No. 1 seed UCLA men’s volleyball’s (20-5, 10-2 MPSF) first round bye propels itself directly into Friday’s MPSF semifinal match against No. 4 seed and tournament host Pepperdine. The Daily Bruin Sports men’s volleyball beat predicts where the Bruins will land and if conference-title vengeance is in the future.

Connor Dullinger
Assistant Sports editor
Prediction: MPSF runner-up

Sometimes, the best team doesn’t always win.

Just as last season’s MPSF final defeat spurred the Bruins’ 21st national title run, their sweeping defeat to the Trojans in their regular-season finale should push them to conference title glory.

But sports don’t always have fairy tale endings.

UCLA has all the tools to glide past its conference foes. Touting four First Team All-MPSF selections – including MPSF Player of the Year Cooper Robinson – and an MPSF All-Freshman team selection in outside hitter Sean Kelly, the Bruins have the conference’s best.

Along with the Bruins boasting three previous AVCA All-American selections, all signs point to them sweeping through their conference foes.

But something’s off. And it has felt off all season long.

The energy surrounding this team doesn’t emulate the synergy that permeated last season’s back-to-back national champions.

Last year’s squad finished the season with four losses – just one fewer than this season’s group. But three of those losses went to five sets, and one came against national championship runner-up Long Beach State – whom UCLA eventually avenged in the title match.

The 2024 squad was never swept – unlike the three times it’s happened to the 2025 team – and there seems to be a lack of depth that contrasts with last season’s group.

The well-rested UCLA squad – who have a bye to the semifinals – will handle whoever it encounters in its first match, but I don’t think it has what it takes to go the distance.

Lex Wang
Daily Bruin senior staff
Prediction: MPSF champions

There’s nothing that riles up fans like a sports rivalry.

Especially when it involves some vengeance.

And after USC swept its crosstown opponent – too little and too late to steal the top seed from the blue and gold, but enough to cast serious doubt on UCLA’s ability to win the conference title – retribution energy will be abound in Bruin veins.

At opposite ends of the bracket, UCLA will only have the chance to face USC if they meet in the championship. And with nine eligible teams competing for hardware, facing off in the final may be difficult.

But let’s put it this way: UCLA enters Friday night with a conference-best record of 10-2, pacing the conference in hitting percentage, kills per set, blocks per set and service aces per set.

Juniors setter Andrew Rowan, outside hitter Zach Rama, middle blocker Cameron Thorne and Robinson were just named four of the eight First Team All-MPSF selections – with Robinson clinching MPSF Player of the Year. Not to mention Kelly earning his flowers, being named to the MPSF All-Freshman Team and receiving an All-MPSF honorable mention nod.

At its best, UCLA is unstoppable in its conference – and in the nation. There’s no doubt, in my mind, that the Bruins are championship game-bound.

The question is if they can perform under pressure with the title on the line.

And my guess is when the Bruins’ Los Angeles counterparts show up across the net Saturday, the desire to avenge themselves will manifest – hopefully just in time to shut the Trojans down for the rest of the season.

Grant Walters
Daily Bruin contributor
Prediction: MPSF champions

Experience and depth often define championship-caliber teams.

And the Bruins have both.

Although UCLA lost valuable pieces in former Bruin middle blocker Merrick McHenry and outside hitter Ethan Champlin, the squad has retained 10 players who contributed to its back-to-back national championship campaigns in 2023 and 2024.

And it has been this veteran leadership that has guided the Bruins down the stretch this season, especially in tightly contested affairs, with a fifth set deciding three out of their final five regular-season matches.

UCLA won each of these contests and has yet to drop a fifth set this season.

From redshirt junior libero Matthew Aziz’s boisterous cheers and contagious energy to Robinson’s deafening kills, the Bruins thrive under pressure – averaging a 0.522 hitting percentage in do-or-die sets.

Even on defense, UCLA has stifled opposing attacks, holding teams to an average 0.148 hitting percentage in these fifth sets.

And experience will give the Bruins a significant advantage, especially in the MPSF tournament.

Stanford, Pepperdine and USC all rely on freshmen to provide substantial production.

