Key Highlights
- After reaching the College World Series for the first time since its 2013 national championship, the Bruins have been tabbed as the No.
- 1 team in the preseason Top 25, a reflection of both last year’s success and the rare continuity they bring into the new year. The 2025 season marked a turning point for the program.
- UCLA finished 48–18 overall and 22–8 in Big Ten play, capturing the conference’s regular-season title and proving it could thrive on college baseball’s biggest stage.
- The trip to Omaha was the culmination of a long-term vision under head coach John Savage, who is entering his 22nd season in Westwood with more than 700 wins at the helm. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRather than chasing quick fixes through the transfer portal, UCLA leaned into a recruiting philosophy built heavily around high school talent.
- That approach required patience during short-term growing pains in 2023 and 2024, but it paid dividends when a sophomore-heavy roster matured together and handled the pressure of a deep postseason run. Shortstop Roch Cholowsky emerged as a centerpiece of that group, providing production, leadership, and defensive stability up the middle.