Following injuries to key players, men’s volleyball sees development of young bench

Injuries have allowed the Bruins’ young bench to gain experience.

No. 5 UCLA men’s volleyball (14-4, 6-0 MPSF) defeated all its conference opponents in the first half of conference play to remain atop the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings. The Bruins played three matches without redshirt junior opposite Brandon Rattray and eight games without senior outside hitter Dylan Missry.

Missry and Rattray recorded a combined 183 kills, 18 aces and 22 blocks through the first nine games of the season. Due to its injuries, the team has had a chance to use its young bench for substitutions into the starting lineup.

Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Sam Kobrine has been placed into the Bruins’ starting lineup in the last nine games. Kobrine has averaged 8.8 kills, 1.6 blocks and a .231 hitting percentage throughout.

Coach John Speraw said UCLA needs to continue to develop the individual skills of its young players, such as Kobrine, in order to see improvement.

“There’s the individual learning phases that some of these guys are in. (Kobrine’s) a good example,” Speraw said. “He’s getting out there and starting significant minutes for the first time in his career, so his shot selection needs to improve. When does he attack? When does he tip and why? Continuing to evaluate those things and learn, I think over the course of time he’ll continue to improve.”

Sophomore middle blocker Grant Maleski has also been placed into the Bruins’ rotations to contribute both an offensive and defensive presence in Missry’s absence. Maleski has recorded a total of 33 kills, 23 blocks and seven aces over the last eight games.

“They’re always grinding, training in the gym for long hours,” said junior middle blocker Daenan Gyimah. “So it’s nice to see them shine.”

Freshman libero Cole Pender has played in 17 of UCLA’s 18 matches and has recorded 85 digs on the season. Speraw said Pender will continue to improve as the season progresses.

“We have to continue to get Pender more and more experience,” Speraw said. “He’s a true freshman out there at libero – that’s very difficult, especially against a great serving team.”

Senior setter Micah Ma’a said more game exposure and involvement are the keys to not only developing the team’s younger players, but also improving team chemistry and rhythm.

“Just experience,” Ma’a said. “Being on the court with the same people and figuring out how people like to operate both physically and mentally.”

With Rattray back in their lineup, the Bruins have six remaining conference matches this season, four of which will be on the road.

“It’s a gradual progression,” Speraw said. “I think guys are getting better and I feel like we’ve handled some of the fundamentals that we needed to handle and now it’s just about trying to increase the amount of reps and skill with experience.”

The Bruins will face unranked Ohio State (6-12, 2-6 MIVA) and Penn State (8-8, 5-2 EIVA) in the Pac-12 vs. Big Ten Challenge on Friday and Saturday, respectively, at USC’s Galen Center.

Bruin beach volleyball washes Pepperdine Waves away with 5-0 sweep

The Bruins won for the first time ever at Zuma Beach in record-breaking fashion.

No. 1 UCLA beach volleyball (10-0, 1-0 Pac-12) swept No. 3 Pepperdine (6-2) 5-0 in Malibu, California, on Wednesday afternoon. The Bruins won without dropping a set, and handed the Waves their first-ever 5-0 loss in program history.

“I expected it to be a war,” said coach Stein Metzger. “They’re known for being very good in their environment, which is typically windy. We’ve been working on our weather volleyball IQ for years now, so this is just a really special win for the program.”

Freshman Lindsey Sparks and senior Izzy Carey clinched the match for the Bruins with a 21-11, 21-10 win on court five. Sparks said the team had high expectations for this dual, and still came out of it feeling satisfied with its performance.

“We feel confident, but not cocky,” Sparks said. “Coming in, we just know we need to play to our own standards. That builds our own confidence.”

Junior Savvy Simo and sophomore Lea Monkhouse first won their match 21-17, 21-17 on court four to give UCLA a 1-0 lead. This was a redemption match for Simo, as she was part of the only duo to lose to Pepperdine in Hawaii on Feb. 24.

The Bruins followed that up with a 21-17, 21-18 win on court two a few minutes later. Junior Lily Justine and senior Sarah Sponcil won in straight sets against the Waves for the second time this year.

Metzger said he believed in his team’s ability coming into the season as reigning national champions, but is pleasantly surprised by his team’s consistency in its win streak.

