The UCLA men’s volleyball team, currently ranked No. 1 in the nation, is set to host No. 2 Long Beach State on Friday night at Pauley Pavilion. The match will begin at 7 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on B1G+.
Last week, UCLA faced Long Beach State and secured a 3-2 victory after dropping the first two sets. Zach Rama led with 21 kills, while Andrew Rowan contributed 45 assists and closed out the match with a service ace.
Both Rama and Rowan have been named to the AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List. Rama has started strong this season, leading the nation in kills per set at 4.77 and ranking fourth in points per set (5.16) and tenth in hitting percentage (.438). Rowan is a three-time AVCA first-team All-American who leads the country in assists per set (12.72) and is fifth nationally in aces per set (.720).
UCLA has opened its season with an 11-0 record for the first time since 1998, when it began with a 16-0 streak. The team made history by winning a second set against Ohio State by a score of 48-46, setting an NCAA record for most points in a single set.
Rama was recently recognized as both AVCA National Player of the Week and MPSF Offensive Player of the Week after leading UCLA to wins over Ball State and Loyola Chicago at the First Point Collegiate Challenge in Phoenix, Arizona. He averaged nearly six points per set across those matches.
Rama also earned MPSF Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performances against McKendree and Concordia earlier this season.
Rowan has directed UCLA’s offense to a .430 hitting percentage through the opening month of play, accumulating 427 assists over 11 matches—averaging almost 12 assists per set.
The Bruins currently lead all Division I teams in kills per set (14.03), hitting percentage (.427), and assists per set (13.31). Individually, Rowan tops all players nationally in assists per set (11.86), while Rama ranks third in kills per set (4.30).
Middle blockers Cameron Thorne and Micah Wong Diallo have contributed significantly to UCLA’s success so far this year; Thorne is hitting .606 through eight matches, while Wong Diallo holds a .583 mark through nine contests.
Reviewing last season, UCLA reached its third consecutive NCAA Championship final appearance—its fourth straight Final Four—and finished atop MPSF regular-season standings for the fifth year running with a record of 22-7 overall and 10-2 within conference play.
Several key players return from last year’s squad: setter Andrew Rowan (AVCA first-team All-American), middle blocker Cameron Thorne (first team), outside hitter Zach Rama (second team), along with sophomore Sean Kelly who played for Team USA at U21 World Championships.
UCLA swept nine out of its first eleven opponents this season—including four ranked teams—and has won 44 out of its last 48 MPSF matches dating back to 2022.
In preseason polls, UCLA was picked as favorites both nationally by AVCA Coaches Poll voters and within their conference by MPSF coaches.
This year’s roster features several new additions including freshmen Brogan Glenn (libero), Filippos Chrysostomou (outside hitter from Cyprus), Grayson Bradford (outside hitter), Rafael Urbina (setter from Colorado), and Marek Turner (outside hitter from Long Beach).
Looking ahead to Friday’s matchup against Long Beach State, head coach John Hawks will rely on experienced returners alongside talented newcomers as they seek to maintain their undefeated start to the season.
