 31-2 in 2023. UCLA went on to claim its 20th NCAA Championship that season.
Through the MPSF Tournament, the Bruins lead the nation in winning percentage at .967 and are the only team in the country with a winning percentage above .900. UCLA is also first in the nation in assists per set at 12.75, are second in hitting percentage at .380, third in kills per set with 13.47, and fourth in aces per set at 1.99. Earlier this season, Hawks notched win No. 50 at UCLA, and boasts a 51-8 overall record (.864 winning percentage) as UCLA's head men's volleyball coach.
Hawks and the Bruins will begin the quest for the program's 22nd national title in an NCAA regional final match on May 2 at 5 pm PT, inside Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial, against the winner of the UC Irvine vs. Penn State. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.
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Players Mentioned
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