Upsets and unlikely heroes characterized the 2009 NCAA women’s water polo tournament as UCLA finished with its fifth consecutive national title. On paper, the No. 3 seed Bruins were not expected to win. After capturing their third NCAA title in the last three seasons, UCLA senior attackers Anne Belden, Tanya Gandy and Katie Rulon had […]
Category Archives: Women’s Water Polo
UCLA women’s water polo heads to NCAA Tournament with MPSF victory
After capturing a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship title, the UCLA women’s water polo team now has its sights set on the next task at hand: the NCAAs. With the NCAAs approaching in two weeks, the Bruins have now shifted their attention to the upcoming tournament that will be held at the Avery Aquatic Center […]
Women’s water polo defeats Cal to take MPSF title, clinches NCAA bid
In the fourth quarter of the championship game against California, with a little less than five minutes to play, coach Brandon Brooks shouted across the pool to his team, “You have a lot of time.” With a fresh shot clock and leading by two goals, Brooks kept reassuring his team to protect the ball. The […]
Women’s water polo embarks on journey to end MPSF title drought
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 […]
Women’s water polo looks to secure MPSF title rematch against Stanford
Two years ago, the UCLA women’s water polo team ended its regular season with two losses to Stanford and went on to fall to the Cardinal twice more in the postseason. One year ago, the Bruins entered the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament with two regular-season losses to the Cardinal and were once again defeated […]
UCLA women’s water polo crushes USC, maintains perfect home record
USC women’s water polo coach Jovan Vavic screamed a slew of inaudible words in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, as he had been during every intermission in Saturday’s game. However, Vavic was no longer yelling at his team, which was down 8-5 to UCLA with a minute to go. He had moved on […]
Women’s water polo senior class casts eye to future, leads by example
UCLA women’s water polo’s seniors have laid a foundation for the team’s future generations. “We are leaving UCLA water polo with examples of how to work hard,” said redshirt senior goalkeeper Sami Hill. “Dedication to learning – and not being afraid to make mistakes – can transform you as a player. I think that’s the […]