If hitting the cover off the baseball is NCAA standout Mulivai Levu’s first love right now, then playing pickleball every chance he gets is definitely a close second.

Along with serving as the first baseman for the UCLA Bruins, the 20-year-old sophomore also participates in UCLA Club Pickleball practices whenever his schedule permits.

Levu got hooked on America's fastest-growing sport several years ago after getting a taste of the game in his hometown of Huntington Beach, CA.

"I remember one of my best friend's moms bought a net and four wooden paddles, like a starter kit, and we just put it on the street and we started playing, and then we all kind of got addicted to it," recalled Levu. "I started investing in new paddles and going to the courts to play better competition. That’s pretty much how it started, with a little net and paddles."

"Going to the courts" in those early days of his pickleball love affair is basically an understatement because Levu was a truly dedicated open play participant.

He was bitten by the pickleball bug for real.

"It took a lot of time from other things I used to do. I would just literally wake up at 6:00 a.m. and go play with the older guys in the morning, and then play with the younger guys at night. It was just every day," said Levu. "Then I started watching YouTube, watching the pros and watching tournaments, and that grew my interest in just wanting to get better at this sport."

Being humbled by more seasoned opponents again and again at the outset also lit a fire in him to continue developing his skills.

Like a typical high-calibre athlete, coming up short isn't in his DNA.

"I’m really competitive, so getting beat all the time as a beginner kind of encouraged me to play more so I could hang with people that were actually good. The competitiveness in me just told me to play more, and at the same time, I was having a lot of fun," explained Levu. "Pickleball took my mind off a lot of things. Even when I wasn’t playing baseball, I’d just go do something active, and pickleball was the thing to do."

Fast forward to this past fall when he elected to give UCLA Club Pickleball a shot.

Competing in tournaments isn't in the cards right now, of course, but he's committed to attending every practice possible around his baseball duties.

"At the end of October, I had baseball practices that ended early enough for me to rush over there. I would just come straight from practice, literally in my jersey and hat, and then shorts and tennis shoes, and I would drill with them. I would just try and make it any chance I got," explained Levu. "Obviously, it’s hard right now with the season and us traveling where I can’t be there every day, but if we do finish early in baseball, then I’m on my way over there."

If Levu does represent UCLA Club Pickleball in a tournament someday, it would certainly be fun to watch.

His primary gameplay influences are JW Johnson and James Ignatowich, which is quite the combination as well.

"I think my favorite thing is playing against people who take it very seriously, like to the max. I like getting under people’s skin on the court, but at the same time, I’m also trying to have fun. If I’m playing someone who takes it beyond serious, I’m like - ‘We’ll have some fun with this’ - but normally I just play for fun," explained Levu. "As a player, I like to be sneaky, so my opponents don't know my next move or where the ball is going to go. I think ball placement in pickleball is my biggest thing, just placing it where it needs to be, where my opponent’s not at. When I say sneaky, I mean turning my head as if I’m hitting it the other way, but my paddle’s going the opposite direction."

Levu is adamant that pickleball has played an integral part in his success at the plate.

His 10 home runs, 55 RBIs and .330 batting average through 43 games in 2025 are impressive stats to say the least.

"Pickleball helps a lot with hand-eye coordination, having that quick twitch and reaction. I’m so used to seeing 90+ mph fastballs and reacting to them, so it’s somewhat natural when I’m in the kitchen and having a firefight," shared Levu. "It translates a lot with my wrists, too."

With that in mind, where does pickleball rank in his future plans?

"Ever since I started playing and got into it, I’m going to put pickleball as my 'Plan B' in case baseball doesn’t work out," admitted Levu with a laugh. "But say I retire and still got some gas left in the tank, I wouldn’t mind trying to go pro in pickle. Baseball is obviously my priority and that’s my goal, but pickleball is just a lot of fun and I love it."