UCLA
Pacific
No. 3 UCLA Heads to UCSB Invite
January 19, 2017 | Women's Water Polo
This Week -- No. 3 UCLA heads to Santa Barbara to take part in the UCSB WInter Invitational. Saturday, the Bruins take on No. 10 Pacific (1:30 pm) and No.15 Indiana (4:30 pm). They will return to action Sunday for games versus No. 8 Michigan (10:20 am) and No. 11 UC San Diego.
The Series -- The Bruins hold an 18-0 record versus Pacific and most recently defeated the Tigers in the 2014 UCSB Winter Invitational (Jan. 26). UCLA has defeated Indiana in all 10 of their meetings, most recently an 11-4 decision at the 2015 Stanford Invitational (Feb. 1). The Bruins faced Michigan four times in 2016, including a 5-4 win in the NCAA Tournament third-place game (May 15), and hold a 19-0 all-time record versus the Wolverines. A 17-4 first-round NCAA Tournament win versus UC San Diego (May 13) marks the most recent meeting in the Bruin-Triton series, which UCLA leads 24-3.
Coming Up -- UCLA heads to Long Beach State to take on the No. 13 49ers at Lindgren Events Center. The Feb. 3 matchup will begin at 6:00 pm.
Bruins Remain Third in Week 1 Poll -- UCLA maintained its No. 3 ranking in the Collegiate Water Polo Association week 1 poll, as the top four teams were unchanged from the preseason edition. In defeating No. 14 San Jose State and No. 17 UC Davis in its opening weekend, the Bruins picked up one point in the poll. The Bruins are also third in the MPSF preseason coaches poll, where they totaled one first-place vote and 28 points overall. Also receiving first-place votes were No. 1 Stanford (four), No. 2 USC (one) and No. 4 California (one). This marks the first time ever that four teams have earned at least one first-place vote in the MPSF preseason coaches poll. The MPSF has been the dominant conference in NCAA women's water polo, winning all 21 national championships since its inaugural season in 1996.
Musselman Picks Up NOW Honor -- For her efforts at the LouStrong Invitational this past weekend, freshman Maddie Musselman was named the MPSF/Kap7 Newcomer of the Week on Jan. 17. The attacker debuted with a game-high five goals and added one assist and a team-best three steals in a 20-1 victory versus No. 14 San Jose State at the LouStrong Invitational (Jan. 14). A day later, Musselman found the net once more and posted one assist and two steals in a 15-1 victory versus No. 17 UC Davis. For the week, she totaled six goals, two assists and five steals. This is Musselman's first career MPSF honor.
Spreading the Wealth -- On top of Musselman's six scores, three Bruins have five goals through two contests. Redshirt seniors Rachel Fattal and Kodi Hill, as well as junior Devin Grab, have already hit the mark. Redshirt senior Alexa Tielmann, who netted three in the win versus UC Davis, has four goals on the season. Fattal had a hand in half of the 20 scores versus San Jose State, as she also tallied six assists. She has a team-best seven on the season, while Hill has four.
D Is Key -- While the Bruin offense has combined for 35 goals over its first two 2017 contests, the UCLA defense has done something unseen in over a decade. In holding San Jose State and UC Davis to one score each, the 2017 Bruins are the first UCLA team since 2006 to allow just two combined goals in as many games games. On Mar. 4, 2006, the Bruins recorded 13-1 and 7-1 victories versus Cal State San Bernardino and UC San Diego, respectively.
Krikorian to be Honored -- Bruin water polo alum and UCLA Athletics Hall of Famer Adam Krikorian will be honored with the first-ever "Extraordinary Achievement in Olympic Sport" Award by the Los Angeles Sports Council during the 12th Annual LA Sports Awards on Monday, Feb. 27 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. In addition to his one NCAA title as a player in 1995, Krikorian won three championships as an assistant coach (one with the men's team in 1996 and two with the women's team in 1997 and 1998) and 11 more as a head coach (1999, 2000 and 2004 with the men's team and 2000, 2001, 2003 and a five-peat from 2005-09). As head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team, he has guided Team USA to two Olympic gold medals and three consecutive World League Championshiops. Krikorian has also been honored as Pac-12 Women's Water Polo Coach of the Century and is a member of the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.
Fresh Faces -- Musselman is one of eight freshmen joining the Bruins this season. Joining her is goalkeeper Hannah Storum, attackers Haley Evans, Jenna Hurst, Emily Skelly, and Brooke Maxson and utility players Tara Prentice and Bridgett Storm. Additionally, UCLA returns redshirt seniors Fattal, defender Alys Williams and attacker Kodi Hill, who each took an Olympic redshirt year to train with the U.S. National Team. Junior transfers Donya Dehnad (goalkeeper) and Bronte Halligan (utility) also join the squad.
Who's Returning? -- Two Bruin returnees hit the pool looking to build upon award-winning 2016 campaigns. Senior Mackenzie Barr, who led the Bruins offensively with 44 goals and 28 assists, earned both a first-team All-MPSF nod and an NCAA All-Tournament first-team selection. Sophomore Lizette Rozeboom, meanwhile, shined in her first year and earned a selection to the MPSF All-Newcomer Team. She tallied 40 goals of her own in 2016. Barr (first team), junior Devin Grab (second team), senior Kelsey O'Brien (honorable mention) and reshirt senior Alexa Tielmann (honorable mention) all garnered All-America selections. Barr was also a 2016 Cutino Award finalist to round out her stellar season.
Bruins Capture Gold in Rio -- Five Bruins joined former UCLA women's water polo head coach Adam Krikorian in securing Team USA's first back-to-back gold and fifth consecutive Olympic medal at last summer's Rio Games. Courtney Mathewson, who also won gold in London in 2012, was joined by fellow graduates Sami Hill and KK Clark, as well as current Bruin attacker Rachel Fattal and incoming freshman attacker Maddie Musselman. Musselman tallied 12 goals throughout the Games. Mathewson scored seven, Fattal added four, and Clark contributed two of her own. In the cage, Hill recorded six saves in three games.
Head Coach Brandon Brooks -- Brandon Brooks (UCLA '05) returns for his eighth season, having compiled a 178-39 record over his first seven. Brooks, the 2015 MPSF Coach of the Year, has coached UCLA to three MPSF Tournament titles in six seasons (2010, 2012, 2015). In addition, the Bruins have advanced to the MPSF Tournament championship match five times during his tenure. Twenty-three of Brooks' players have earned 39 All-America certificates, and 21 players have earned 38 All-MPSF awards. As an assistant coach with the men's and women's programs, Brooks was involved in four NCAA championships, and as a player, he was part of two NCAA title teams (1999 and 2000). A two-time Olympic goalkeeper, Brooks was the starting goalkeeper for the 2004 U.S. team that won the silver medal in Athens.