“I knew we were capable of winning against anybody in the country,” Metzger said. “I wasn’t certain we would be able to do it consistently. There’s still a lot of the season left. But certainly we are in a good spot so far.”

Freshman Abby Van Winkle and senior Zana Muno gave the Bruins their fourth win on court three, defeating the Waves 21-15, 21-18. Muno spiked it to the right to put the Bruins on the verge of the sweep.

Seniors Megan and Nicole McNamara finished off the victory, winning 21-15, 21-16 on court one as Nicole McNamara ended the day with a kill to the left side. This was the twins’ second win over the Waves’ partnership of Brook Bauer and Heidi Dyer in two weeks, although the first time went to a third set.

Simo won the first point for the Bruins with a block that the Waves could not reach. She said the team seeks out opportunities to practice in nonideal conditions in order to be ready for any type of situation like the one against the Waves.

“Whenever there’s rain at UCLA, we practice in it. We travel out to Santa Monica to get some wind practice in,” Simo said. “They play here all the time, but our coaches do a really good job of putting the wind game into our minds.”

UCLA, Colorado, Utah to vie for Pac-12 tournament first-round bye this week

The Bruins have one last road trip to prove they’re worthy of a first-round bye.

UCLA men’s basketball (16-13, 9-7 Pac-12) will head out on the road to face Colorado (17-11, 8-8) Thursday night before rounding out the regular season at Utah (15-13, 9-7) Saturday.

Despite UCLA falling to both schools at Pauley Pavilion in February, the Bruins are still in control of their own destiny. A sweep of the two-game road trip would ensure UCLA a first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament, and sophomore guard Kris Wilkes said the team is well aware of the trip’s postseason implications.

“We know that it’s all in our hands,” Wilkes said. “We beat Utah and Colorado, and we’ll be good. It’s not like if somebody else wins, we have to worry about somebody else – It’s all on us, so we’ll be good.”

With both Utah and Colorado lurking, UCLA can’t afford to lose both games, and even a single loss could spell doom for their chances at the bye depending on how the teams around them in the standings finish.

And after winning three straight games in front of an amped-up home crowd, sophomore guard Jaylen Hands said it will be key that the team finds a way to recreate that same energy from Pauley out on the road.

“We’ve got to make the energy within the team,” Hands said. “Our bench has to be even better, the players on the court have to be even better, and then we also have to feed off of the crowd over there, we have to feed off them getting silent because we’re doing what we need to do.”

The Bruins’ first opponent of the trip – the Buffaloes – have lost two of their last three games, but downed the Utes in their most recent outing. Colorado beat UCLA by 11 back on Feb. 6 behind a 28-point performance by guard Shane Gatling, who nailed seven of his nine attempts from beyond the arc in the contest.

If Gatling and the Buffaloes win again Thursday night, they will not only be tied in the standings with the Bruins, but will also own the tiebreaker over UCLA. However, a loss for Colorado would likely eliminate it from being able to clinch a top-four seed.

Utah on the other hand, will face USC Thursday night. If both the Utes and Bruins win their respective games, Saturday’s matchup between UCLA and Utah in Salt Lake City could determine who claims the final bye.

Utah beat UCLA on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by guard Parker Van Dyke on Feb. 9, which means the Utes would also own the tiebreaker over the Bruins should they win again.

But regardless of where UCLA ends up in the standings following Saturday’s game, interim coach Murry Bartow said the Bruins are confident with their momentum heading into the postseason.

“We have made some progress, I think we’re a better team right now than we were five or six weeks ago,” Bartow said. “I think the guys feel good, I think they like how we’re playing, what we’re trying to do. And it’s obvious, but when you win, it’s going to build confidence.”

UCLA and Colorado will tip-off at 6 p.m. in Boulder, Colorado, on Thursday.

Underclassman pitchers preserve UCLA baseball’s high rankings

Despite their age, the Bruins’ starting rotation is ranked among the best in the country.

No. 2 UCLA baseball (9-2) came into this season fresh off a 2018 pitching campaign in which it ranked within the nation’s top 10 for ERA and WHIP – walks and hits per inning pitched. With the departure of right-hander Jake Bird and a preseason flexor injury to junior right-hander Ryan Garcia, the Bruins were left with just half of last year’s rotation still standing.

