Monday, June 29

Redshirt sophomore Atonye Nyingifa presses forward after injury

The full-court press is now known as a Nikki Caldwell trademark.
At the center of the press patrols an athletic forward, flying from sideline to sideline in the backcourt, arms outstretched, legs punishing the glossed wooden panels below her. Read more...

Photo:

Redshirt sophomore forward Atonye Nyingifa is fully healthy this season after having sat out all of 2009-2010 with a knee injury. A starter on the team, Nyingifa has played both ends of the floor effectively, averaging 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game so far this season.


Introducing the scout team: the men behind the women

You've seen them walking around campus, but you probably haven't noticed them. They practice in Pauley Pavilion as often as five days a week, but they don't sport the famed blue UCLA backpacks. They are part of the women's basketball program, but they're men. Who are these mysterious warriors of the court, those who practice but never play and are said to put the "men" in "women's" basketball? Unknown to most except the close followers of UCLA athletics, the women's basketball practice squad, known as the scout team, is a group of approximately a dozen undergraduate male students who practice with the women's basketball team and simulate its opponents. That's right, guys playing with girls. Because of a lack of women on campus able to play at or near a Division I level, nearly all collegiate women's basketball teams utilize male scout teams. Read more...

Photo:

First-year psychobiology student Michael Wong is a member of the scout team that regularly practices with the women’s
basketball players at Pauley Pavilion. The scout team serves to simulate game situations during practice.


Pro-caliber talent worth the trade-off

We're all scared of the professional scouts in the college ranks these days. Read more...

Photo:

Sophomore Tyler Honeycutt (pictured) is projected by many to be a first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Junior guard Malcolm Lee is projected to go somewhere in the second round. Neither player has commented on what their decisions will be.



The Bruin road show

It doesn't have three rings, or lions or tigers. No Barnum, no Bailey, no unicycle riders. No acrobats, no trapeze acts, nothing on fire. But it's hitting the road in 2012 and the situation looks dire. Read more...


UCLA baseball puts Pepperdine Waves in their place, 9-0

After two shutouts and no earned runs allowed in the UCLA baseball team's opening weekend sweep of San Francisco, it was clear that pitching wasn't going to be an issue for this season's Bruins. It was the other side of the plate that had UCLA fans worried. Read more...

Photo:

Freshman shortstop Pat Valaika went 2-for-3 with three RBIs in UCLA’s 9-0 win against Pepperdine Tuesday at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Valaika and fellow freshman Kevin Williams both had their first career hits.