UCLA has a long history of athletes returning to Westwood to coach their alma mater – DeShaun Foster, Kelly Inouye-Perez and Adam Wright, just to name a few. Daily Bruin Sports editors debate which UCLA athlete – past or present – would be the most likely to attain the coveted “Double Bruin” title.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., Men’s basketball (2019-2023)
Connor Dullinger, Sports editor
California ties. An illustrious athletic career. A family history.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. has the makings of a UCLA legend at just 24 years old. The former Bruin guard/forward cracks the top 11 in UCLA men’s basketball program history in a plethora of categories – including scoring, rebounds, steals, games, minutes played and NCAA tournament points scored.
Additionally, he is one of nine players to rank in the top 15 in both points and rebounds, while starting in every game from sophomore to senior year.
Outside of the accolades and records, Jaquez grew up in Camarillo, California, located just 45 miles northwest of Westwood, giving him a strong regional connection to the university. The former Pac-12 Player of the Year also has familial ties to UCLA, with his younger sister Gabriela Jaquez helping lead the women’s basketball program.
Jaquez Jr. is a homegrown talent, a fan-favorite and was a central component to the March Madness squad that went from the First Four to the Final Four.
And returning as a coach is the only thing that would further cement his UCLA legacy.
Jaquez Jr. has always been a leader on the court – an emotional and vocal leader who helped rally together three consecutive NCAA tournament teams. The Southern California youth basketball camps he and his sister run demonstrate Jaquez’s leadership off the court.
The former Bruin standout is entering his third season with the Miami Heat – and could have a lengthy professional career ahead of him – but his connections to California, UCLA and basketball are strong enough to warrant a possible return to Pauley Pavilion.
Gabriela Jaquez, Women’s basketball (2022-present)
Willa Campion, Assistant Sports editor
The Jaquez name may have been introduced to Westwood by Jaime Jr., but its legacy lives on through Gabriela.
The younger Jaquez has been a consistent part of UCLA women’s basketball for what will be four seasons. Alongside senior guard Kiki Rice, the pair are the only members of the 2022 recruiting class returning for a final hurrah in Pauley Pavilion.
The 6-foot forward appeared in all 37 games for the Bruins her freshman year. In her sophomore year, she played in 34 matches, starting six. Jaquez started in 33 games while logging minutes in all but one affair the following campaign.
When picturing UCLA – a nationally recognized program that earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament last spring – it’s hard not to see Jaquez. While she might not be standing front and center – a spot largely reserved for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year senior center Lauren Betts – Jaquez’s leadership and reliability are evident in her presence that is felt on both the sidelines and the court.
And the Camarillo local’s leadership experience isn’t just limited to UCLA. As a member of Team Mexico, Jaquez averaged 12 points per game, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists at the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup over the summer.
Jaquez has all the makings to become a double Bruin – or more accurately a triple Bruin, considering her dual-sport prowess as a rostered member of the softball team. Jaquez shows a passion that isn’t just for playing basketball – but for playing UCLA basketball.
Emma Malabuyo, Gymnastics (2022-2025)
Ella Dunderdale, Assistant Sports editor
When asked to select an athlete most likely to return as a UCLA coach a few weeks ago, my brain quickly answered – Emma Malabuyo is the one for the job.
She brings the warm energy often valued in coaching with a smile that can light up any room.
A good coach can strengthen the squad both on and off the mat – something Malabuyo has already accomplished. As part of the “core four” senior crew, she helped foster a more positive culture last season, mentoring the younger athletes and organizing team-bonding events to help camaraderie translate into precise gymnastics.
But Malabuyo doesn’t just have the temperament for the job – her elite and collegiate background gives her the well-rounded expertise to shape athletes of all skill levels.
Last season, she was a mainstay in the beam, bars and floor lineups. The four-time All-American excelled on beam, anchoring the lineup with a 9.975 at the NCAA semifinals that earned her the second-place beam title and sent the squad to the national championship for the first time since 2019.
Malabuyo also boasts years of elite experience, including a 2024 Olympics appearance with the Philippines as well as an Olympics alternate accolade with Team USA in 2021. At this point, she is a seasoned veteran with the skill set to empower the next generation.
And as fate would have it, UCLA appears to agree.
Sept. 2, Malabuyo announced she was rejoining the squad just months after graduation as a graduate student assistant coach, while pursuing a postgraduate certificate in marketing.
