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John Savage reacts to facing UTSA after Texas upset: 'I don't have any joy for anybody losing'

Danby: Daniel Hager06/03/25DanielHagerOn3
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Jun 24, 2013; Omaha, NE, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach John Savage (22) looks on in the dugout before game 1 of the College World Series finals against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

UCLA is headed back to the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals for the first time since 2019 after not losing a game in the Los Angeles Regional. It however will not be facing the No. 2 overall seed Texas in the Super Regional (as many expected), but will be hosting UTSA in a Los Angeles Super Regional.

As the No. 2 seed in the Austin Regional, UTSA took down mighty Texas on back-to-back days to win its first ever Regional championship. It will now be the Bruins vs. the Roadrunners for a spot in Omaha.

“I heard some rumblings,” Savage responded when asked if he knew of the UTSA win prior to UCLA’s game against UC Irvine. “You know, I really don’t have any joy for anybody losing. You know, Vanderbilt and Oregon. I’ve done this too long to root against people. It’s just not my style. I just know that we’re gonna be playing a really, really good team.”

Vanderbilt and Oregon were just two of seven Regional hosts to fail to advance to a Super Regional this season. (Clemson, Georgia, Ole Miss, Oregon, Southern Miss, Vanderbilt, Texas). It is the most national seeds to lose in Regional play since 2023 (seven).

Savage and UCLA are searching for its first Men’s College World Series appearance since 2013, when it downed Mississippi State to win the National Championship. The National Championship winning coach continued to speak highly of UTSA following its 8-5 Regional clinching win over UC-Irvine.

“They went through Texas and got that done, so my hat’s off to them,” Savage said. “Anybody that is still playing is really good. I don’t really look at it like, oh, we don’t have to go to Texas and now we may host. I don’t really think that way. It may be reality in a lot of ways but at the same time it’s more about the team and us getting better and us taking a step forward, which we did tonight.”

The Bruins and Roadrunners were just one of nine teams to not lose a game in Regional play, joined by Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Coastal Carolina, Duke, Florida State, Louisville and West Virginia.

Instead of traveling to Austin like many expected, the Bruins will be hosting their first Super Regional in Los Angeles since 2019 (lost to Michigan in three games). The opening game for what should be a highly entertaining set of two/three games is set for Saturday at 7:00 pm ET (ESPNU).