Sunday, April 2
Los Angeles, CA
12:00 PM
UCLA
vs
Hawai'i
Freshman Taylor Smith and the UCLA Bruins will be playing at home this weekend for the first time in 71 days.
Photo by: Minette Rubin
No. 3 UCLA Returns Home After 71-Day Road Trip
March 30, 2023 | Women's Water Polo
SOCIAL MEDIA: WWP on Twitter | WWP on Facebook | WWP on Instagram
LOS ANGELES โ No. 3 UCLA (15-4, 2-1 MPSF) will put an end to a historic 71-day road trip this week when it returns home for the first time since the season opener on Jan. 20 to host No. 4 Hawai'i (16-3, 3-0 Big West) onย Sunday, Apr. 2 at 2:00 p.m. PT. The Bruins will provide live stats on the 6-8 Sports platformย (link below). UCLA will then host its annual Alumni Game at 2:00 p.m. PT following the bout with the Rainbow Wahine at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center.
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Sunday, Apr. 2 (Non-Conference Game โ Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquaticsย Center)
12:00 PM PT โ No. 4 Hawai'i at No. 3 UCLA | LIVE STATS
2:00 PM PT โ UCLA Alumniย Game
SERIES HISTORY
This is the 59th meeting between UCLA and Hawai'i with the Bruins leading the series 55-3. In this year's earlier meeting against Hawai'i, freshmanย Anna Pearsonย and sophomoreย Emma Linebackย scored four goals apiece to lead the No. 3 UCLA women's water polo team to an impressive 12-8 win over previously undefeated No. 5 Hawai'i (7-1) in the semifinals of the Triton Invitational on Feb. 4.ย A total of six Bruins got into the scoring column in the victory.ย Juniorย Sydney Chiangย got the start in the cage and went the distance, registering sevenย saves and one steal while allowing eight goals.
LAST WEEK IN BRUIN WATER POLO
The Bruins had last week off. UCLA posted a pair of wins in their last date of competition on Saturday, Mar. 18 at the LMU Invitational. The Bruins defeated No. 11 Princeton, 9-3, and then defeated the Lions, 15-11.ย In the win over the Tigers, UCLA was led by graduate studentย Ava Johnson'sย three goals. Seven Bruins scored in the game with Johnson being the only multiple goal scorer.ย In the win at LMU, UCLA was led by graduate studentย Val Ayalaย who scored four goals and added an assist for five total points. Juniorย Malia Allenย led the Bruins in scoring with seven points (two goals, five assists). A total of 10 Bruins got into the scoring column against LMU.
PEARSON NAMED MPSF/S&R SPORT NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
The MPSF announced on Feb. 7 that freshman utilityย Anna Pearsonย (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheranย HS) was named the MPSF/S&R Sport Newcomer of the Week.ย Pearsonย tied for the team lead in scoring with 12 goals in four games of the Triton Invitational (Feb. 3-5). She opened with two goals and one steal in the win over No. 24 CSUN. Pearson added five goals on five shots and drew two exclusions with one steal in a win at No. 18 UC San Diego. She followed with a game-high-tying four goals, three exclusions and two steals in the win over No. 5 Hawai'i. She scored one goal, drew two exclusions and had two steals in the final vs. No. 2ย USC.ย This is the first career MPSF honor for Pearson.
GESS NAMED MPSF/S&R SPORT NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
The MPSF announced on Jan. 31 that freshmanย Lily Gessย (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) was named the MPSF/S&R Sport Newcomer of the Week.ย Gessย tallied a season-high five points with the first hat trick of her collegiate career in the Bruins' only countable game at the California Cup, a 21-7 win over No. 11 UC Davis (Jan. 28). Sheย scored her three goals on just three shots and also contributed two assists and two steals in the win over the Aggies.ย This is the first career MPSF honor for Gess.
