Despite falling short in the MPSF semifinals, No. 3 seed UCLA men’s volleyball (20-6, 10-2 MPSF) secured the second at-large bid in this week’s NCAA quarterfinals and will face No. 6 seed Belmont Abbey (17-8, 12-2 Conference Carolinas) on Thursday. Daily Bruin Sports’ men’s volleyball beat predicts how the Bruins will fare as they fight to three-peat as national champions.

Connor Dullinger
Assistant sports editor
Prediction: NCAA champions

I don’t know what to think about this team.

At the end of the regular season, I said the Bruins were “consistently inconsistent.”

And I was exactly right to say that.

UCLA won 10 in a row before getting swept by then-No. 13 Grand Canyon on April 4. And following the loss, the Bruins won four consecutive before getting swept again by crosstown rivals USC and falling in five sets to Pepperdine in the MPSF semifinals.

There is no reason why I should believe in UCLA.

But just like I said before: At the MPSF tournament, the best team doesn’t always win, and there isn’t always a fairytale ending.

It is evident that UCLA isn’t the best team in the country, with powerhouses Long Beach State and Hawai’i idling in the bracket.

And the Bruins can be the nightmares to other squads’ championship dreams.

Just as the Bruins surprised me when they fell, they have equally surprised me when they’ve risen again.

And despite my inconsistent assessment of this year’s squad, I said at the beginning of this season that the Bruins have all the makings of a championship-caliber team.

This is evidenced by four newly honored 2025 AVCA All-Americans in outside hitter duo redshirt junior Cooper Robinson and junior Zach Rama and junior tandem setter Andrew Rowan and middle blocker Cameron Thorne.

Championship genetics reside in every fiber of the Bruins’ veins, cultivated by back-to-back national titles and a nation-leading 21 trophies.

Two weeks ago, I said this team lacks an identity.

Now, I’m saying this could be the year they three-peat.

Lex Wang
Daily Bruin senior staff
Prediction: NCAA champions

In my MPSF tournament takeaways, I wrote that I learned to expect the unexpected.

It was a bit of an evasive answer, because who hasn’t seen a top-seeded frontrunner get toppled by the underdog?

It’s a timeless trope that fuels every compelling sports narrative.

But when UCLA unexpectedly failed to get an automatic bid to Columbus, Ohio, I realized this could work in the Bruins’ favor come May.

UCLA can run with the big dogs – that much is clear.

Among the top 10 teams, it defeated then-No. 2 UC Irvine twice in the regular season, who in turn swept No. 1 Long Beach State – the team UCLA would likely face in the national championship – a month later. Furthermore, UCLA took both of its matches against then-No. 7 BYU and defeated Cal State Northridge – who also swept Hawai’i, the team UCLA would probably compete against in the semifinals.

Granted, I’ll admit that UCLA has yet to play Hawai’i since 2023. And, yes, UCLA lost to Long Beach twice while only taking one set combined in both matches.

It’s easy to overlook the sheer amount of talent on the Bruins’ roster when their shortcomings take center stage. But let outside hitter duo redshirt junior Cooper Robinson and junior Zach Rama’s top-30 ranked hitting percentages speak for themselves.

And don’t forget about freshman outside hitter Sean Kelly, who only got to shine for half the season yet still earned an All-MPSF honorable mention. Remember that junior setter Andrew Rowan is the only setter coming to Columbus who has two years of NCAA tournament experience under his belt.

Since UCLA is no longer the top contender and comes into Thursday’s match as the No. 3 seed, viewers seem to largely be anticipating a Long Beach-Hawai’i contest in hopes of a Big West title replay.

I wonder if there’s a chance that the Bruins – arriving as a dark horse – can catch their opponents off guard. And I think with just enough willpower, that answer is yes – and that the Bruins just might be able to hold their own until the end.

Grant Walters
Daily Bruin contributor
Prediction: NCAA champions

An untarnished resume is a mark of success.

But it can also be a sign of a team’s inevitable collapse.

Such is the case with the 2007 New England Patriots – who lost in Super Bowl XLII despite boasting a 16-0 regular season record – or even the 2015 Kentucky Wildcats, who didn’t have a blemish on their record until the Final Four.

Overcoming adversity is something that builds championship DNA, which is what these teams lacked.

And the anguish of defeat is a luxury that often determines a team’s long-term success.

UCLA has been challenged this season, especially with its recent five-set MPSF semifinals loss to Pepperdine on April 25.

However, this has been a persistent theme throughout the season, since the squad experienced growing pains.

First-year coach John Hawks replaced John Speraw, who captured two national championships during his tenure, and program cornerstones middle blocker Merrick McHenry and outside hitter Ethan Champlin began their professional careers abroad.

Even with these moving pieces, the Bruins still accumulated 20 wins and defeated five top-10 teams in the process.

And the Bruins still have the talent to go the distance. Redshirt junior outside hitter Cooper Robinson and junior setter Andrew Rowan – both of whom were staple pieces on the 2024 national championship campaign and are newly minted 2025 AVCA First Team All-Americans – spearhead an efficient Bruin attack that sports the third-best hitting percentage in the nation with a .367 clip.

Yet it is the Bruins’ breakout pin-hitting duo of junior Zach Rama and freshman Sean Kelly that could represent the squad’s X-factors, amassing a combined 132 kills and 15 aces across their last five outings.

UCLA has consistently grown through constant adversity.

And I expect them to answer the call again, especially with their backs against the wall.

Jacob Nguyen
Daily Bruin contributor
Prediction: NCAA runner-up

The Bruins had all the potential in the world to win the MPSF championship.

Coming one game short may have been a decent expectation.

But losing in the semifinals to Pepperdine might have been a punch in the mouth.

UCLA finished the regular season with its worst record since 2021 – a clear sign that the gap between the reigning two-time national champions and everyone else is diminishing.

It would not faze me if the Bruins proved me wrong. However, I initially predicted UCLA would bounce back after being swept in the regular season finale by crosstown rivals USC. The squad’s faltering performance in the MPSF semifinals makes me question whether there’s enough resilience in the tank to three-peat.

Assuming No. 3 seed UCLA trumps No. 6 seed Belmont Abbey, No. 2 Hawai’i likely awaits.

The Bruins haven’t faced the Rainbow Warriors since besting them in the 2023 NCAA finals.

However, precedent is no accurate indicator of another UCLA triumph.

Nonetheless, the Bruins boast a trio of First-Team All-Americans, most notably junior middle blocker Cameron Thorne, who is coming off an 11-kill and six-block performance against the Waves.

UCLA has the chops to beat anyone, especially when you pair Thorne’s production with a trio of outside hitters in redshirt junior Cooper Robinson, junior Zach Rama and freshman Sean Kelly.

But volleyball isn’t like basketball.

Each individual set is a game of its own, and every play can typify a whole outcome.

Although past results from this season do not favor UCLA, there may be enough star power to win it all. Nonetheless, my prediction errs on the safer side.

At least, until the Bruins can prove me wrong.