Bruins Nationally Ranked for First Time this Season

The UCLA Bruins are now the No. 24 ranked team in the country after the latest national poll was released Monday morning. Off to an unbelievable start to the season, the Bruins become just the second Big Ten team inside the Top 25.

UCLA Bruins team huddles during a break in the action as Auburn Tigers take on UCLA Bruins during the NCAA regional baseball tournament at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala., on Sunday, June 5, 2022. | Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

The No. 24 UCLA Bruins (18-5, 7-2) are one of the newest teams in college baseball to earn a national ranking.

The latest NCAA DI baseball rankings have UCLA as the No. 24 team in the country for its phenomenal start to the year.

The Bruins are just the second Big Ten team in the rankings, joining the No. 10 Oregon Ducks (19-5, 7-2). It is the first time this season that the Bruins have been awarded a national ranking, and it is well deserved, as they have won eight of 23 games with a scoring margin of +94.

Just getting started.#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/jty83lefEL

— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) March 24, 2025

UCLA's play all season has warranted a number next to its name, but winning its third-straight Big Ten series by taking two of three from the Indiana Hoosiers (13-11, 5-4) was a major reason why. The Bruins improved to 7-2 in conference play and are now tied for first place in the Big Ten

There have been several key victories for UCLA this season that have allowed them to be one of the nation's best. Besides the strong conference record, the Bruins upset No. 18 UC Irvine, defeated Michigan by 17 runs, hung tough with No. 14 Vanderbilt, and swept a solid Cal Poly team.

This group has dominated a large majority of their competition this season, ranking amongst the top of the conference and nation in several stats. Their defense and pitching have been impeccable, allowing the third-lowest number of runs in the Big Ten (101) and rank 35th nationally in ERA (3.97).

Offensively, the Bruins have been smoking hot, ranking inside the top 10 in the conference in total hits (219), home runs (28), RBIs (184), runs scored (195) and base on balls (123). They possess two of the Big Ten's top hitters in sophomore's Roch Cholowsky and Mulivai Levu, both hitting above .300.

The Bruins will look to protect their national ranking and be winners of nine of their last 10 when they take on the Loyola Marymount Lions (14-10) in a single-game, non-conference ballgame Tuesday night before heading to West Lafayette, Ind. to face Purdue (19-4, 3-3), this weekend.

First pitch against LMU is set for Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. PT at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @UCLAInsideronSI and @tcav30 and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.