UCLA, Ball State agree to non-conference match in 2016

The two programs with the most wins in college men’s volleyball history will meet each other in non-conference play for the first time in five years.

Ball State as part of recently unveiling its 2016 schedule announced that it will travel to the West Coast to play a mid-season match against UCLA.



The non-conference match on March 7 will be the first time since 2011 that Ball State and UCLA have played each other. In addition, both the Bruins and the Cardinals were the first two college men’s volleyball programs to earn more than 1,000 all-time victories.

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UCLA under U.S. Men’s National Team coach John Speraw finished last season at No. 12 in the national coaches poll and earned a berth to the eight-team MPSF Tournament. The Bruins also return a majority of their starters for the upcoming season, including Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshmen All-American Team outside attacker JT Hatch and Jake Arnitz.

Ball State ended last season with its first losing record in almost 15 years and lost in the MIVA Tournament quarterfinals. The Cardinals, though, have almost all of their starters returning highlighted by Freshmen All-American middle attacker Matt Walsh.

UCLA is 22-3 all-time against Ball State and is undefeated at home in the series dating back to 1964.

Besides its match against UCLA, Ball State will have an additional non-conference match versus the MPSF in the upcoming season. Ball State will play a home match against Stanford in the opening week of the season.

The Cardinals ended last season 1-3 against MPSF teams, including getting its first road win versus the conference since 2008.