Replacing Bird as the Friday starter for the Bruins has been sophomore right-hander Zach Pettway, who bounced in between the No. 2 and No. 3 slots in the rotation last season. Although the former Freshman All-American does not have a win this season, he has racked up the most innings pitched and strikeouts on the team, along with a 0.75 WHIP that tops all other Bruin starters. Coach John Savage credits Pettway’s move up in the rotation to offseason improvements.

“We’ve changed some things with his delivery,” said Savage. “He’s shorter on the back side so the ball’s coming out better. He’s also got four pitches now and has added a slider.”

Moving down the rotation, freshman right-hander Jesse Bergin has started his college career undefeated through three starts, having allowed just one earned run through 17 2/3 innings. Bergin’s 0.51 ERA is ranked fifth in the nation among freshman pitchers, and he said he is looking to focus on how he can contribute as a starting pitcher for the team.

“(Savage) was preaching all fall and stuff how it’s not your moment or anything,” said Bergin. “It’s just about roles and filling into that, and just doing your job.”

The last underclassmen in UCLA’s rotation is freshman right-hander Nick Nastrini, who appeared in relief once during the season-opening series against St. John’s. With Garcia still injured and redshirt junior left-hander Justin Hooper still recovering from Tommy John surgery, Savage said he is looking forward to watching Nastrini progress.

“Another freshman, we’re looking for (Nastrini) to keep on building his resume,” Savage said. “It’s all about getting better at this stage and really evaluating guys to see what they can handle and what they can’t handle.”

UCLA is ranked second in the country with a 1.08 ERA, 4.59 hits allowed per nine innings and four shutouts. The Bruins also started the year by pitching 37 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run, the longest such streak by UCLA since 2011.

Bruin Tea: Is the question man on Bruin Walk who solicits money from students legitimate?

Quarter system got you down? Have you fallen and can’t get up? Bruin Tea is a series investigating student questions and petty concerns about UCLA.

Question: Is the man on Bruin Walk scamming students/visitors for money? I was a student 10 years ago, and he’s still on campus.

For nearly 12 years, Andre Oliver has stopped students on Bruin Walk to “ask you a question, boss.”

Oliver then asks potential donors if they would like to donate to a charity that supports children with incarcerated parents, children on Skid Row and other causes.

Oliver said he has been soliciting on Bruin Walk to fundraise for Stay Free Ministry Outreach, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides living facilities to help people remain sober.

Harold Douglas, Stay Free Ministry Outreach founder, said the nonprofit also provides services for people leaving the penal system and children on Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles.

Oliver has worked with the nonprofit for the last five years, said Arthur Hester, Stay Free Ministry fundraiser coordinator. Hester said he believes Oliver fundraised for other charities prior to his involvement with Stay Free Ministry Outreach, but could not name the other groups.

Oliver has collected donations that have helped with the purchase of items like blankets, jackets and food to set up cold-weather shelters, Hester said. Hester was not able to comment on how much money Oliver has raised.

UCLA spokesperson Katherine Alvarado said in an email statement solicitors like Oliver are able to ask for funds in public areas on campus if they have a Information Card permit issued by the LA Police Department.

UCLA Student Organizations, Leadership & Engagement staff checks these permits periodically and when a complaint is made, Alvarado said. UCLA SOLE has found Oliver’s permit to be legitimate each time they checked.

[RELATED: Walking the Bruin Walk – PRIME Winter 2019]

Hester added that the charity uses donations for operations like helping furnish homes of families who need assistance re-entering their homes. Stay Free Ministry Outreach also holds clothing and food giveaways in Downtown LA on the second Saturday of each month, he said

Oliver said he is motivated to help Stay Free Ministry Outreach because he once received support from them after becoming homeless at the age of 18 in Compton, California. He added his mother struggled with drug problems his entire life, which motivated him to leave his home when he was 17. Oliver was able to get back on his feet with support from the nonprofit and has fundraised on their behalf since.

“I like helping because I want better, I want more,” Oliver said. “When I was in Compton, people be getting killed, but when I come (to UCLA), it’s a safe haven.”

Oliver added he appreciates everybody who has donated to him and showed him support.

TL;DR: Oliver has received permission from the school to solicit on Bruin Walk and donates the money he receives to a nonprofit organization.

