The UCLA men’s volleyball team, ranked No. 1 nationally, continued its strong season with a series of notable victories and individual achievements, according to a March 13 announcement from the university’s athletics department. The Bruins are set to play No. 3 Hawai’i on Saturday night in the final match of the OUTRIGGER Invitational, which will be broadcast on ESPN+.
This matchup is significant as UCLA and Hawai’i have faced each other 97 times, with UCLA holding a 66-31 advantage. In NCAA Tournament history, the Bruins have won all three meetings against the Rainbow Warriors, including championship matches in 1998 and 2023 and a semifinal win in 2025.
Last week, UCLA secured two wins over No. 5 USC—one at USC in five sets and another at home in four sets—improving their record to 16-0 for the first time since 1998. The rivalry took on added meaning as both teams joined together to support the Live Like Braun Foundation, honoring Braun Levi, a Loyola High School senior who was killed by an alleged drunk driver. Several players and coaches from both teams have personal connections to Levi.
Sean Kelly was named AVCA National Player of the Week after totaling 38 kills across two matches against USC. “The Manhattan Beach, California native totaled 38 kills and hit .438 over the two matches,” according to the release. Zach Rama also earned national recognition earlier this season for his performance at the First Point Collegiate Challenge.
UCLA remains undefeated at 17-0 for the first time since its perfect season in 1984. The team has achieved top-five national rankings in several statistical categories: second in kills per set (13.73), hitting percentage (.394), and assists per set (13.07). Senior setter Andrew Rowan leads the nation with an average of 11.62 assists per set while Rama is fourth nationally in kills per set at 4.05.
The Bruins made history by winning a set against Ohio State with a score of 48-46—the most points ever recorded in an NCAA men’s volleyball set—and have swept opponents in eleven out of seventeen matches so far this season.
Looking ahead, UCLA was picked first in both preseason conference polls and returns several All-Americans from last year’s squad that reached its third straight NCAA Championship final appearance.
