2017 NCAA Top 10 Countdown: No. 10 UCLA
Bruin faithful, start studying up on the roster page because your squad is going to look a lot different this year.
Last Season
27-7, 15-5 Pac-12
NCAA Regional Finals (3-0 loss to Minnesota)
13.63 assists/set (#6 in nation)
17.88 digs/set (#6 in nation)
14.34 kills/set (#13 in nation)
The Players
Returning Stars
Reily Buechler | 6-foot-1 | Senior | Outside Hitter
Kylie Miller | 5-11 | Sophomore | Setter
Zana Muno | 5-10 | Junior | Setter
Savvy Simo | 5-10 | Sophomore | Defensive Specialist
Biggest Losses
Jordan Anderson | 6-0 | Outside Hitter
Ryann Chandler | 5-9 | Setter
Claire Felix | 6-6 | Middle Blocker
Taylor Formico | 5-7 | Libero
Jennie Frager | 6-5 | Middle Blocker
Torrey Van Winden | 6-3 | Outside Hitter (transfer to Cal Poly)
Newcomers
Anne Crouch | 5-9 | Freshman | Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist
Katie Jacobs | 5-9 | Freshman | Setter
Alexis Light | 6-5 | Freshman | Outside Hitter
Mac May | 6-3 | Freshman | Outside Hitter
Jenny Mosser | 5-11 | Freshman | Outside Hitter
Emily Ryan | 6-4 | Freshman | Middle Blocker
Sabrina Smith | 6-4 | Freshman | Middle Blocker
Sarah Sponcil | 5-10 | Senior | Outside Hitter (Loyola Marymount transfer)
Preseason Matches to Watch
Texaco Rainbow Wahine Invitational | Honolulu, Hawaii
Aug. 25 vs. San Diego
Aug. 27 @ Hawaii
Sept. 8 @ Nebraska
Sept. 9 @ Nebraska
LBSU/UCI Invitational | Long Beach, California
Sept. 15 @ Long Beach State
Outlook
Talk about turnover. The only returning starters from the 2016 Bruin squad are senior outside hitter Reily Buechler and part-time sophomore setter Kylie Miller. Luckily, UCLA is bringing in five freshmen that make up the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation and adding senior transfer Sarah Sponcil, a 2016 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American at Loyola Marymount. Sponcil led her team with 402 kills and 26 aces in 2016, and played at the No. 1 spot on the LMU beach team, going 18-9 with partner Savannah Slattery.
It’s unclear if Sponcil’s place on the Bruin squad will be as a hitter or a defensive specialist/libero, but she’s a consistent player who will provide some much-needed experience on a team that will otherwise be largely made up of underclassmen.
Speaking of those underclassmen: head coach Mike Sealy brought in seven freshmen for the 2017 season. Adding some height to the Bruin roster are 6-4 middle blocker Sabrina Smith, 6-5 outside hitter Alexis Light, 6-4 middle blocker Emily Ryan, and 6-3 outside hitter Mac May. Outside hitter Jenny Mosser may only be 5-11, but she boasts big-time hops and will be more than capable of hanging with the Pac-12 competition.
Sophomore Miller and junior Zana Muno have both set as part of a 6-2 during their college careers at UCLA, and will likely team up to do so for 2017.
Prediction
Mike Sealy has some rebuilding to do, but if any recruiting class could handle replacing a majority of starters, it’s this one. UCLA will have height and ball control in 2017 and could pose a real threat in the Pac-12 and beyond.