Oct. 17, 2012

Much of the UCLA community has turned its attention to the opening of New Pauley Pavilion. This momentous occasion is now less than two weeks away, and the first activity associated with it, the unveiling of the John R. Wooden statue, is just days from now (October 26).

All of the activity around Pauley is the culmination of several years of hard work by countless people associated with the university, both inside the athletic department and elsewhere, and each of them deserves the kudos they will receive when the doors open.

Until then, be rest assured that they will all be working as hard as they can to ensure that the ultimate experience will be had by each of the visitors who enters the arena.

Football Defeats Utah, Takes 5-2 Record into Bye Week
Thanks to a 21-14 victory over Utah Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl, Jim Mora and the UCLA Football team will take a 5-2 record (2-2, Pac-12) into their one bye week of the 2012 season. The Bruins never trailed in the game and led 14-7 at halftime and 21-7 in the fourth before Utah added a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Following their bye, the Bruins travel to Arizona State for a Pac-12 South Division matchup against the Sun Devils on October 27. The game will be played at noon and will be televised LIVE on FX and broadcast on radio on the IMG UCLA Sports Network, including flagship station AM 570, FOX Sports LA.

Next Football Home Game -- November 3 vs. Arizona
The Bruins will host the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, November 3 at the Rose Bowl for Homecoming. This game is also part of the Parents Weekend festivities planned at UCLA.

The game time for the Arizona contest will be announced by the conference on Monday. Tickets start at just $19 apiece and are available by visiting UCLABruins.com or calling 310-UCLA-WIN (825-2946).

UCLA Student Event in Pauley to Kick-off Parents Weekend
On Friday, November 2, one week before the first game in Pauley, UCLA Recreation will be hosting a very special event solely for members of the UCLA student body and their parents. Dubbed "Pauley Student Spotlight" and part of the 2012 Homecoming Festival -- the intimate festivities will feature each of the teams who will play in Pauley. Tickets to this event are $5 for students and $10 for student guests and can be purchased at the UCLA Central Ticket Office.

This is an event for students, put on by students. The funds generated through ticket sales will be used by the Recreation Department and student organizations to fund the costs of the festival, event production, and event night operations.

More details can be found here.

Dribble for the Cure Registration Remains Open
Registration is still open for the fifth annual Dribble for the Cure, set for this Sunday, beginning at Drake Stadium. Participants will have the opportunity to meet the men's and women's basketball teams, including the coaches, get autographs, and, most importantly, make a difference in the lives of children with cancer. To register or donate, click here.

Two UCLA Teams to Play BCA Games This Week
Following the football team's annual Breast Cancer Awareness game last week against Utah, two more Bruin teams will play their pink contests this week. The women's volleyball team hosts its annual pink match on Friday (Oct. 19) against Colorado. The players will wear pink accessories and will hit autographed mini pink volleyballs into the stands during warm-ups at the Wooden Center. Additionally, all fans who wear pink to the match will receive free admission.

UCLA's women's soccer team will be holding its Breast Cancer Awareness game on Sunday (Oct. 21) against Utah. The team will be in pink jerseys, and all fans wearing pink will receive free admission. Following the match, the team plans to auction off the jerseys, with proceeds going towards breast cancer research.

Olympic Sports Report

• The #3-ranked women's soccer team improved its record to 12-0-2 with a victory over Washington and hosts Colorado Friday at 7 pm and Utah Sunday at 2 pm.
• The #3 UCLA men's water polo team visits UC Santa Barbara on Saturday and then hosts UC San Diego and Long Beach City College on Sunday.
• The #6-ranked men's soccer team defeated San Diego State 4-3 last Friday evening and has this week off.
• The #6-ranked women's volleyball team split matches at Stanford and Cal and hosts Utah (Wednesday, 7 pm, on Pac-12 Networks) and Colorado Friday (7 pm) this week at the Wooden Center.
• The women's swimming and diving team defeated three opponents (Oregon State, UC Santa Barbara and Utah) in head-to-head competition at Spieker Aquatics Center on Friday afternoon and has this week off.
• The men's and women's cross country teams each had impressive weekends while competing in a pair of competitions (Wisconsin/adidas Invitational Friday; Bronco Invitational Saturday) and take the week off prior to hosting the Pac-12 Championships in Santa Clarita. Both teams are ranked in the Top 25 (men #15, women #24) for what may be the first time in school history.
• The men's tennis team will compete in the ITA Regionals UC Irvine starting Friday, while the women's team also turns its attention to the ITA Regional Championships, which begin on Thursday in San Diego.
• The #10-ranked women's golf team travels north to be a part of the Stanford Intercollegiate over the weekend, and the #4-ranked men's team will play in the U.S. Collegiate Championships (hosted by Georgia Tech).
• Men's volleyball begins its fall season at the USC Tournament Friday and Saturday.

Last weekend, I had the distinct pleasure to partake in two very different events -- one that put me in the room with many great Bruins from the past and the other that put me close to our current Bruins.

My fondest recollection of the Grand Ballroom in Ackerman Union prior to being there last Friday night was as an undergraduate at UCLA, attending free concerts by Carole King, just prior to her landmark album Tapestry being released, and Sha Na Na, that zany rock and roll group from the "Streets of New York." On Friday night, I attended another unforgettable event in the Grand Ballroom as we honored the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2012: Ron Ballatore (men's swimming coach), Dr. Julie Bremner Romias (women's volleyball), Jack Hirsch (men's basketball), Fred McNeill (football), Stacey Nuveman (softball), Charles Pasarell (men's tennis), Coralie Simmons (women's water polo) and Stella Umeh (gymnastics) and Dr. Gerald Finerman, UCLA's team physician inducted for his extraordinary service to the department.

There were more than 500 people in attendance as we feted these great Bruins, and the stories told in the room were absolutely amazing. Many of those who attended, including a host of former Bruin swimmers, were there to honor five-time Olympic coach, Ron Ballatore, who enjoyed a glorious 16-year career here in Westwood as the men's swim coach. His wife Ann spoke wonderfully on behalf of Ron, who passed away earlier this year, expressing in her remarks why Ron was such a special person, as well as a wonderful coach, in a way that only a spouse could convey.

The next morning, I shifted gears, went back in time a few decades, and joined with current UCLA students on the bus ride to the Rose Bowl, to get a taste of the student game day experience. The day began when I jumped in the student bus line on Bruin Walk around 9:30 am with Dominic Sandler, a junior at UCLA, presently interning in the athletic marketing department.

We continued on the 26-mile ride to the Rose Bowl, with Dom running me through the pre-game paces upon arrival at the Arroyo. While at the Rose Bowl, I had a chance to meet with many students and absolutely loved their energy and enthusiasm for the team and the campus. Sitting in the stands with the students for the first half of the Utah game was also a blast. Taking part in eight claps, chanting cheers like "DE-FENSE" and doing the Bruin spell out made me feel, shall I say, "young again." I enjoyed every aspect of the experience and will work with our department and The Den to seek more ways to enhance game day for our students at all Bruin sporting events, including football.

Go Bruins!

Dan Guerrero
UCLA Athletic Director

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