| UCLA Bruins | |
| University | University of California, Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| Conference(s) | Pacific-12 Conference |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletics director | Dan Guerrero |
| Location | Los Angeles, CA |
| Varsity teams | 22 |
| Football stadium | Rose Bowl |
| Basketball arena | Pauley Pavilion |
| Baseball stadium | Jackie Robinson Stadium |
| Mascot | Joe & Josephine Bruin |
| Nickname | Bruins |
| Fight song | "Sons of Westwood" |
| Colors | True Blue and Gold |
| Homepage | UCLA Athletics |
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I (formerly Division I-A). UCLA has the most decorated athletic program in NCAA history, with 108 NCAA team championships.[1][2] UCLA is the only school with a No. 1 overall pick in the MLB (baseball), NFL (football), NBA (basketball) and MLS (soccer) drafts. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton were top picks in the NBA, Troy Aikman in the NFL, Chris Chambliss and Gerrit Cole in the MLB, and Tahj Jakins, Steve Shak, Marvell Wynne and Chance Myers in the MLS. UCLA is the only school with winners in top football (Heisman Trophy), men's basketball (Wooden), baseball (Golden Spikes) awards: Trevor Bauer (baseball), Gary Beban (football), Marques Johnson and Ed O'Bannon (basketball).
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The UCLA athletic teams' colors are True Blue[3][4][5] and Gold. In the early days of the school, UCLA had the same colors as the University of California, Berkeley; Yale blue and gold.
When football coach Red Sanders came to UCLA for the 1949 season he redesigned the football uniforms. The Yale blue was changed to a lighter shade of blue. Sanders figured that the baby blue would look better on the field and in film. He would dub the baby blue uniform "Powderkeg blue", powder blue with an explosive kick.[6] For the 1954 football season, Sanders added a gold loop on the shoulders, the UCLA Stripe.[7]
Two very notable sports facilities serve as home venues for UCLA sports. Since 1982, the Bruin football team has played its home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. From 1923–81, including the Bruins' 1954 National Championship year, the team played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The women’s gymnastics, men's and women's basketball, and volleyball teams play at Pauley Pavilion on campus. For baseball, there is the Steele Field at the Jackie Robinson Stadium, located close to campus.
See also: Drake Stadium, Los Angeles Tennis Center, Spieker Aquatics Center.
As of December 2011, UCLA has won 108 NCAA team championships, and 128 total national team championships—more than any other university.[1][2] The most recent championship came on December 17, 2011, when the women's volleyball team won their 4th NCAA title. The second most recent championship came in May 21, 2011, when the women's golf team won their 3rd NCAA title. The third most recent championship came in June 2010 when the women's softball team won their 11th NCAA title. The fourth most recent championship came on April 24, 2010 when the women's gymnastics team was able to win the NCAA crown, and the fifth most recent championship came on May 10, 2009, when the women's water polo team defeated crosstown rival USC, 5–4 to win the 2009 Women's Water Polo Championship.[8] UCLA also secured three NCAA championships during the month of May, 2008: on May 11, 2008 when UCLA defeated archrival USC, 6–3, for the Women's Water Polo Championship,[9] on May 20, 2008 when the Bruins defeated California for the Women's Tennis Championship,[10] and on May 31, 2008 when UCLA defeated archrivals Stanford and USC for the Men's Golf Championship.[11] The 2010 NCAA Women's Gymnastics championship was won by the UCLA team on April 23, 2010.
UCLA is the first school to win at least 100 NCAA championships. UCLA secured its 100th NCAA Championship on May 13, 2007, when UCLA defeated Stanford, 5–4, for the 2007 Women's Water Polo Championship. In the following 2007–08 sports season, some UCLA sports teams commemorated this achievement by replacing the blue letter 'C' on their uniforms with a gold 'C' ('C' being the Roman numeral for 100).
UCLA has won NCAA Division I championships in the following events:
The 2010 team, under head coach John Savage, won the Los Angeles Regional and Super-Regional, and was the first team to win 48 games in a season. The Bruins joined seven other teams in the 2010 College World Series and finished in second place behind the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.[12] The 2011 team won the Pac-10 Conference title.
