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The UCLA Bruins are dotting the news and making headlines around the country in their professional leagues. From the NFL debuts of some recent Bruins to the sustained greatness of a few others in their respective sports, we take a look at the pro Bruins who have made news over the past week.
There was, of course, Joshua Kelley’s first game with the Los Angeles Chargers that saw him score the game-tying touchdown. He finished the game with 60 yards on 12 carries as they defeated the Cincinnati Bengals and No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow in his rookie and home debut.
There were multiple others who had great debuts for their teams and others who had solid season debuts.
Myles Jack recorded eight solo tackles, three assisted tackles and a sack for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Devin Asiasi didn’t see a target in the New England Patriots victory while Matthew Slater was another stalwart on special teams for the Patriots.
Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr were apart of a Minnesota Vikings defense that was lit up by the Green Bay Packers as Kendricks led the Vikings with 10 combined tackles and Barr recorded six solo tackles. The Vikings defense allowed 522 yards to Aaron Rodgers and Co.
Marcedes Lewis didn’t see a target while Kenny Clark recorded two combined tackles for the Packers as well.
Takkarist McKinley recorded five total tackles and 1.5 sacks in his 2020 debut for the Atlanta Falcons.
Fabian Moreau was fantastic for the Washington Football Team as he recorded a tackle, an interception and multiple plays on the ball in Washington’s victory.
Elsewhere in the news from the week of September 8 to 14:
Trevor Bauer, RHP, Cincinnati Reds – Bauer continued his stellar 2020 campaign with a pair of strong starts last week, surrendering just one run while striking out 22 over a combined 14 innings. He picked up the win with 7 2/3 shutout innings at Wrigley Field on Sept. 9, then followed that up with a 12-strikeout, one-run outing against Pittsburgh on Sept. 14. Bauer is one of the favorites for the NL Cy Young Award heading down the stretch run of the season, as he leads the league in strikeouts (83), shutouts (2), and complete games (2) while ranking in the top-five in ERA (1.71, second), WHIP (0.81, second), hits per nine (4.9, second), strikeouts per nine (12.9, third), and innings pitched (58.0).
Griffin Canning, RHP, Los Angeles Angels – Canning received a no-decision on Sept. 11 in his start at Colorado, allowing three earned over 5 2/3 innings while striking out five. He has a 4.57 ERA in nine starts for the Angels this year. 2020 marks his first full season in the Los Angeles rotation.
Gerrit Cole, RHP, New York Yankees – Cole had arguably his strongest outing of the season on Sept. 11, throwing a two-hit shutout and striking out nine in the first game of a doubleheader with Baltimore (both games were seven innings). Cole is the American League leader in complete games (2) and ranks third in strikeouts (79) and K/9 (12.0).
Brandon Crawford, SS, San Francisco Giants – Crawford hit safely in all four games he played last week, including a double against the Padres on Sept. 13. He is slashing .269/.340/.415 this year for the Giants.
James Kaprielian, RHP, Oakland Athletics – Kaprielian was called up by the A’s for a doubleheader on Sept. 14, but did not enter either game.
Adam Plutko, RHP, Cleveland Indians – Made a pair of relief appearances last week, allowing one earned run in a combined 2 2/3 innings.
Pat Valaika, INF, Baltimore Orioles – Valaika continued to swing a hot bat for Baltimore, hitting a double on Sept. 13 against the Yankees before clubbing a pinch-hit home run on Sept. 14 against Atlanta. He is batting .300 with five extra-base hits in the month of September and is slashing .259/.295/.474 overall for the season
Dave Roberts, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has his club out to a 33-15 start through 48 games. The Dodgers have the best winning percentage Major League Baseball at .688.
Norman Powell, G, Toronto Raptors – Powell averaged 17.0 points and 2.5 rebounds, shooting 52.6 percent from the field in Toronto’s final two playoff games last week. Toronto lost to Boston in Game 7 on Friday evening (Eastern Conference semifinals). Powell shot 44.4 percent from 3-point territory and made 10 of 11 free throws in those two contests. In a must-win contest for Toronto on Wednesday (Game 6), Powell scored 10 of his team’s final 17 points in double overtime. He finished that game with 23 points. The Raptors finished the regular season with a 53-19 record as the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed.
Russell Westbrook, G, Houston Rockets – Westbrook averaged 21.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in three games for Houston last week, as the Rockets dropped a best-of-seven game series to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. Westbrook shot 47.2 percent from the field in those last three postseason games. The Rockets concluded the regular season with a 44-28 record as the Western Conference’s No. 4 seed.
Jordin Canada, G, Seattle Storm – Jordin Canada (‘18) continued to progress in her third season with the Seattle Storm, starting 11 games at the point. She averaged a career-high 5.5 assists per contest, the third-highest total in the league. She recorded a pair of 10-assist performances for the Storm and added six double-digit scoring games. She helped lead the Storm to an 18-4 record and the No. 2 seed in the playoffs and have already advanced to the semifinal rounds.
Seattle Associate Head Coach Noelle Quinn (‘07) has helped guide the Storm to an 18-4 record and the No. 2 seed in the upcoming WNBA Playoffs. Quinn was elevated to Associate Head Coach for the duration of the 2020 WNBA season.