SMITH NAMED MPSF/S&R SPORT NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
The MPSF announced on Jan. 24 that freshmanย Taylor Smithย (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) was named the MPSF/S&R Sport Newcomer of the Week.ย Smith accumulated seven goals, four assists, a team-high 11 steals, and drew two exclusions (one penalty) in her collegiate debut week as the Bruins defeated five ranked opponents (Jan. 20-22). Smith's debut week included tying for the scoring lead with four goals against No. 21 San Diego State, along with four steals, one assist, and one drawn exclusion in the win against the Aztecs. She also shared the team lead in scoring in the win over No. 15 Wagner with two goals.ย This is the first career MPSF weekly award for Smith.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
First Team All-Americanย and UCLA's all-time leading scorer, attacker Maddie Musselman,ย is gone. But the Bruins return six All-Americans from the 2022 squad that reached the NCAA Semifinals and went 24-6 (.800) overall. Graduateย center Ava Johnsonย was the only Bruin to earn Second-Team honors. The remaining five Bruins earned Honorable Mention All-America accolades, which included graduate attacker Val Ayala, graduate utility Katrina Drake, senior utility Abbi Hill, redshirt senior goalkeeper Georgia Phillips, and sophomore attacker Molly Renner.
Johnson was seventh on the team in scoring with 38 points (30 goals, eight assists). The 30 goals ranked sixth on the team. She led the squad in exclusions drawn with a career-best 96 on the year. She tied for sixth on the team in field blocks (15). Johnson is a three-time All-American after earning First-Team honors in 2021 and being named Honorable Mention in 2020.
Ayala was third on the team in scoring with 57 points (34 goals, 23 assists). Her 34 goals ranked fourth on the squad while the 23 assists ranked tied for fourth. She ranked fifth on the team in steals with 15. She became the eighth player in UCLA history to become a four-time All-American after earning Third-Team honors in 2021, Second-Team acclaim in 2020 and Honorable Mention honors as a freshman.
Drake finished fourth on the team in scoring with 47 points (35 goals, 12 assists). The 35 goals ranked third on the squad while the 12 assists ranked seventh. She also was third on the team in exclusions drawn with 28 on the year. This was the second time she had earned All-America honors in her career (Honorable Mention in 2020).
Hill tied for ninth on the team in scoring with 32 points (22 goals, 10 assists). The 22 goals ranked tied for eighth on the team. She also finished fourth on the squad in exclusions drawn (24). This was her third straight All-America honor after being named Honorable Mention in 2021 and to the First Team as a freshman.
Phillips led the MPSF in save percentage (.604) and total saves (285). She also ranked third in the MPSF in goals against average at 7.35. This was the second All-America honor of her career after also being named Honorable Mention in 2020.
Renner tied for fifth on the team with 45 points (31 goals, 14ย assists). The 31 goals ranked fifth on the squad while the 14 assists ranked sixth. Her 17 steals also tied for third-highest on the team last season when she was a true freshman.
RETURNING ALL-MPSFย SELECTIONS
Ava Johnsonย earned All-MPSF honors for the second time in her career. She was named a Second-Team All-MPSF performer after earning First-Team honors in 2021. Goalkeeperย Georgia Phillipsย was named Second-Team All-MPSFย for the second time in her career (2020).ย Utilityย Abbi Hillย garnered Honorable Mention All-MPSF accolades after being named First-Team in 2020.ย Two Bruin freshmen wereย on the MPSF All-Newcomer Team, which includedย Emma Linebackย andย Molly Renner.
TENDING GOAL
The Bruins have four goalkeepers on the 2023 roster that will be vying for playing time but only two of them saw action last season. Leading the charge will beย redshirt senior Georgia Phillips who played in 29 games (starting 28) while going 23-5 on the year. Junior Sydney Chiang played in 10 games (starting twice) while going 1-1 on the year. Looking to make an impact this season will be true freshman Izzy Rosensitto (Newport Beach, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic HS) and sophomore transfer MJ Bailey (Long Beach, Calif./Pine View School (Sarasota, Fla.)/Iona College).