There have been many UCLA baseball players who went on to play in Major League Baseball. In the 2009 World Series, Chase Utley hit two home runs to help the Philadelphia Phillies winning the first game of the series. There were a total of four former UCLA baseball players in the 2009 playoffs, Philadelphia's Ben Francisco and Chase Utley, Pittsburgh's Garrett Atkins and St. Louis' Troy Glaus, who was the 2002 World Series MVP for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Chris Chambliss and Gerrit Cole were No. 1 overall picks in the MLB drafts. Trevor Bauer was drafted as the No. 3 pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 6, 2011. Former UCLA shortstop Brandon Crawford hit a grand slam homerun in his major league debut with the San Francisco Giants on May 27, 2011.
Several of the most revered championships were won by the Men's Basketball team under coaches John Wooden and Jim Harrick. The rich legacy of UCLA basketball has produced 11 NCAA championships – 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1995. From 1971 to 1974, UCLA men's basketball won an unprecedented 88 consecutive games, a record that many sports pundits consider unbreakable. Past rosters of UCLA basketball teams have included greats such as Rafer Johnson who was the 1960 Olympic Decathlon Champion, Gail Goodrich, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor), Bill Walton, Reggie Miller and Walt Hazzard. The Bruins also had a winning record for 54 consecutive seasons from the 1998–1999 season to the 2001–2002 season.[13]
In recent years, UCLA Men's Basketball has returned to prominence under Coach Ben Howland. Between 2006 and 2008, UCLA has been to three consecutive Final Fours, while UCLA's players have received numerous awards, most notably Arron Afflalo, a 2007 First-Team All American and the Pac-10 Player of the Year, and Kevin Love, a 2008 First-Team All American and the Pac-10 Player of the Year.[14] UCLA has produced the most NBA Most Valuable Player Award winners, six of them by Abdul-Jabbar and one by Walton, who was Abdul-Jabbar's successor.[15]
In 1954, the UCLA football team earned a share of the national title with a 9–0 record and a #1 ranking in the UPI football poll, while Ohio State was ranked #1 in the AP Poll. Owing to rules in place at the time, UCLA was unable to face off against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, which would have resulted in one or the either being declared national champion. The Bruins have played in the Rose Bowl Game 12 times, winning 5 of them. The Bruins have won or shared the conference title 17 times. Among the many former UCLA football stars are Jackie Robinson (better known for his exploits as a baseball player, but nevertheless a 4-sport letterman and All-American), Heisman Trophy winner Gary Beban, Bob Waterfield, Troy Aikman, Carnell Lake, and Tommy Maddox. One of the great moments in recent history for the Bruins came on December 2, 2006, when they beat USC 13–9 in one of the greatest upsets in the rivalry.
UCLA became the first school to have a top winner in both basketball and football in the same year with Gary Beban winning the Heisman Trophy and Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) winning the U.S. Basketball Writers Association player of the year award in 1968.
A notable player and alumnus of the UCLA football team is current NCIS star, actor Mark Harmon. Winner of the "all-around excellence" award, Harmon led his team to victory several times as the quarterback.
The UCLA Bruins Golf Team has won two NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, in 1988 and 2008. In the 2008's national championship, the team was led by senior Kevin Chappell, who won the respective individual title. In that championship, UCLA won by one shot over USC, and by two shots over Stanford. In 2009, UCLA came first in the NCAA Central Regional, pulling off their third regional championship in the last seven years. With that victory, the defending national champions, advanced to their seventh consecutive NCAA Championship, a school record. For 2011, the Bruins were first in stroke play before losing in the match play of the national championship tournament; and freshman golfer Patrick Cantlay was named GCAA Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award, the fourth player from UCLA.[16] Cantlay was also the National Freshman of the Year, winning the Phil Mickelson Award in addition to being the Pac-10 Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.[17] Kevin Chappell won National Player of the Year in 2008, Corey Pavin in 1982 and Duffy Waldorf in 1985. At the U.S. Open 2011 Congressional, Chappell was the low American (tie with Robert Garrigus) and Cantlay was the low amateur.