Her “Double Bruin” journey is just beginning. With technical knowledge and emotional maturity, Malabuyo could very well return to UCLA in the future with an even larger role.
Cheridyn Leverette, Women’s volleyball (2022-present)
Gabriela Garcia, Assistant Sports editor
Dedication. Loyalty. Development.
Senior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette is the last member of former coach Michael Sealy’s final Bruin squad. Leverette had the opportunity to transfer once Sealy left the post, but she stayed.
And she has made a name for herself since then.
Leverette has continued to develop – as a junior, she earned First Team All-Big Ten honors and an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention. Her technical skills have followed the trend – last season, Leverette went on a 20-match run of consecutive double-digit kills. She was just the fifth Bruin to achieve that feat in the 25-point rally scoring era.
The Hampton, Georgia, local chose UCLA in pursuit of a hardworking and supportive community of student-athletes. This mindset would translate perfectly into a future coaching position.
Facing her final season, Leverette is arguably the face of UCLA women’s volleyball and a leader too. She has grown to be vocal on the court and has begun to support the next generation of Bruins.
Leverette has said relationships are central to the volleyball community. In addition to that, her coach and past teammates have said she is the one to build the bridge between newcomers and returners.
Leverette’s dedication to forming bonds and building connections makes her a prime candidate to hold the coveted title of “Double Bruin.” Not only would it cement her legacy as a Bruin, it would also begin a tradition in the program that shaped her.
Ryder Dodd, Men’s water polo (2024-present)
Jacob Nguyen, Assistant Sports editor
Every time I talk about Ryder Dodd, it feels like I’m saying the same thing.
I list the attacker’s accolades and write about his Olympic medal and his national and MPSF Player of the Year awards before remarking that he is only a sophomore.
But individual success is not the only conversation topic when it comes to Dodd.
There is little debate about whether or not the Long Beach, California, local is the face of collegiate men’s water polo. And the work ethic and drive it takes to reach such a point is exactly what would make Dodd the perfect coach.
Dodd’s teammates consistently rave about his performance and character despite the sophomore’s young age, citing him as motivation to push themselves even harder. Channel that after graduation, and you have water polo’s “Coach Carter.”
Dodd’s experience on international- and senior-level teams before hitting 20 years old has exposed him to countless types of competition, playstyles and coaching schemes. I can only imagine how many strategies he has mastered, which he could teach to others as a coach.
UCLA men’s water polo has a history of hiring homegrown coaches, too.
Coach Adam Wright and his two predecessors – Adam Krikorian and Guy Baker – were Bruins in their own rights, combining for 18 national championships between the men’s and women’s programs.
And although Dodd would end the dynasty of Adams, he would continue the “Double Bruin” legacy – one built on both player and coaching excellence and a testament to UCLA water polo’s storied history.
Matthew Aziz, Men’s volleyball (2022-2025)
Grant Walters, Assistant Sports editor
“Cyrano de Bergerac” recounts the heartbreaking tale of a man who masks his affection for Roxane, using his words to assist another suitor’s effort to pursue her rather than revealing his true desires.
The invisible hand working behind the curtain typically wields the most power.
Just as Cyrano cannot match the outward appearance of his friend, former UCLA men’s volleyball libero Matthew Aziz does not rival the prowess of former Bruins such as Merrick McHenry, Cooper Robinson, Ethan Champlin or Alex Knight – each of whom dazzled on the court, helping pack Pauley Pavilion with captivated fans.
But Aziz may have been the most instrumental piece in the Bruins’ championship glory in 2023 and 2024, along with their runner-up finish last season.
The Burbank local always uplifted his teammates whenever he was on the court or on the bench, energizing his teammates with his constant fist bumps, words of encouragement and vocal attitude.
And the Bruins seemed to feed off the libero’s energy whenever they were in a rut, especially last season when the team experienced numerous growing pains throughout head coach John Hawks’ first season at the helm.
Coaches who motivate are often the most successful, and the Detroit Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell, who has become the archetypal “player’s coach,” embodies this.
Aziz has already checked this box on the court, and he could weave his ability to marshal team spirit into a head honcho role.
Cyrano captures the heart of Roxane despite dying in her arms, and Aziz could win over the Bruin faithful with his adept leadership skills as the squad’s heralded coach.
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