Visiting professor discusses how to incentivize behaviors through economic theory

A Nobel Memorial Prize winner in economics said companies can incentivize people to act in a particular way by taking advantage of the assumption that people would prefer to continue on the same course of action when faced with a decision.

Richard Thaler, the winner of the 2017 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and a distinguished service professor of behavioral science and economics at the University of Chicago, spoke at the UCLA Anderson School of Management on Tuesday about the use of behavioral economics, particularly “nudges,” to incentivize certain behaviors.

Thaler said nudges are incentives that lead people to make economic decisions based on factors such as environmental cues present when decisions are made.

He said, for example, the layouts of grocery stores or menus are designed to nudge people toward the most profitable items the store or restaurant sells.

Thaler added the Save More Tomorrow program, a behavioral program he co-pioneered to help employees save money for retirement, builds upon the human tendency to do nothing, as people within the program would automatically reap the benefits unless they made the active decision to opt out of the program.

He said the concept of nudges can be applied to private businesses.

Thaler gave the example of an advertisement that says an individual only has to pay a small fee to receive a 30-day free trial, but states in fine print users must cancel within the first 15 days to stop the subscription and avoid paying more. Since most people would not make the effort to cancel the subscription, the advertisement succeeds in nudging customers to sign up for the service and pay more money.

“Most people would not choose to opt out and would continue paying,” he said.

Thaler added he thinks businesses should be more transparent about their use of nudges so researchers can gauge whether people make decisions differently when they are more aware of these influences on their behavior.

He said he has spent the last 40 years studying aspects of human decision-making that most consider to be irrelevant, such as dinner and wine choices. He added that the impact of autonomy, decision-making and self-control can be viewed through an economic lens.

Thaler added his idea of behavioral economics builds on the basic optimization strategy of neoclassical economics, which is based on the concept of Homo economicus. Homo economicus is a hypothetical portrayal of a person who rationally prioritizes optimized solutions entirely based on self-interest and unbiased beliefs.

“Our biggest question is whether Homo sapiens resemble Homo economicus and, if there are any differences, how big the disparities are,” Thaler said.

Behavioral economics modifies classical theory by noting that humans may not always prioritize optimized solutions due to variations in human intelligence and the difficulty of tasks, he said. However, he added these standard neoclassical models can provide the basis of future economic fields and inquiries.

Divya Prajapati, a fourth-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student, said the talk changed the way she views economic theory.

“I learned a lot about the ways people make choices,” Prajapati said. “My exposure to economic theory is limited, but I always thought the idea of people making rational decisions and making choices based on what is optimal to them was weird to me.”

Vineet Mathew, a fourth-year computational and systems biology student, said he applies Thaler’s theories to his everyday life.

“Like in this model, having my cell phone right by me when I study is a nudge for me to look at it, but instead I can change the default by putting it super far away. Or even having my tennis shoes right next to the door right when I wake up as a nudge to exercise,” Mathew said. “It’s those little things that were useful for me, so that I can be a better student.”

UCSA argues nonresident enrollment cap will limit multiculturalism, accessibility

The University of California Student Association sent a letter to the California State Legislature on Wednesday opposing a proposed cap on nonresident student enrollment.

The letter, which was written by UCSA President Caroline Siegel-Singh, opposed a proposal by the UC to cap nonresident student enrollment at 10 percent per campus.

“(The UC is) mimicking the language used by the federal government about, ‘These are the people that we want, not other people,’” Siegel-Singh said.

Siegel-Singh said in the letter that the cap would hurt efforts to make attending a UC campus more affordable, as nonresidents currently contribute $120 million toward need-based financial aid for about 100,000 in-state students, she added.

She added she believes the cap would also limit the multicultural atmosphere of the UC provided by out-of-state and international students.

The UC raised nonresident tuition by $978 in March 2018, a 3.5 percent increase.

Siegel-Singh said she thinks the tuition increase and proposed cap show how a UC education is becoming less accessible to nonresident students.

“What we’re seeing, it’s becoming more of an access issue as well as affordability, if the only people who can attend can fork over $50,000 to $60,000 per year,” Siegel-Singh said.

Contributing reports from Emily MacInnis, Daily Bruin contributor.