The women's team won the national championship in 1991, 2004 and 2011.
Former Bruin golf professionals include Scott McCarron, John Merrick, Corey Pavin, and Duffy Waldorf. Bruin alum Brandt Jobe tied for second at the 2011 Memorial Tournament.
The women's gymnastics team has won six NCAA Women's Gymnastics championships under head coach Valorie Kondos Field, including championships in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2010 . Two NCAA Men's Gymnastics championships (1984 and 1987) were won by the men's team before the program was discontinued.
Some notable former UCLA gymnasts include current stuntwoman Heidi Moneymaker and U.S. Olympic Team members Jamie Dantzscher, Mohini Bhardwaj, Kate Richardson, Tasha Schwikert, Kristen Maloney, Yvonne Tousek, Stella Umeh, Luisa Portocarrero, Tim Daggett, Mitch Gaylord, and Peter Vidmar. 2008 Canadian Olympic Gymnastics team member Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs is attending UCLA and is a member of the team for the 2008–2009 season. On March 22, 2009, the team won the Pac-10 Gymnastics Championship, their 14th title. The team took home its 15th Pac-10 Gymnastics Championship on March 27, 2009. Most recently, On April 23, 2010, the team won their 6th National Championship in Gainesville, Florida; the win brought the total number of national championships for UCLA to 105.
The men's soccer team won the 2008 Pacific-10 Conference championship and received the conference's automatic bid in the NCAA National Championship Tournament, their 26 consecutive appearances. The Bruins finished the regular season on an eight-game unbeaten streak. The conference title makes it the sixth title in 9 years.[18]
Since the beginning of the men's soccer tournament in 1959, UCLA has won national championship in 1985, 1990, 1997, and 2002; and finished second in 1970, 1972, 1973, and 2006.
On Sunday, November 23, 2008, three UCLA alumni Frankie Hejduk, Sigi Schmid and Mike Lapper helped the Columbus Crew to win its first-ever MLS title by defeating the New York Red Bulls, (3–1), in the 2008 MLS Cup at Carson, California.[19]
The women's soccer team has won the Pac-10 championships eight times since the beginning play in 1993. It has appeared six times in the College Cup and made 12 appearances in the NCAA National Championship Tournament.[20] They finished second three times (2000, 2004, and 2005).
For the 2008 Women's Soccer Championships, the undefeated UCLA women's soccer team was named one of the four No. 1 seeds, the third time in program history. The Bruins defeated Fresno State Bulldogs (5–0), San Diego Toreros (1–0), and USC Trojans (1–0) to advance to the Elite Eight.[21] On November 29, Kristina Larsen scored two goals to lead the team to a 6–1 win over the Duke Blue Devils and a spot in the College Cup final four. Four others scored a goal each.
Cobi Jones, USA's most capped national player, played for UCLA. Also, four former Bruin players, Carlos Bocanegra, Benny Feilhaber, Jonathan Bornstein and Marvell Wynne, were on the U.S. Men's National team squad that defeated No. 1 ranked Spain to win one of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final games on June 24, 2009.[22]
For the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, former player Lauren Cheney played for the US National Team and scored against North Korea on June 28, 2011. She scored the first goal and assisted on the winning goal in the semi-final against France on July 13, 2011 to lead the USA team to the finals.
The Bruins has been a 11-time NCAA champions, including the first one in 1982. They were second 7 times in the Women's College World Series (WCWS), last one in 2005.
They won the World Series in 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2010. The team also had a national championship in 1978. The 2010 title was guided by head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, a former player and assistant coach.
Former Bruin Natasha Watley went on to help the United States women's national softball team win a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics and a silver medal in 2008. Andrea Duran helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2006 ISF World Championship and a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics. Other famous Bruin players include Lisa Fernandez (two time NCAA Champion and three time Olympic gold medalist) and Dot Richardson (NCAA Champion [1982] and Olympic medal winner).
