In case you were unaware, UCLA has a total of 104 NCAA national championships in its athletic history. That’s tops in the universe.
OK, who are we kidding? Of course you knew.
In fact, the sports tradition at UCLA is probably one of the main reasons a lot of us even came to study in Westwood, with hopes that we could be a part of the next Final Four run by screaming our heads off in the stands.
But it’s not winter quite yet, meaning it’s not basketball season. And if you haven’t noticed, our football team isn’t necessarily in the running for a Rose Bowl showdown with the Gators or the Longhorns.
But if you’re interested in any sports besides basketball or football, UCLA has some good ones! How exciting!
In fact, it’s more than safe to say that national championship No. 105 will be delivered to Westwood by a team other than Howland’s or Neuheisel’s. So think of this as your mid-fall season report on which UCLA squads have a chance to bring joy to Bruin Nation once again.
Football
Ummmmm “¦
Men’s soccer
In their first game of the season, the Bruins established themselves as legitimate national title contenders when they shut out the No. 1 Maryland Terrapins in College Park, Maryland.
That’s huge.
Not only was Maryland ranked No. 1 at the time, but the Terrapins are the defending national champions. Now 13 matches into the season, UCLA holds a record of 9-2-2 and is just coming off a 10-game unbeaten streak.
In addition, the No. 7 Bruins, who were ranked No. 2 just last week before dropping Sunday’s match against No. 21 Stanford, hold two shutout victories over Cal, a team that was ranked as high as No. 4 earlier in the season. Unfortunately for the Golden Bears, their two losses at the hands of UCLA sent them reeling out of the top 25.
Consider that payback for the football drubbing Bears.
But I digress. Look for men’s soccer, led by star goalie Brian Perk, to give UCLA the best chance at title No. 105 in the fall sports.
Women’s soccer
There is one thing you need to know about UCLA women’s soccer.
North Carolina.
Now, I know that doesn’t make sense to most of you, but if you follow women’s soccer here in Westwood, you completely understand what I mean.
Consider this: Since 2000, the Bruins have faced the Tar Heels four times in the NCAA tournament, either in the semifinals or the final.
The Tar Heels have outscored the Bruins 8-1 in those games, and to add to that, UCLA has never beaten UNC.
Ever.
Just last year, the Tar Heels were victorious over the Bruins in the NCAA semifinal, once again 1-0. The Bruins responded by scheduling their first game of the 2009 season at North Carolina.
They lost, 7-2.
Although the Bruins are currently ranked No. 3 and UNC is ranked No. 6, unless someone else can eliminate the Tar Heels, I don’t foresee the Bruins being able to break the curse and win the next title.
Women’s volleyball
This Bruins’ squad has displayed the potential to make a serious run at the title.
Just ask Nebraska.
On Sept. 13, the then-No. 8 Bruins shocked the then-No. 5 Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Neb.
The significance?
Nebraska hadn’t lost at home in 90 consecutive matches.
Since then, the Bruins have collected some good wins over then-higher-ranked teams in Cal, USC and Oregon but have sprinkled in some bad losses, namely against Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton.
UCLA made the Round of 16 in last year’s tournament before being bounced by Texas, but if they can return to the form they showed against Nebraska earlier in the season, they have a real chance to make another deep run in the tourney and bring home No. 105.
Men’s water polo
This is a tough one.
Water polo is predominantly a West Coast sport, so although UCLA is a top 5 team, everyone else in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation is highly-ranked as well.
Case in point: Of the Bruins five losses this season, three are to Stanford, and the other two are to USC and Cal. The only problem is that all of these teams are in the MPSF.
To put it bluntly, all of the teams UCLA has trouble defeating are in their conference.
Chalk this up as a “close, but no cigar” year for men’s water polo. This isn’t their year to capture No. 105.
In conclusion, put your money on men’s soccer to win No. 105. They’re deep, they have a superior goalkeeper, a stellar freshman class and a player’s coach.
One thing is for sure though: UCLA fans don’t want to wait until next year to see their next trophy.
Therefore … go Bruins!
If you think the next title UCLA wins will be in football, e-mail Watson at bwatson@media.ucla.edu.