2019 Women's Water Polo Roster
Roster
Bella Baia
- Position:
- Attacker
- Height:
- 5-5
- Class:
- Freshman
- High School:
- Mater Dei HS
- Hometown:
- Orange, Calif.
UCLA CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• 3-time ACWPC All-Academic (Superior 2020, 2021, 2022)
• 2-time MPSF All-Academic Team (2020, 2021)
• 2-time Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll (2021, 2022)
• 12-time UCLA Athletic Director's Honor Roll (Fall 2018, Winter 2019, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Winter 2020, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022)
2022
Saw action in 11 games ... scored three goals on the year … also had one steal … scored a season-high one goal three times (in a win over Santa Clara Feb. 12, in a win over No. 11 UC San Diego Feb. 25, and in a win over No.17 Pacific on Mar. 06).
2021
Totaled 15 goals (9th on the team), nine assists (6th on the team), six steals, six exclusions drawn, and two field blocks in 19 games played … scored a season- and career-high five goals in a win over No. 16 San Jose State (Apr. 30) … scored at least one goal in a season-best two consecutive games three times on the year … scored at least one goal in 9-of-19 games and dished out at least one assist in 6-of-19 games on the season … had three multiple-goal games including one hat trick.
2020
Totaled 19 goals, seven assists, 15 steals, 11 exclusions drawn, and three field blocks in 21 games played … matched her career-high with a hat trick in a 16-10 win over No. 13 Fresno State (Feb. 1) … scored at least one goal in a season-best six consecutive games (Jan. 31-Feb. 21) and scored at least one goal in 13-of-21 games played.
2019
Totaled 19 goals (6th on the team), 16 assists (6th on the team), eight steals and four field blocks in 31 games played (25 starts) … added 17 earned exclusions (one penalty) and won 7-of-12 sprints … had six multi-goal games and two hat tricks, including a career- and season-high three goals in wins over No. 17 Fresno State (Jan. 27) and Santa Clara (Feb. 9) … scored at least one goal in a season-high three straight games Feb. 16-Feb. 23 and scored at least one goal in 11-of-31 games she played.
CLUB
Competed for SOCAL Water Polo Foundation in Tustin, Calif. … in 2018, won gold at the Cal Cup State Finals, placed 4th in U.S. Club Championships, and received the MVP award at the Junior Olympics as her team won the gold medal … in 2017, took the bronze medal at Cal Cup State Finals, placed second at U.S. Club Championships, and was named First Team All-American with a silver medal at the Junior Olympics … in 2016, won silver in the Cal Cup State Finals, bronze in U.S. Club Championships, and placed first at the Junior Olympics with a Second Team All-American selection.
HIGH SCHOOL
Coached by Brian Weathersby at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., for her first two years of high school and ended her last two years coached by Chris Segesmen at Mater Dei High School in Irvine, Calif. … at both schools, she earned letters in water polo and swimming … was a CIF Regional Champion in 2018 … placed third in CIF Southern Section in 2018 … was a Trinity League Champion in 2018 … earned First Team All-CIF Southern Section honors in 2017 and 2018 … selected as the Trinity League MVP in 2018 … earned a spot on the All-Orange County Team in 2018 … was placed on the Tournament of Champions All-Tournament Team in 2017 and 2018 … was selected as her team’s MVP in 2015, 2016, and 2018 … also earned 4.0+ GPA award all four years of high school.
PERSONAL
Daughter of Robin and David Baia… has one older sister, Sophia … decided to attend UCLA for many reasons but the constant competitive strive for greatness in athletics and academics impressed her the most … describes her greatest athletic thrill to date as closing out her last year of JO’s by winning the gold medal with the same core group of girls she had been playing with since 12 and under … lists Manuel Estiarte, Tim Tebow, and Michael Jordan as professional athletes she most admires … hobbies and interests include hiking, music (mostly country), traveling, and helping people with disabilities … sister, Sophia, currently attends UCLA … majoring in sociology.
| BELLA BAIA'S CAREER STATISTICS | ||||||||
| Year | GAMES | GOALS | SHOTS | PCT | AST | STL | BLK | EE |
| 2019 | 31 | 19 | 57 | .333 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 7 |
| 2020 | 21 | 19 | 39 | .487 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 11 |
| 2021 | 19 | 15 | 28 | .536 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| 2022 | 11 | 3 | 4 | .750 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 82 | 56 | 128 | .438 | 32 | 30 | 9 | 24 |
