What’s Bruin: UCLA Athletics Announces Harvey Relief Effort

In today’s edition of What’s Bruin, we’ll travel all over the UCLA Athletic department, and even take a dip in the water. If you’ve never read this column, we feature short blurbs about a variety of sports and links for further information.

UCLA Football

The UCLA Athletic department announced their Harvey relief effort in conjunction with the Rose Bowl and the American Red Cross, which will take place Sunday at the Rose Bowl when the Bruins take on Texas A&M. Fans can make monetary donations via text message, and in return, will receive two complimentary tickets to the UCLA vs. Hawaii game on September 9 if they donate at least $10 (which will be billed to cell phone providers). In addition, both teams will wear special helmet decals on to bring about awareness of the Harvey campaign and those affected by the storm’s catastrophic destruction. Back in 2005, a similar campaign was launched for Hurricane Katrina, which raised over $39,000.

UCLA Women’s Soccer

Beginning today, the #1 UCLA Bruins hit the road for three games, with BYU today at 6:00 pm PT. The 2017 team is off to a historic start, scoring 17 goals in only four games, which are spread out over seven different players. The Cougars tied Cal State Fullerton last weekend and head into this match unranked in all polls.

UCLA Men’s Soccer

The #15 men’s soccer team (up from #21) will also hit the road for three games, taking on #6 Maryland today and Georgetown on Monday. The Bruins are currently ranked #2 in the country in scoring offense and #9 in points per game, putting up five goals last weekend against San Francisco. Maryland and Georgetown are both off to a 2-0 start and Maryland came into the 2017 season as the Big Ten conference favorite. Senior forward Brian Iloski is already making noise on the soccer scene, as he is ranked second in the NCAA in shots on goal per game (4.00), third in goals per game (2.00) and fourth in points per game (4.00).

UCLA Men’s Basketball

As if one Ball with a shoe wasn’t enough, LaMelo is now making a fashion statement of his own. It was announced yesterday that Big Baller Brands will be peddling the Melo Ball 1 for a cool $395, which makes the 16-year-old standout the first high school athlete to have his own shoe. But will this make Melo ineligible to play basketball? For now, he is safe at Chino Hills, but will this create problems for the Bruins, when he plays at UCLA in two years? LaVar Ball says he doesn’t care, but according to Yahoo! Sports,

The rules get stricter in college, where NCAA bylaws prohibit athletes from using their “name or picture to advertise, recommend, or promote directly the sale of a commercial product or service of any kind.” At minimum, that means Big Baller Brand would have to stop selling LaMelo’s shoes if the UCLA-bound guard sticks to his plan of enrolling in college in two years.

Goodness gracious, sake’s alive! Here we go again. I’ll keep my opinions of LaVar’s parenting tactics to myself. But, for now, it looks like LaVar doesn’t mind if LaMelo ever plays at UCLA at all. Can’t say I disagree.

UCLA Diving

UCLA divers Ruby Neave and Maria Polyakova competed in Taipei at the 29th Summer Universiade. Neave, an incoming UCLA freshman, competed for her home country of Australia in the one and three meter dive, while Pac 12 champion Polyakova competed in four events and brought home a bronze medal. After the prelims of the one meter dive, Polyakova led the field with a score of 264.65, and after the next two rounds, she bested the competition and was in gold medal contention. Later the same day, she got off to a slow start, placing last but wound up in fourth place in the event. Polyakova placed sixth in the Mixed Synchro Three Meter, and had her final chance to medal in the Women's Synchro 3-Meter. Along with partner Elena Chernykh, the duo placed third and brought home Polyakova’s long awaited medal.

And, that’s What’s Bruin this Friday.

Go Bruins!