Female Athlete of the Year: Rachel Garcia
Coral Smith, Daily Bruin senior staff
After her phenomenal 2019 season, one might have thought we had witnessed the greatest year of Rachel Garcia’s UCLA career.

I really had no idea what I was in for here.
The only reason I joined the Daily Bruin was because I was handed a flyer on Bruin Walk my first week of classes and, not wanting to seem rude, pretended to read it as I passed all the other people handing out flyers for their various clubs.

Hosting the NCAA tournament at Spieker Aquatics Center, No. 3 seed UCLA women’s water polo (13-4, 9-3 MPSF) will take on No. 6 seed and Big West champion Hawaii (11-1, 3-1 Big West) in the first round.

Experience, experience, experience.
Coach Chip Kelly of UCLA football will have the second-most returning production in all of the Football Bowl Subdivision next season as he has the opportunity to claim his first winning season in Westwood in four tries.

The Bruins will have a new man in Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s ear.
In the same offseason that it promoted a new wide receivers coach, UCLA football also hired Ryan Gunderson in February to take over as quarterbacks coach following the departure of Dana Bible, who held the position since 2018 when coach Chip Kelly took the reins in Westwood.

Jack Perez
Sports editor
Prediction: Sweet 16
I may be an optimist. I may be foolish. I may see a different Bruin squad than everyone else.

The Bruins and Spartans had to sweat it out, but the day has come for the two teams to help ring in the first NCAA tournament in almost two years.

This post was updated Feb. 25 at 7:52 p.m.
When the two teams met in Westwood to end 2020, the Bruins were pushed to the limit by the Utes, winning by two as they forced a turnover to seal the victory.

This post was updated Jan. 14 at 5:14 p.m.
After starting 2021 with three straight games with a final margin of 6 points or less, the Bruins finally got a comfortable win.