Ben Bolch

Staff Writer

Ben Bolch has been a Los Angeles Times staff writer since 1999. He is serving his second stint as the UCLA beat writer, which seems fitting since he has covered almost every sports beat except hockey and horse racing. Bolch is also the author of the recently released book “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He previously covered UCLA basketball from 2010-11 before going on to cover the NBA and the Clippers for five years. He happily traded in gobs of hotel points and airline miles to return to cover UCLA basketball and football in the summer of 2016. Bolch was once selected by NBA TV’s “The Starters” as the “Worst of the Week” after questioning their celebrity journalism-style questions at an NBA All-Star game and considers it one of his finer moments.

Latest From This Author

UCLA Sports

UCLA gets some defensive stops and beats California

UCLA Sports

UCLA gets some defensive stops and beats California

UCLA hadn’t won a game at home since Dec. 8 until California came to Pauley Pavilion.
UCLA Sports

Player departures thin UCLA’s tight end ranks, creating major holes

UCLA Sports

Player departures thin UCLA’s tight end ranks, creating major holes

The departures of Devin Asiasi and Matt Lynch have considerably thinned UCLA’s tight end ranks as part of an ongoing exodus of players.
UCLA Sports

Playing time is no longer a given under UCLA’s Mick Cronin

UCLA Sports

Playing time is no longer a given under UCLA’s Mick Cronin

Mick Cronin didn’t single Prince Ali out for his performance against Stanford, but he took the veteran out of the game after playing less than two minutes.

More Coverage

No. 7 UCLA women suffer first loss of season at USC in double overtime
Sports

UCLA cornerback Darnay Holmes bids the team farewell

Sports

UCLA cornerback Darnay Holmes bids the team farewell

UCLA’s Darnay Holmes tweeted that he was moving on “to the next stage in my career.” It’s not clear if he meant the NFL draft or the transfer portal.
Sports

UCLA hires Navy’s Brian Norwood as passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach

Sports

UCLA hires Navy’s Brian Norwood as passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach

UCLA hires Navy assistant Brian Norwood to be its assistant head coach, passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach.
UCLA Sports

UCLA football could benefit from easier nonconference schedule in 2020

UCLA Sports

UCLA football could benefit from easier nonconference schedule in 2020

UCLA released a 2020 football schedule that features nonconference games against New Mexico State, Hawaii and San Diego State in the first three weeks.
UCLA Sports

Stanford beats UCLA for first win at Pauley Pavilion in 15 years

UCLA Sports

Stanford beats UCLA for first win at Pauley Pavilion in 15 years

Tyrell Terry scored a career-high 24 points and Pac-12 leading Stanford defeated UCLA 74-59 for the Cardinal’s first victory at Pauley Pavilion since 2004-05 season.
UCLA Sports

The transfer portal is becoming the least exclusive club at UCLA

UCLA Sports

The transfer portal is becoming the least exclusive club at UCLA

UCLA linebacker Jayce Smalley and defensive lineman Ulysses Aburto have joined the team’s recent wave of departures via the transfer portal.
UCLA Sports

UCLA is historically bad from three-point range. Mick Cronin thinks he knows why

UCLA Sports

UCLA is historically bad from three-point range. Mick Cronin thinks he knows why

UCLA has made only 30.5% of its three-pointers, putting the Bruins on pace to break the school’s previous low of 32.5% during the 2009-10 season.
UCLA Sports

UCLA’s Mick Cronin bemoans Bruins’ defensive effort in loss to rival USC

UCLA Sports

UCLA’s Mick Cronin bemoans Bruins’ defensive effort in loss to rival USC

USC dominated UCLA inside and won easily despite Onyeka Okongwu’s minor production.

More Coverage

Plaschke: Jim Harrick’s ultimate glory still gets recognized, just not at UCLA