The Bruins will likely exploit this lack of championship volleyball experience with the squad’s seven upperclassmen starters.

However, depth is another key ingredient of a championship-level roster.

New faces have bolstered the Bruins’ depth, and 13 players have played at least 20 sets this season.

Such is the case with Kelly, who has filled the void left by injured senior outside hitter/opposite Ido David.

The MPSF First Team All-Freshman team selection has sported double-digit kills in four of his last five matches while simultaneously showcasing his defensive ability with 26 combined digs in this span.

Additionally, redshirt junior middle blocker Sean McQuiggan has also embraced an increased role, fortifying UCLA’s defense at the net with 38 total blocks this season – the most among the team’s reserves.

There is a reason why UCLA won back-to-back championships.

And I expect the Bruins to embrace this championship pedigree yet again.

Jacob Nguyen
Daily Bruin contributor
Prediction: MPSF champions

UCLA finished the regular season with just two conference losses against Grand Canyon and USC.

But it also split the series against both squads. It’s worth noting that UCLA’s wins against each team were in five sets, while its losses were sweeps. Does that mean the Bruins found it harder to win than these other squads did to beat them? Perhaps.

But it shouldn’t be far-fetched to say that the Bruins can beat anyone.

While morale may be low after a defeat to their crosstown rivals, the two-time reigning national champions know what it takes to bounce back.

After suffering an MPSF finals loss just last season, UCLA tore through the national tournament, dropping only three sets en route to the program’s 21st national title.

Resilience may very well be synonymous with UCLA men’s volleyball.

A retooled roster, coupled with internal progression, could be key to reversing the outcome from last year’s conference finals.

Thorne transferred to UCLA from Grand Canyon in May, bringing with him his MPSF championship pedigree and defensive prowess. The junior finished the regular season ranking second in the MPSF and 14th nationally in blocks per set.

Thorne’s conference-leading hitting percentage also joins a returning core of players who have made their marks at the net.

Although Rowan falls outside of the nation’s top 10 in assists per set, he’s orchestrated the country’s second-most efficient offense. Spearheading that potency has been the duo of Rama and Robinson.

The former concluded the last seven matches of the 2025 campaign with at least double-digit kills in each affair, observing a .450-plus hitting percentage in each of the final four matches. The latter notched a career-high 25 kills on Senior Night while capping off a season third-best hitting clip for the year.

While the Bruins ended the regular season on a sour note, there is much else to be optimistic about. Momentum should be on their side, and they have proven to be able to beat any opponent who faces them.

But as volleyball goes, it will take a lot to go right in a sport that can be decided by a singular serve.

Winning the whole tournament is far from impossible.

Zach King
Daily Bruin contributor
Prediction: MPSF champions

Something I love to do while camping is admire the stars.

Finding constellations – an abundance of stars linked in harmony – creates an even more powerful image etched in astronomical history.

An ever-expanding universe meets a UCLA men’s volleyball squad eager to expand its trophy case. When the Bruins’ stars are shining bright, it’s difficult to top their energy, skill and intensity.

And when the stars connect and the sky fills with kills, spikes and blocks, it’s almost impossible to look away.

While David, hindered by various injuries, has been unable to shine this season, coach John Hawks’ squad has been bolstered by four First Team All-MPSF selections.

Each player has stayed consistent – a clear impact on UCLA’s nearly spotless conference record this season. Nationally, Robinson ranks 12th in hitting percentage, Rowan ranks 14th in assists per set and Thorne places 14th in blocks per set.

Each player has had matches of complete domination, such as Thorne’s barrage of then-No. 7 BYU – boasting nine kills and six blocks on a .727 clip – and Robinson’s career-high 25 kills on a .537 hitting percentage against the Trojans on Senior Night.

When these stars struggle, the entire system does as well.

In tumultuous losses to then-No. 13 Grand Canyon and then-No. 5 USC, the Bruins recorded just a .156 and .338 hitting percentage, respectively.

Although the brightness of these constellations has faded at times, when the stars are shining proudly, a stunning picture unfolds.

Expect a constellation in the shape of a “W” in the Westwood night sky following Saturday night.