Junior Bianca Fernandez eyes the ball as she prepares to return a volley. (Pranav Akella/Daily Bruin)
After a fall from being a lineup cornerstone, recapturing one’s old glory can be a fruitless endeavor.
The very opposite has been true for Bianca Fernandez in 2026.
Rivalry duels almost always boast added tenacity and anticipation.
But for Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer – the Bruins’ sole senior – her last home Battle for Los Angeles had extra meaning.
This post was updated Feb. 14 at 9:43 a.m.
Playing under the California sun seemingly comes naturally to a home-grown Bruin squad.
And even though the Toreros also call Southern California home, much of their experience has come from overseas.
75 degrees and sunny is the Bruins’ natural habitat.
And a trip south usually means the Westwood squad stays well within this comfort zone. But the Louisiana weather proved unpredictable last weekend.
The teams congregated. Spectators’ eyes drifted from side to side. The ball floated through the warm afternoon air. Anticipatory silence enveloped the stadium.
The short-lived silence suddenly blossomed into a raucous frenzy.
No. 17 UCLA women’s tennis is just three days away from the start of its 2026 season. After a NCAA tournament super regional berth in 2025, the Bruins lost one-third of their starting lineup ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Martin Jarmond paused mid-sentence – something had just clicked.
He inched toward the edge of his seat, lifted his eyebrows and held up a hand to sift through his thoughts.
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.
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