As his sixth year leading the UCLA women’s water polo team approaches its conclusion, coach Brandon Brooks reflects on the season and the team he’s built.
“I’ve had the privilege of being here a long time, and every year is special. The standard of excellence here is really high,” Brooks said. “This year, we have an incredible combination of leadership, talent, work ethic and consistency. I think that combination has gotten us really far.”
That very combination has led to 21 wins over the course of the season and a perfect home record for the Bruins. UCLA now has the chance to add a 2015 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title to that resume.
As the No. 2 seed in the tournament, UCLA (21-2, 5-1) will kick off its weekend with a game against the No. 7 seed CSU Bakersfield (12-15, 0-6) on Friday in Tempe, Ariz. A win over CSU Bakersfield would put UCLA in a matchup with either USC or San Jose State in the semifinal on Saturday.
There’s a high likelihood that UCLA will face USC on Saturday for a spot in the MPSF final on Sunday. The Bruins are 2-0 against the Trojans this season, including a 9-5 victory Saturday, but Brooks said the team should not rest on its laurels.
“The biggest thing for us is to not expect – if we play them on Saturday for the semis – for the game to go just like it’s gone before. That would be arrogant to think that way,” Brooks said. “I think we saw that when we played solid offense and really good transition defense, we were really difficult to score on, but (USC) is great about making adjustments. They understand that there’s still a lot of the season left, and I look for them to make some great adjustments.”
The Bruins, however, are making few adjustments to their preparations for the weekend’s tournament.
“If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Brooks said with a laugh.
Before practice on Wednesday, the team was loud and brimming with energy. Brooks walked around grinning and joking with players.
“We get along really well,” said junior attacker Kodi Hill. “Everyone communicates well with each other, and everyone is giving 100 percent at all times.”
Brooks said this team dynamic is key for UCLA’s growth throughout the season.
“We’ve really kind of come together,” Brooks said. “Everyone’s settled into their roles. Everyone is operating in their space within the team. We’ve just become more and more cohesive.”
The UCLA coach has led the Bruins to two MPSF titles within the last five seasons, but the team fell short the last two years. This weekend will be an opportunity to put UCLA back on top and come home with a third.