The UCLA men's tennis team is shooting for its sixth Pac-10 title and a NCAA championship in the current season. The only school to have competed in every NCAA Men's Tennis Tournament, the team has won 16 national championships and 36 Pac-10 conference titles. Coach Billy Martin, who played at UCLA, has a 14 straight top 5 NCAA team finishes and a 9 consecutive 20-win seasons. He was named ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) division 1 National Coach of the Year and is a member of ITA Hall of Fame.[23][24] The 1950 men's tennis team won UCLA's first-ever NCAA Championship.
The women's team, which won its first national championship in 2008, is coached by Stella Sampras the sister of Pete Sampras, who donated a scholarship at UCLA. Number of players have won the individual titles, including Keri Phebus (1995 Singles), Heather Ludloff and Lynn Lewis (1982 Doubles), Allyson Cooper and Stella Sampras (1988 Doubles), Mamie Ceniza and Iwalani McCalla (1992 Doubles), Keri Phebus and Susie Starrett (1995 Doubles), Daniela Bercek and Lauren Fisher (2004 Doubles), and Tracey Lin and Riza Zalameda (2008 Doubles).
UCLA alumni in the ATP included Jimmy Connors, Arthur Ashe, Eliot Teltscher, Brian Teacher, Peter Fleming, Fritz Buehning, and Jeff Borowiak.
Inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Hall of Fame:
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(P – Player, C – Coach, Con. – Contributor)[24] |
The UCLA-USC Dual Meet Hall of Fame inducted Willie Banks (triple-jump), John Brenner (shot put), Wayne Collett (sprints) and Seilala Sua (shot put and discus) into the hall's first class in 2009.
When Meb Keflezighi was running for UCLA, he won four NCAA championships in one year, including the cross-country title, the 10,000 meters outdoors and the 5,000 meters indoors and outdoors titles in track. In 2009, he became the first American to win the New York City Marathon in 17 years.[25]
The UCLA's men's volleyball team has won 19 NCAA titles and is coached by Al Scates, winningest volleyball coach in the history of the NCAA.
The women's team has made 12 NCAA Final Four appearances (1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2006, 2011) and has won 4 NCAA titles. Most recently, the women's team defeated Illinois in four sets to claim the NCAA title for 2011, twenty years after their previous title run.[26] Volleyball star Karch Kiraly (1983) has been named one of 2009’s inductees into the College Sports Information Directors of America (COSIDA) Academic All-America Hall of Fame.[27]
When talking about college water polo teams, UCLA's men and women water polo teams are on top of the list. The women's team has captured 7 of the 9 championships since it became an NCAA sponsored event.[8] They also won non-NCAA national titles in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2000. The men's team were champions 8 times and as runner-up 6 times.
Four UCLA water polo alumni and former coach Guy Baker were members of the USA women's and men's teams participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Natalie Golda (now Benson) and Jaime Hipp were members of the women's team, while Adam Wright and Brandon Brooks were on the men's team. Both teams won a silver medal.
Sean Kern, Coralie Simmons, Natalie Golda, Kelly Rulon, and Courtney Mathewson won the Peter J. Cutino Award, the most prestigious individual award in American collegiate water polo.
The then No. 2-ranked men's water polo team opened the newest athletic facility at UCLA, the Spieker Aquatics Center, with a win over the No. 7-ranked UC Irvine Anteaters, 10–4, on Saturday, September 26, 2009. The center hosted the MPSF Women's Water Polo Championship Tournament April 30 – May 2, 2010 and will host the MPSF Men's Water Polo Championship Tournament November 25-27, 2011.
