Sophomore center Aday Mara puts up a hook shot in a game against North Carolina. Though he transferred to Michigan at the end of the 2024-2025 season, Mara was a centerpiece in UCLA men’s basketball’s rotations this past year. (Michael Gallagher/Assistant Photo Editor)
This post was updated May 26 at 10:50 p.m.
While every season celebrates its star, it also gives rise to unexpected standouts. Whether through breakout performances or quiet consistency, several Bruins made the leap from role players to program cornerstones.
There is no sugarcoating it – the Bruins didn’t win the national title.
A shaky beam rotation – UCLA’s worst since March 2 – nearly guaranteed Oklahoma’s victory and its third national championship in four years.
Katelyn Rosen watched from the sidelines for seven weeks before the postseason.
Fresh off a stellar all-around freshman season, Rosen struggled with confidence and a “sophomore slump” that held back the former three-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week.
This post was updated April 17 at 10:49 p.m.
All Emma Malabuyo needed was to stay on her feet.
Even better, she stuck the landing – to near perfection – sending her team to its first national final since 2019.
Janelle McDonald came to Westwood with a dream.
While most head coaches aspire to win a national title, McDonald knew there was something else she had to do first – revive the unity of the squad.
This post was updated April 15 at 10:36 p.m.
A plethora of gymnasts will say goodbye to the sport at the national championships this week.
And for eight Bruins, competing on collegiate gymnastics’ biggest stage will be their final hurrah.
This post was updated April 8 8:59 p.m.
Ending their inaugural Big Ten season as conference champions may seem like the Bruins’ season-defining moment.
But the impact left on the conference may imprint a legacy much greater than a championship trophy.
searching for more articles...