The box score from any recent UCLA men’s volleyball game tells the same story: freshman Jake Arnitz has made an instant impact for the Bruins.
The outside hitter already averages more than three kills per set – the most on the team – and has earned himself a recurring role in coach John Speraw’s starting lineup.
Arnitz arrived in Westwood as the nation’s top recruit, according to Volleyball Magazine. With UCLA in a transitional phase entering the 2015 season and already possessing three other outside hitters, the freshman said he was unsure of what his role would be or how he could contribute.
“I definitely felt like people were expecting me to come in here and be able to do a lot, but I knew I had stuff to prove still. I knew I couldn’t just come in here and use that,” Arnitz said. “I knew I had to come in here and work hard to be able to get on the court. And that’s what I did.”
UCLA’s second action of the season – an exhibition against Canadian university Laval – saw Arnitz record 10 kills to lead the Bruins’ offensive effort. Every game since then has featured a similar storyline, with the 6-foot-7 outside hitter besting opposing defenses with his strong jumping ability.
“He can be very good offensively. He’s a very physical type of player,” Speraw said. “He touches really high so he attacks the ball from a very high point and that gives defenses a very difficult challenge when they play against him.”
Arnitz has started every conference game this season, anchoring the Bruins’ offense with a high hitting percentage and consistent scoring ability.
While a lot has been asked of the rookie early on in the season, it’s nothing Arnitz isn’t used to. Following his sophomore year at Esperanza High School in Anaheim, the Aztecs graduated nine of their players, forcing Arnitz into the role of both team captain and go-to scorer.
UCLA is in a similar position this season as its less experienced team members learn to compete without a large contingent of upperclassmen, having lost five players to graduation last year.
Although Arnitz has to shoulder the pressure of starting as well as transitioning to the collegiate level, he has taken it in stride, said assistant coach Brad Keller.
“He’s an extremely competitive young man,” Keller said. “Whenever you have a young player, there will always be a transition from grade school to high school, high school to college, college to pros. There’s always going to be a transition.”
For Arnitz, that transition included focusing on the technical aspect of his game, something that didn’t matter as much in high school when the level of play was easier for him to dominate, Speraw said.
“He’s having to go through some processes on how to change some of the technical, fundamental aspects of the game which I think has been a challenge for him, probably physically and emotionally like it is with a lot of guys who come in who are used to being the top guy on their team,” Speraw said.
While Arnitz acknowledges his early success, the freshman said he is quick to take none of it for granted. The team is the smallest it has been in recent years but it is deep at certain positions, including that of outside hitter.
“I didn’t really know who was going to start. We have four really good outsides and so I feel like any of us could be on the court at any time,” Arnitz said. “I’m definitely stoked to be on the court every game but it’s not set. I still have to work for it every day.”