For the first time since 2012, Stein Metzger doesn’t have the same commitments that took him away from Westwood in the fall. Over summer, the UCLA beach volleyball coach relinquished his assistant coach position with the women’s volleyball team, and with it went the days spent traveling to arenas of other Pac-12 teams and recruiting trips. Read more...

Photo: Sophomore Elise Zappia said it has been helpful that coach Stein Metzger gave up his role as an assistant coach on the women’s volleyball team because he can now coach the beach players all year. (Daily Bruin file photo)

A wave of change will hit the NCAA’s newest collegiate sport in 2016. With it will come new formats for teams looking to claim the conference and national title. Read more...

Photo: Stein Metzger, a UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, used to split time coaching UCLA women’s volleyball and the fledgling sand volleyball program. Now that sand volleyball has officially gained Pac-12 Division I recognition, Metzger will move to coaching the team full time. (Aubrey Yeo/Daily Bruin senior staff)

While UCLA was not one of the eight teams chosen to compete in the American Volleyball Coaches Association sand volleyball posteason tournament, the team still has reason to celebrate: its first winning season in team history. Read more...

Photo: Madie Smith had to play through a torn labrum throughout her career as a Bruin. The fifth-year senior managed to pick up two wins in the Aloha Invitational tournament, which will be her last time playing volleyball. (Aubrey Yeo/Daily Bruin senior staff)

The news came in Monday, five days before UCLA was scheduled to play its last regular season meet at the Aloha Invitational in Waikiki, Hawaii. It turned out that would be the Bruins’ last meet of the season. Read more...

Photo: This weekend’s Aloha Invitational will mark the end of UCLA sand volleyball’s team season and the end of Madie Smith’s five-year career. The fifth-year senior played for both the women’s indoor volleyball team and the sand volleyball team during her time in Westwood. (Matt Cummings/Daily Bruin)

The Bruins travelled west of campus to their old stomping grounds at the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica on Sunday for the Pac-12 Invitational, but any chance of a happy homecoming was gone with the wind. Read more...

Photo: Fifth-year senior Madie Smith (right) said she and her partner freshman Elise Zappia let fatigue get the better of them in their 21-17, 21-18 loss to ASU’s Jordy Checkal and Bethany Jorgensen. A revitalized Smith and Zappia were able to pick up the win in a rematch in the pairs tournament on the next day, winning 22-20, 21-17. (Aubrey Yeo/Daily Bruin senior staff)