ย
ALMOST ALL-CALIFORNIA RAISED
The streak of having only California players on the roster ends at three years as the Bruins welcomed in Aussie Sienna Green for the 2023 season. The native of Mosman, Australia, played club ball for Sydney University and made her debut with the Australian National Team (the Stingers)ย against Canada in March of 2022. Iona transfer MJ Bailey also played her entire prep career at Venice High School in Sarasota, Fla., before relocating to Long Beach, Calif., with her family in 2022.
WRIGHT ON DECK
Adam Wright is in his sixth season as UCLA's head women's water polo coach in 2023 with an overall record of 120-32 (.789) and an MPSF mark of 22-11 (.667). Last season he won his 100th game at the helm of the women's program with a 9-8 victory at No. 4 California (Mar. 5, 2022).ย On July 20, 2017, then-UCLA Director of Athletics, Dan Guerrero, announced that Wrightย would guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams.
WRIGHT SIGNS NEW SIX-YEAR CONTRACT
UCLA signed men's and women's water polo head coachย Adam Wrightย to a new six-year contract that started in July of 2022 (announced on March 22, 2022). Wright was named the head coach of the UCLA Men's Water Polo team in 2009 and became the Bruins' Women's Water Polo head coach in 2017.
Wright just concluded his 14th season as UCLA's head men's water polo coach in 2022 with an overall record of 318-63 (.835) and an MPSF mark of 61-24 (.718). His teams earned perfect APR (Academic Progress Rate) scores of 1,000 in 2014, 2015 and 2016, all while winning NCAA Championships in 2014, 2015 and 2017. He won his fourth NCAA Championship with the men's team in 2021 (for the 2020 season).
RECAPPING 2022
Overall Record: 24-6 (.800) | MPSF Record: 4-2 (.667) |ย Final Ranking: 4th | NCAA Finish: T-3rd |ย MPSFย Tournament Finish: 4th
UCLA finished the season at 24-6 overall and 4-2 in the MPSF in 2022ย in head coach Adam Wright's fifth season at the helm of the program. Maddie Musselman, the 2022 MPSF Player of the Year, led the Bruins in nearly every statistical category this past season with team-highs in goals (69, 3rd in MPSF), assists (39, 8th in MPSF), total points (108, 3rd in MPSF), steals (46, led MPSF), field blocks (17, 3rd in MPSF), and sprints won (.984, 60-1), which led the MPSF and the nation. Musselman became the school's all-time leading scorer in 2022, finishing her collegiate career with 251 goals. She also became just the second Bruin in UCLA Women's Water Polo history to earn First-Team All-America honors four times (2017-19, 2022), joining Rachel Fattal (2013-15, 2017) in that exclusive club. The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games MVP also scored a personal-best six goals in a win at No. 6 Michigan during her senior season (Jan. 30, 2022). After the season Musselmanย was awarded a Pac-12 Postgraduate Scholarship and headed to Temple University to continue her education in the College of Science and Technology (CST) Pre-Health Post Baccalaureate Program [Advanced Core in Health Science Program (ACHS)].
UCLA IN THEย CWPA POLL
The Bruins moved up one spot toย No. 3 in Week 11 of theย 2023ย CWPAย National Women's Varsity Top 25 Poll (91 points), released on Mar. 29.
ย
ย
LOS ANGELES โ No. 3 UCLA (15-4, 2-1 MPSF) will put an end to a historic 71-day road trip this week when it returns home for the first time since the season opener on Jan. 20 to host No. 4 Hawai'i (16-3, 3-0 Big West) onย Sunday, Apr. 2 at 2:00 p.m. PT. The Bruins will provide live stats on the 6-8 Sports platformย (link below). UCLA will then host its annual Alumni Game at 2:00 p.m. PT following the bout with the Rainbow Wahine at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center.
