LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The UCLA women’s volleyball team begins its 59th season with two matches at LSU in the Maravich Center on Friday, Aug. 25 at 4:30 p.m. (PT) and Saturday, Aug. 26 at 3 p.m. (PT). Both matches can be viewed on SEC Network+. Before heading home, UCLA will play at Northwestern State on Monday, Aug. 28 at 10:30 a.m. (PT) on ESPN+.
UCLA (0-0) at LSU (0-0)
Date: Friday, Aug. 25, 2023 – 4:30 p.m. (PT)
Location: Baton Rouge, La. (Maravich Center)
Television: SEC Network+
Talent: Lyn Rollins (PxP), Fran Flory (analysis)
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
UCLA (0-0) at LSU (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023 – 3 p.m. (PT)
Location: Baton Rouge, La. (Maravich Center)
Television: SEC Network+
Talent: Lyn Rollins (PxP), Fran Flory (analysis)
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
UCLA (0-0) at Northwestern State (0-0)
Date: Monday, Aug. 28, 2023 – 10:30 a.m. (PT)
Location: Natchitoches, La. (Prather Coliseum)
Television: ESPN+
Talent: Patrick Netherton
Live Stats: nsudemons.con/sidearmstats/wvball
A New Era in Westwood
The Bruins start a new era under first-year head coach Alfee Reft, who was hired in December 2022 as the fourth coach in program history. Reft came to UCLA after leading San Diego to its first-ever National Semifinal appearance in the NCAA Tournament in his third year as associate head coach. The Oxnard, Calif. native also brings Big Ten Conference experience to UCLA after serving as an assistant at the University of Illinois from 2018-19 and at the University of Minnesota from 2010-12. He accumulated a 68-32 conference record across both stints and reached the Final Four with the Fighting Illini in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
UCLA, Reft in Season Openers
The Bruins are 49-4 all-time in season-opening matches dating back to 1970-71 when UCLA’s official records begin. Two of those four season-opening losses have come within the last four seasons (2022, 2019). Last year, UCLA fell at Utah State after dropping the first two of four sets in extra points. Reft is 6-2 in his previous eight seasons as an assistant in season-opening contests. Those two losses were to No. 2 USC in 2011 when Reft was at Minnesota and to No. 1 Texas in Fall 2021 when he was at San Diego.
UCLA Picked Fifth
The Bruins were picked to finish fifth in the annual Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll, it was…
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