Monique Billings, F, Atlanta Dream – Third-year forward Monique Billings (‘18) had a breakout season for the Atlanta Dream, setting new career highs in starts (16), points per game (8.5), and rebounds (8.5). She averaged the seventh-most rebounds per contest and recorded five games with at least 12 rebounds. She notched eight double-digit scoring performances this season, including a career-high 30 points on opening night against the Dallas Wings (July 26).
Kennedy Burke, G/F, Indiana Fever – Kennedy Burke (‘19) started half of Indiana’s games and put up 7.2 points per game, up from 4.4 points per game in 2019. Burke notched three double-digit scoring performances, including a season-high 23 points in Indiana’s upset win over Seattle (Aug. 20). The second-year pro also was much more efficient from the field in 2020, shooting 57-for-127 over the course of the season for a .449 clip, up from a .385 shooting percentage a year ago
Kari Korver (‘17) serves as the Director of Operations for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks have gone 15-7 in the “Wubble” and have clinched the No. 3 seed in the playoffs.
Rachel Schrote, UCLA women’s basketball’s assistant video coordinator, serves as Video Coordinator for the Los Angeles Sparks.
Former UCLA standout defender Carlos Bocanegra was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame, it was announced on Sept. 8. He became the sixth former player or coach to be enshrined, joining Brad Friedel, Sigi Schmid, Cobi Jones, Joe Max-Moore, and Paul Caligiuri.
Jonathan Bornstein, D, Chicago Fire – Subbed on and played the second half in Chicago’s 2-2 draw with Columbus.
Reggie Cannon became the latest Bruin to head overseas, as he officially signed with Portugal’s Boavista FC on Wednesday following a four-year stint with FC Dallas. The right back has 11 caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team.
Abu Danladi, F, Nashville SC – Scored his first goal in a Nashville uniform on Sept. 12, helping his club to a 4-2 win over Atlanta United. His goal, scored in the 57th minute, saw Danladi make a nicely-timed run past the last Atlanta defender, skillfully bring down a long ball over the top to force a 1-v-1 with the keeper, and then finish with a left-footed shot to make it 4-1 for Nashville. It was his 12th career MLS goal.
Jordan Harvey, D, LAFC – Started and played the full 90 in LAFC’s game against Real Salt Lake on Sept. 9. It was his first start since Mar. 1.
Ryan Hollingshead, D, FC Dallas – Started both of FC Dallas’s games last week, helping the club to a 1-1 record. He recorded an assist on Franco Jara’s game-winning goal against Houston on Sept. 12.
Erik Holt, D, Real Salt Lake – Subbed on an played 17 minutes on Sept. 12 against Colorado.
Matt Hundley (MF) recorded a brace in his latest appearance for the USL’s Memphis 901 SC, including the game-winning goal in stoppage time, despite not entering the game until the 71st minute. Hundley is on loan from the Colorado Rapids.
Milan Iloski, F, Real Salt Lake – Iloski made his professional debut on Sept. 9 against LAFC, entering as a sub and playing the final minute of the 3-0 win.
Andy Rose, MF, Vancouver Whitecaps – Started and played the full 90 in Vancouver’s 4-2 loss to Montreal on Sept. 13.
Kelyn Rowe, MF, New England Revolution – Started and played 76 minutes against Philadelphia on Sept. 12, recording one shot.
Jackson Yueill, MF, San Jose Earthquakes – Started and played the full 90 in San Jose’s scoreless draw with the Galaxy on Sept. 13. He notched two shot attempts.
Ashley Sanchez, F, Washington Spirit; Zoey Goralski, D, Chicago Red Stars (NWSL) – Sanchez and Goralski earned starts for their respective teams in Washington’s 2-1 victory on Sept. 12. Goralski played the full 90, while Sanchez played 88 minutes.
Abby Dahlkemper, D, Katelyn Rowland, GK, North Carolina Courage (NWSL) – Dahlkemper wore the captain’s armband for the first time and helped lead the Courage to a 4-3 victory over the Houston Dash on Sept. 12. Dahlkemper played the full 90 and scored her first career goal with the Courage, scoring on a penalty kick in the 18th minute. Rowland was an unused sub.
Sam Mewis, MF, Manchester City (England) – Mewis started and played 76 minutes for Manchester City in a 0-0 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Sept. 13.
Jessie Fleming, MF, Chelsea FC (England) – Fleming saw her first Women’s Super League action on Sept. 13, playing in the final nine minutes of Chelsea FC’s 9-0 win over Bristol City.
Lauren Barnes, D, & Hailie Mace, F, Kristianstads DFF (Sweden) – Barnes and Mace teamed up to score the game’s only goal in the 65th minute, with Barnes assisting Mace on her first goal of the campaign in Kristianstads’ 1-0 win over Eskilstuna United on Sept. 13. Both Bruins played the full 90 in the victory.
Teagan Micah, GK, Arna-Bjørnar and Siri Ervik, GK, Kolbotn (Norway) – Micah once again took the win in the second matchup between the two former Bruin goalkeepers on Sept. 13, with her Arna- Bjørnar squad beating Ervik’s Kolbotn squad, 2-1. Each goalkeeper had two saves.
Darian Jenkins, F, Bordeaux (France) – Jenkins made her Bordeaux debut, playing 26 minutes in a 0-0 draw with Paris SG on Sept. 13.
Anika Rodriguez, MF, PSV Vrouwen (Netherlands) – Rodriguez debuted for PSV Vrouwen on Sept. 13, playing in the final 24 minutes of a 2-1 victory over Heerenveen.