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Sunday, Apr. 2 (Non-Conference Game โ Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquaticsย Center)
12:00 PM PT โ No. 4 Hawai'i at No. 3 UCLA | LIVE STATS
2:00 PM PT โ UCLA Alumniย Game
SERIES HISTORY
This is the 59th meeting between UCLA and Hawai'i with the Bruins leading the series 55-3. In this year's earlier meeting against Hawai'i, freshmanย Anna Pearsonย and sophomoreย Emma Linebackย scored four goals apiece to lead the No. 3 UCLA women's water polo team to an impressive 12-8 win over previously undefeated No. 5 Hawai'i (7-1) in the semifinals of the Triton Invitational on Feb. 4.ย A total of six Bruins got into the scoring column in the victory.ย Juniorย Sydney Chiangย got the start in the cage and went the distance, registering sevenย saves and one steal while allowing eight goals.
LAST WEEK IN BRUIN WATER POLO
The Bruins had last week off. UCLA posted a pair of wins in their last date of competition on Saturday, Mar. 18 at the LMU Invitational. The Bruins defeated No. 11 Princeton, 9-3, and then defeated the Lions, 15-11.ย In the win over the Tigers, UCLA was led by graduate studentย Ava Johnson'sย three goals. Seven Bruins scored in the game with Johnson being the only multiple goal scorer.ย In the win at LMU, UCLA was led by graduate studentย Val Ayalaย who scored four goals and added an assist for five total points. Juniorย Malia Allenย led the Bruins in scoring with seven points (two goals, five assists). A total of 10 Bruins got into the scoring column against LMU.
PEARSON NAMED MPSF/S&R SPORT NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
The MPSF announced on Feb. 7 that freshman utilityย Anna Pearsonย (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheranย HS) was named the MPSF/S&R Sport Newcomer of the Week.ย Pearsonย tied for the team lead in scoring with 12 goals in four games of the Triton Invitational (Feb. 3-5). She opened with two goals and one steal in the win over No. 24 CSUN. Pearson added five goals on five shots and drew two exclusions with one steal in a win at No. 18 UC San Diego. She followed with a game-high-tying four goals, three exclusions and two steals in the win over No. 5 Hawai'i. She scored one goal, drew two exclusions and had two steals in the final vs. No. 2ย USC.ย This is the first career MPSF honor for Pearson.
GESS NAMED MPSF/S&R SPORT NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
The MPSF announced on Jan. 31 that freshmanย Lily Gessย (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) was named the MPSF/S&R Sport Newcomer of the Week.ย Gessย tallied a season-high five points with the first hat trick of her collegiate career in the Bruins' only countable game at the California Cup, a 21-7 win over No. 11 UC Davis (Jan. 28). Sheย scored her three goals on just three shots and also contributed two assists and two steals in the win over the Aggies.ย This is the first career MPSF honor for Gess.
SMITH NAMED MPSF/S&R SPORT NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
The MPSF announced on Jan. 24 that freshmanย Taylor Smithย (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) was named the MPSF/S&R Sport Newcomer of the Week.ย Smith accumulated seven goals, four assists, a team-high 11 steals, and drew two exclusions (one penalty) in her collegiate debut week as the Bruins defeated five ranked opponents (Jan. 20-22). Smith's debut week included tying for the scoring lead with four goals against No. 21 San Diego State, along with four steals, one assist, and one drawn exclusion in the win against the Aztecs. She also shared the team lead in scoring in the win over No. 15 Wagner with two goals.ย This is the first career MPSF weekly award for Smith.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
First Team All-Americanย and UCLA's all-time leading scorer, attacker Maddie Musselman,ย is gone. But the Bruins return six All-Americans from the 2022 squad that reached the NCAA Semifinals and went 24-6 (.800) overall. Graduateย center Ava Johnsonย was the only Bruin to earn Second-Team honors. The remaining five Bruins earned Honorable Mention All-America accolades, which included graduate attacker Val Ayala, graduate utility Katrina Drake, senior utility Abbi Hill, redshirt senior goalkeeper Georgia Phillips, and sophomore attacker Molly Renner.