In 2009, the men's team defeated #1 ranked USC and #3 ranked California for the MPSF tournament championship to advance to the NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship. On February 28, 2010, the women's team played the longest match in NCAA women’s water polo history, winning 7–6 over California at the UC Irvine Invitational.[28]
Mark Harmon, Patrick Ianni, Jackie Robinson, Rafer Johnson, Yang Chuan-kwang (C.K. Yang), Walt Hazzard, Gail Goodrich, Troy Aikman, Gary Beban, Cade McNown, Kenny Easley, Tom Fears, Billy Kilmer, Bob Waterfield, Jimmy Connors, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lew Alcindor), Jamaal Wilkes, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Evelyn Ashford, Bill Walton, Kenny Washington, Arthur Ashe, Reggie Miller, Karch Kiraly, Troy Glaus, Tim Daggett, Baron Davis, Stacey Nuveman, Lisa Fernandez, Amanda Freed, Tairia Flowers, Donna de Varona, Cobi Jones, Lauren Cheney and Ann Meyers are just some of the notable athletic alumni. Its coaches have included Red Sanders, Tommy Prothro, Dick Vermeil, Terry Donahue, Al Scates, Adam Krikorian, Jonathan Bornstein, Andy Banachowski, Jim Harrick, and John Wooden.
Several UCLA alumni have been important in fighting against segregation and racial discrimination in sports. Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play Major League Baseball. Kenny Washington was the first African-American to play in the NFL after World War II. Don Barksdale was the first African-American to be named consensus college basketball All-American, the first African American to play with the U.S. Olympic basketball team, and the first African-American to appear in an NBA All-Star Game. Arthur Ashe was one of the first successful African-American tennis players.
In addition to the success of its collegiate sports program, UCLA is always well represented at the Olympics. In the 2004 Athens games, UCLA sent 56 athletes, more than any other university in the country. At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Bruins won 15 medals, include 4 gold, 9 silver, and 2 bronze. If UCLA were a country, it would have finished tie for 17th place. Additionally, five coaches came from UCLA: Jillian Ellis (women's soccer, gold), Guy Baker (women's water polo, silver), Bob Alejo (men's beach volleyball, gold), Jeannette Boldon (women's track and field, multiple medals), and Jon Speraw (men's volleyball, gold).
The Bruin mascots are Joe and Josephine Bruin. There have been a number of editions of the bruins over the years, with the happy bruins as the favorites of the fans. The mean ones were retired. One of the old mascots has been retired to the Bruin Hall of Fame. They have participated in other events for UCLA besides athletic events.
In 1984, the UCLA Alumni Association celebrated its 50th anniversary by presenting "The Bruin" statue, located at Bruin Plaza, to the university (see picture above). It was billed as the largest bear sculpture in the United States, at 10 feet long, 6 feet wide, 3 feet across and weighing more than 2 tons.
The Solid Gold Sound of the UCLA Bruin Marching Band entertains the crowds at Bruin games. The school fight songs are "Sons of Westwood" and "The Mighty Bruins".
The spirit squad includes the cheer squad, the dance team, and the yell crew in addition to the mascots. The UCLA alumni band is the official band of the gymnastics team at the school.
UCLA shares a traditional sports rivalry with the nearby University of Southern California. This rivalry is relatively unique in NCAA Division I sports because both schools are located within the same city, Los Angeles. The Lexus Gauntlet was the name given to a now defunct competition between UCLA and the University of Southern California in the 18 varsity sports that both competed in head-to-head; in 2003, 2005, and 2007 UCLA won the Lexus Gauntlet Trophy, while the University of Southern California won the trophy in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2009. Competitions with official sponsorship were held from 2001 until the licensing contract ended in 2009.
The annual football game features both teams vying for the Victory Bell.
In conjunction with the opening of the J.D. Morgan Athletics Center in November 1983, UCLA established an athletics Hall of Fame with 25 charter members representing a cross-section of the school's athletic history. Each year, a minimum of one and a maximum of eight former UCLA athletes, coaches or administrators are added to the Hall of Fame. Upon its 23rd year of existence, The Hall of Fame was moved to a new location facing Westwood Plaza. The new Hall of Fame is now double in size after its renovation and expansion, which was completed in the Winter of 2000. The first floor in the east wing of the new J.D. Morgan Athletics Center features the 8,000-square-foot (740 m2) Athletics Hall of Fame and serves as the main entrance to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
The football team's uniforms were once provided by Reebok, but are now sponsored by Adidas.
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