Lily Gess Season 2025

UCLA CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• MPSF Newcomer of the Week (Jan. 31, 2023)
• 3-time ACWPC All-Academic honoree (Outstanding - 2026, 2023, Superior - 2024)
• 3-time MPSF All-Academic Team member (2024-26)
• 2-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award recipient (2026, 2025)
• 2-time Big Ten Spring Academic Honor Roll member (2026, 2025)
• Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll member (2024)
• 11-time Athletic Director's Honor Roll member (last Winter 2026)

2026
Played in 25 of 26 games … totaled six goals on 22 shot attempts (27.3%) … qualified for ACWPC All-Academic team, earning “Outstanding” designation … member of MPSF All-Academic Team … earned spot on Big Ten Spring Academic Honor Roll ... recorded two multi-goal games, including two-goal performance against No. 1 Stanford (Feb. 15) … named to Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for Fall 2025, Winter 2026.

2025
Played in all 26 games … recorded 34 total points … collected 13 goals (tied for eighth on the team) and 21 assists (tied for fourth on the team) … had eight steals, drew three exclusions, and had two field blocks … Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award recipient … notched a season-high two goals four times (in wins vs. No. 9 Fresno State on Jan. 26, vs. Concordia University Irvine on Jan. 31, at No. 6 UC Irvine on Feb. 22, and at home over Fresno State on March 1) … scored at least one goal in 9-of-26 games … went 7-0 in sprints on the year … had a season-best three consecutive games with at least one goal scored … tallied four multi-goal games... named to Athletic Director's Honor Roll for Fall 2024, Winter 2025 and Spring 2025. 

2024
Played in 25-of-26 games … recorded 28 total points …  collected 17 goals (tied for eighth on the team) and 11 assists (seventh on the team) … drew six exclusions, had six steals, and had three field blocks (tied for eighth on the team) … notched a career-high three goals in a win vs. No. 10 UC San Diego on Jan. 20 at the UCSB Winter Invitational … scored at least one goal in 12-of-25 games … went 3-for-4 in sprints on the year … had a season-best four consecutive games with at least one goal scored … tallied four multi-goal games, including one hat trick ... named to Athletic Director's Honor Roll for Fall 2023, Winter 2024 and Spring 2024. 

2023
Played in all 29 games … tallied 11 goals and 11 assists (ninth on the team) for a total of 22 points … also drew two exclusions, had 11 steals, and had three field blocks (tied for seventh on the team) … won her only sprint on the year … scored a season-high and career-high three goals in a 21-7 win over No. 11 UC Davis on Jan. 28 at the California Cup … named MPSF Newcomer of the Week on Jan. 31 … had three multiple-goal games, including one hat trick ... named to Athletic Director's Honor Roll for Fall 2022, Winter 2023 and Spring 2023.

HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB
Four-year letter winner in water polo as a center/defender at Newport Harbor High School … earned second-team All CIF-SS Division I in 2020 and 2022 … HS team was CIF Southern-Section Champions in 2022 … played club with Newport Beach Water Polo … was twice named an Academic All-American and was also named the Futures Superfinals Best Defender … won a Junior Olympic Championship … member of the U.S. Youth National Team.

PERSONAL
Full name: Lillian Grace Gess, prefers Lily … born in Anaheim, Calif. … parents are Megan and Brent Gess … has two younger brothers, James and John … has two older sisters, Emily and Natalie  … athlete she admires most is professional soccer player Alex Morgan … enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time with friends in her spare time … lists her greatest athletic thrill as, "winning CIF my senior year as I had been playing with that team since I was 11." … chose UCLA because, "I wanted to be challenged both academically and athletically. I also really loved the team dynamic and everything they stand for." … major is history and she intends to become a lawyer.