This post was updated Jan. 8 at 12:26 a.m.

The Bruins have 124 NCAA titles – 12 less than Stanford, the national leader.

And UCLA men’s volleyball – Westwood’s winningest program with 21 – is on the verge of its first three-peat since the Bruins won four in a row from 1981 to 1984.

But in order to achieve such an endeavor, the squad will have to navigate fresh waters – a new head honcho and large roster turnover. This offseason saw the departure of former coach and current CEO and president of USA Volleyball John Speraw, as well as the exit of seven graduating players, including AVCA First Team All-Americans Merrick McHenry and Ethan Champlin.

Speraw’s role was filled by the hire of John Hawks, the former head coach of Loyola Chicago who previously served as an assistant coach in Westwood from 2015 to 2022. Hawks won the 2022 AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year Award after leading UCLA to the top hitting percentage in the country.

Voids left by those like McHenry, who contributed 217 kills on a .585 clip last season, will almost definitely be felt, but the addition of middle blocker Cameron Thorne through the transfer portal attempts to mitigate the damage.

Spending his first two collegiate seasons at Grand Canyon, Thorne ranked third on the team in kills in 2024 with 216 while also notching a .528 hitting percentage. And what Throne contributed offensively, he matched defensively. The Hollywood, Florida, local led the nation in blocks per set with 1.355.

Still, the Bruins retain three impactful attackers, with redshirt junior Cooper Robinson as the principal threat. The outside hitter ranked second on the team in kills last season with 250 while also hitting on a .332 clip – earning him an AVCA All-American honorable mention and second-team All-MPSF honors.

The rest of the Bruins’ offensive arsenal is composed of senior outside hitter/opposite Ido David and junior outside hitter Zach Rama. Despite being outshined offensively by Champlin and Grant Sloane last year, David was a First-Team AVCA All-American and First-Team All-MPSF selection just two seasons ago. The departure of those two could open up opportunities for David to shine.

On the other side, Rama had a breakout season in his sophomore year, posting 140 kills on a .368 clip in just 64 sets played. With an expanded role in 2025, Rama may thrive alongside David and Robinson.

Most important of the Bruin returners, though, is Andrew Rowan. The junior setter was one of the top passers in the country last season, logging 1,157 assists and ranking 10th in the nation with 10.06 assists per set. Rowan also led the team at the service line, garnering 40 aces in 2024.

The most glaring hole in the Bruins’ rotation is at libero. Like last season, they lack a true libero in their starting lineup. Now that Champlin and Alex Knight have graduated, the Bruins will be looking for a new defenseman this January.

The most likely option for UCLA is redshirt junior Matthew Aziz. The libero rotated with Knight at the position for the second half of the 2024 season, with Aziz taking on the defensive duties and Knight serving as the Bruins’ offensive option.

However, this libero rotation existed under Speraw and it is yet to be seen who Hawks will choose. Other potential options are junior Coleman McDonough and freshman Matthew Chun. The former played 43 sets and registered 22 digs last season.

While UCLA was highly touted for its depth in 2024, its bench lacks experience in 2025. However, redshirt junior Sean McQuiggan offers some experience at middle blocker, registering 72 kills on a .491 clip in just 53 sets played. UCLA’s true sophomore class – consisting of six players – played a combined 49 sets in 2024, with outside hitter Luca Curci playing 46 of them.

The Bruins’ biggest dark horse resides in freshman Sean Kelly. The outside hitter was the 2023 CIF Division I Player of the Year and also captained a USA squad to a best-ever fourth-place finish at the U19 FIVB World Championships.

Kelly was also named Most Valuable Player and “best spiker” at the NORCECA Pan American Games where he helped lead his team to a gold medal. While the first-year has yet to show what he can do at the collegiate level, his resume speaks volumes.

UCLA has all of the makings of a championship squad. It has experienced and capable threats on the outside, a reliable and steady setter, and a two-sided middle attacker. While they lack a proven libero and boast weaker depth compared to last season’s title-winning squad, Hawks is no stranger to the collegiate volleyball scene and may be well equipped to solve whatever problems come the Bruins’ way.