Johnson was seventh on the team in scoring with 38 points (30 goals, eight assists). The 30 goals ranked sixth on the team. She led the squad in exclusions drawn with a career-best 96 on the year. She tied for sixth on the team in field blocks (15). Johnson is a three-time All-American after earning First-Team honors in 2021 and being named Honorable Mention in 2020.
Ayala was third on the team in scoring with 57 points (34 goals, 23 assists). Her 34 goals ranked fourth on the squad while the 23 assists ranked tied for fourth. She ranked fifth on the team in steals with 15. She became the eighth player in UCLA history to become a four-time All-American after earning Third-Team honors in 2021, Second-Team acclaim in 2020 and Honorable Mention honors as a freshman.
Drake finished fourth on the team in scoring with 47 points (35 goals, 12 assists). The 35 goals ranked third on the squad while the 12 assists ranked seventh. She also was third on the team in exclusions drawn with 28 on the year. This was the second time she had earned All-America honors in her career (Honorable Mention in 2020).
Hill tied for ninth on the team in scoring with 32 points (22 goals, 10 assists). The 22 goals ranked tied for eighth on the team. She also finished fourth on the squad in exclusions drawn (24). This was her third straight All-America honor after being named Honorable Mention in 2021 and to the First Team as a freshman.
Phillips led the MPSF in save percentage (.604) and total saves (285). She also ranked third in the MPSF in goals against average at 7.35. This was the second All-America honor of her career after also being named Honorable Mention in 2020.
Renner tied for fifth on the team with 45 points (31 goals, 14ย assists). The 31 goals ranked fifth on the squad while the 14 assists ranked sixth. Her 17 steals also tied for third-highest on the team last season when she was a true freshman.
RETURNING ALL-MPSFย SELECTIONS
Ava Johnsonย earned All-MPSF honors for the second time in her career. She was named a Second-Team All-MPSF performer after earning First-Team honors in 2021. Goalkeeperย Georgia Phillipsย was named Second-Team All-MPSFย for the second time in her career (2020).ย Utilityย Abbi Hillย garnered Honorable Mention All-MPSF accolades after being named First-Team in 2020.ย Two Bruin freshmen wereย on the MPSF All-Newcomer Team, which includedย Emma Linebackย andย Molly Renner.
TENDING GOAL
The Bruins have four goalkeepers on the 2023 roster that will be vying for playing time but only two of them saw action last season. Leading the charge will beย redshirt senior Georgia Phillips who played in 29 games (starting 28) while going 23-5 on the year. Junior Sydney Chiang played in 10 games (starting twice) while going 1-1 on the year. Looking to make an impact this season will be true freshman Izzy Rosensitto (Newport Beach, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic HS) and sophomore transfer MJ Bailey (Long Beach, Calif./Pine View School (Sarasota, Fla.)/Iona College).
ย
ALMOST ALL-CALIFORNIA RAISED
The streak of having only California players on the roster ends at three years as the Bruins welcomed in Aussie Sienna Green for the 2023 season. The native of Mosman, Australia, played club ball for Sydney University and made her debut with the Australian National Team (the Stingers)ย against Canada in March of 2022. Iona transfer MJ Bailey also played her entire prep career at Venice High School in Sarasota, Fla., before relocating to Long Beach, Calif., with her family in 2022.
WRIGHT ON DECK
Adam Wright is in his sixth season as UCLA's head women's water polo coach in 2023 with an overall record of 120-32 (.789) and an MPSF mark of 22-11 (.667). Last season he won his 100th game at the helm of the women's program with a 9-8 victory at No. 4 California (Mar. 5, 2022).ย On July 20, 2017, then-UCLA Director of Athletics, Dan Guerrero, announced that Wrightย would guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams.
WRIGHT SIGNS NEW SIX-YEAR CONTRACT
UCLA signed men's and women's water polo head coachย Adam Wrightย to a new six-year contract that started in July of 2022 (announced on March 22, 2022). Wright was named the head coach of the UCLA Men's Water Polo team in 2009 and became the Bruins' Women's Water Polo head coach in 2017.
