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 continues to seek the consistency that marked its 2021 Final Four run
A rash of injuries and COVID-19 issues have kept UCLA from running on all cylinders. The Bruins are hoping to play more cohesively.
UCLA Sports
UCLA promotes analyst Tim Drevno, a former USC assistant, to offensive line coach
Veteran coach Tim Drevno, who spent last season as an offensive analyst at UCLA, has been promoted to offensive line coach on Chip Kelly’s staff.
UCLA Sports
No. 9 UCLA finishes strong against Utah to avoid major upset
Johnny Juzang scored a game-high 28 points as No. 9 UCLA fought off a feisty Utah team with a 63-58 win on Thursday in Salt Lake City.
Sports
Jaylen Clark and Peyton Watson infuse UCLA with a welcome youth movement
UCLA’s two young guards are taking advantage of increased playing time and infusing the Bruins with superior athleticism not evident in other players.
Sports
UCLA hires former longtime Duke assistant Jeff Faris as tight ends coach
Jeff Faris, who rose from graduate assistant to co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in a decade at Duke, will join the UCLA staff.
UCLA Sports
Mick Cronin sounds off on joy of having fans at UCLA road games after home silence
Bruins coach Mick Cronin believes having fans in attendance will energize his players and looks forward to his team playing at Utah and Colorado.
Sports
UCLA’s Jay Shaw and Chase Cota become the latest to enter a crowded transfer portal
UCLA likely lost two veterans of the Chip Kelly era when cornerback Jay Shaw and wide receiver Chase Cota announced they entered the transfer portal.
UCLA Sports
Jaylen Clark helps revitalize No. 3 UCLA in bounce-back win over Oregon State
Jaylen Clark shines in his first start, finishing with 11 points and four rebounds to help pull UCLA to an 81-65 win over Oregon State.
UCLA Sports
UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet will make another run with Bruins, return for 2022 season
UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet announces he’s returning to the Bruins for at least one more season after he made a smashing debut with them in 2021.
UCLA Sports
In vacillating coaching landscape, UCLA’s Chip Kelly stays put with new contract
Despite a four-year record of 18-25, Chip Kelly was given a new four-year contract by UCLA. He must hire a new defensive coordinator as well as two other assistants.