Bruin Bites: UCLA Graduation, Family Illness and Bruin Awards

This weekend is at once the happiest and saddest times in the life of a UCLA student. Finals week is in full swing, and tomorrow afternoon marks the beginning of commencement and graduation weekend in Westwood. After 4 years (5 years for some of the lucky ones, or 2 years for the transfers), another class will be leaving UCLA to enter the next stage in their lives.

As shared this week by Jack Wang on his blog for the Daily News, Washington State has opened their new $61 million football facility, giving Mike Leach modern facilities to help draw talent up to eastern Washington and attempt to compete with the rest of the Pac-12 North. No word on whether any new equipment sheds were part of the expansion, but the completion of another Pac-12 football project should make clear how crucial it is to get our planned facility from the drawing board into construction - and again makes one wonder why Morgan Center has released plans for a new Basketball facility before Football has even broken ground and so soon after new Pauley was competed.

Chris Kluwe wrote a piece on punting for Pro Football Focus, looking at how little even the experts know about that aspect of the sport and suggestions on what people should be focusing on in judging a punter's worth.

On a more serious note, Houston Texans' offensive lineman David Quessenbery was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma earlier this week. David is the older brother of Bruin lineman Scott Quessenbery, and is optimistic about his recovery from cancer. I am sure we can all join in wishing David and his family our best wishes and hope for a quick recovery.

And in other news, Bruin junior Robin Anderson won the Honda Sports Award as the top female Tennis player in NCAA competition this year. She is also a finalist to be named the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and was gracious upon receiving word of her honor.

"We had a great season and winning a national championship was a dream come true," Anderson said. "Now, to win the Honda Award to top it off is just icing on the cake. It's always tough to accept individual awards because you feel like the people who helped get you there don't get the credit they deserve. I obviously couldn't have won this award without my coaches, teammates and family who have supported me throughout my career. I'm humbled and honored to receive one of the top awards in all of college athletics."

Congratulations and good luck to Robin, and to all of the Bruins who are just hours from receiving their degrees and joining the community of UCLA alumni throughout LA, California and throughout the world.