Wright just concluded his 14th season as UCLA's head men's water polo coach in 2022 with an overall record of 318-63 (.835) and an MPSF mark of 61-24 (.718). His teams earned perfect APR (Academic Progress Rate) scores of 1,000 in 2014, 2015 and 2016, all while winning NCAA Championships in 2014, 2015 and 2017. He won his fourth NCAA Championship with the men's team in 2021 (for the 2020 season).
RECAPPING 2022
Overall Record: 24-6 (.800) | MPSF Record: 4-2 (.667) |ย Final Ranking: 4th | NCAA Finish: T-3rd |ย MPSFย Tournament Finish: 4th
UCLA finished the season at 24-6 overall and 4-2 in the MPSF in 2022ย in head coach Adam Wright's fifth season at the helm of the program. Maddie Musselman, the 2022 MPSF Player of the Year, led the Bruins in nearly every statistical category this past season with team-highs in goals (69, 3rd in MPSF), assists (39, 8th in MPSF), total points (108, 3rd in MPSF), steals (46, led MPSF), field blocks (17, 3rd in MPSF), and sprints won (.984, 60-1), which led the MPSF and the nation. Musselman became the school's all-time leading scorer in 2022, finishing her collegiate career with 251 goals. She also became just the second Bruin in UCLA Women's Water Polo history to earn First-Team All-America honors four times (2017-19, 2022), joining Rachel Fattal (2013-15, 2017) in that exclusive club. The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games MVP also scored a personal-best six goals in a win at No. 6 Michigan during her senior season (Jan. 30, 2022). After the season Musselmanย was awarded a Pac-12 Postgraduate Scholarship and headed to Temple University to continue her education in the College of Science and Technology (CST) Pre-Health Post Baccalaureate Program [Advanced Core in Health Science Program (ACHS)].
UCLA IN THEย CWPA POLL
The Bruins moved up one spot toย No. 3 in Week 11 of theย 2023ย CWPAย National Women's Varsity Top 25 Poll (91 points), released on Mar. 29.
ย
| 2023 Women's Varsity Top 25 (Week 11/March 29) | |||
| Rank | Team | Week 10 Poll | Points |
| 1 | ย Stanford | 1 | 100 |
| 2 | ย USC | 2 | 96 |
| 3 | ย UCLA | 4 | 91 |
| 4 | ย Hawai'i | 5 | 88 |
| 5 | ย California | 3 | 82 |
| 6 | ย UC Irvine | 6 | 76 |
| 7 (T) | ย Princeton | 7 (T) | 74 |
| 7 (T) | ย Long Beach State | 9 | 74 |
| 9 | ย Fresno State | 7 (T) | 68 |
| 10 | ย UC Santa Barbara | 10 | 63 |
| 11 | ย UC Davis | 11 | 60 |
| 12 | ย Pacific | 12 | 57 |
| 13 | ย Michigan | 13 | 54 |
| 14 | ย Harvardย | 14 | 49 |
| 15 | ย Arizona State | 15 | 44 |
| 16 | ย Loyola Marymount | 16 | 39 |
| 17 | ย Wagner | 17 | 36 |
| 18 | ย UC San Diego | 18 | 32 |
| 19 | ย Indiana | 19 | 29 |
| 20 | ย San Jose State | 20 | 24 |
| 21 | ย Brown | 21 | 21 |
| 22 | ย Pomona-Pitzer | 24 | 13 |
| 23 | ย CSUN | 22 | 11 |
| 24 | ย Long Island | 23 | 10 |
| 25 | ย San Diego State | 25 | 6 |
| RV | ย Marist | RV | 3 |
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Players Mentioned
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
CTR
/ Women's Water PoloCTR
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water PoloGK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water PoloNo. 4 UCLA vs. No. 3 Hawai'i Highlights
Monday, April 14
Highlights - UCLA W. Water Polo vs. Princeton (March 13, 2025)
Friday, March 14
UCLA vs. Princeton
Thursday, March 13
No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 15 Indiana
Sunday, March 09