This post was updated Oct. 26 at 8:45 p.m.
Any school joining the Big Ten knows that the league’s powerhouse competition will test its athletes.
But when UCLA entered the Big Ten in 2024, it took on a secondary, albeit real, challenge.

A fresh season brings a new schedule and revamped team for the Bruins. No. 23 UCLA swim and dive will kickstart its 2025-26 season Friday. Last year, the Bruins finished 3-5 in dual meets and took seventh at their first go-around at the Big Ten Championships, breaking multiple school records along the way.

This post was updated Aug. 23 at 6:28 p.m.
UCLA Athletics is no longer the new fish in the pond. After its inaugural year in the Big Ten, UCLA made its name known, winning four Big Ten tournament championships.

Breaking school records isn’t new for the Bruins – they’ve done it eight times this season.
But doing it during the season finale – and at the most competitive meet of the year – holds significance.

The exit out of the Pac-12 conference left the Bruins navigating unfamiliar waters.
While uncertainty could have held them back, the squad will find familiarity when it matters the most.

The Bruins entered their first year in the Big Ten ready to prove they were a competitive threat to some of the nation’s top-ranked teams.
And while the Bruins may have fallen short of breaking into the top five at the conference championships, this didn’t indicate failure.

This post was updated Feb. 20 at 12:32 a.m.
A moment the Bruins have waited for more than two years has arrived.
Years removed from the university’s decision to depart the Pac-12, No.