Only one team can enter each season as the “best team in the nation.”

This year, in NCAA women’s soccer, it’s UCLA.

In between receiving the national title and its first exhibition contest on Aug. 12, No. 1 UCLA women’s soccer has prioritized a balance between working hard and having fun. This offseason, the Bruins traveled to the White House for College Athlete Day which celebrated the national champions in each sport, attended the ESPY awards and competed in athletic activities across campus.

Sophomore midfielder Ally Lemos said the team’s welcoming and fun environment, largely fostered by team-building events, made UCLA stand out to her.

“I feel like one, we have no egos, (everyone is) very humble, very welcoming, no one really has the mindset of ‘I’m too good for this,’” Lemos said. “I think coming in and having that same mindset, no matter what age you are, kind of helps.”

The Bruins began their offseason finding fun ways to remain competitive.

A slew of athletes – including graduate student midfielder/forward Sunshine Fontes and junior forward Lexi Wright – kicked off May by winning the UCLA Intramural flag football championship, adding an IM Champions t-shirt to their NCAA ring and trophy.

Shortly thereafter, the team hosted its Bruin Olympics. The day consisted of the group dividing into smaller, themed teams while competing in various games judged by the coaching staff.

Coach Margueritte Aozasa noted that the day exists solely for the squad to bond with one another.

“One of the things we talk about in our program is to prioritize enjoyment so for instance the Bruin Olympics, the entire point of it is to have fun,” Aozasa said. “And when our players are having fun, that’s when they can bring their creativity, when they can bring their authenticity and then hopefully that expresses itself on the field.”

But the festivities didn’t stop there. In early June, the Bruins traveled to Washington D.C., where they visited the White House alongside fellow national champion UCLA men’s volleyball for the annual College Athlete Day. Coaches were tasked with selecting one student-athlete from their team to stand on stage with Vice President Kamala Harris during the event.

Junior defender and reigning Honda Sports Award winner for soccer, Lilly Reale, represented UCLA women’s soccer onstage.

UCLA’s national championship celebrations extended beyond the White House, even sending an athlete to the most prestigious athletics award show – the ESPY awards. Lemos attended the show, as she was nominated for Best Play for her “perfect corner to tie the National Championship game NCAA.”

UCLA women’s soccer now moves forward toward a new season and further from its championship contest, closing its celebratory offseason. The Bruins emphasize that there is a careful balance between acknowledging what they achieved last year and moving forward to an entirely new campaign.

Senior forward Reilyn Turner said the group is ready.

“We can’t use the same tactics we did last year and expect them to work,” Turner said. “Yeah we’re the reigning national champions, but it’s a whole new year, it’s a whole new team.”