Tag: Cori Close

UCLA Women’s basketball in the running for top-five recruit

The UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team has high expectations in 2024 and is in the running for a top-five recruit.

The UCLA Bruins Women’s basketball showed real potential in 2024, falling in the Sweet Sixteen to LSU after an impressive season. Now, the Bruins are in the running for a top-five recruit that could make them even better.

Emilee Skinner, a guard for the gold medal-winning 2024 USA Women’s U17 National Team, has narrowed her potential college destinations to five teams, according to Talia Goodman of On3 (subscription required). Skinner, the fifth-ranked player in the nation in the class of 2025, has UCLA, Notre Dame, TCU, Duke, and Iowa on her shortlist.

With star guard Kiki Rice returning to the Bruins this season, Skinner can see how Cori Close uses guards and sets them up for success in UCLA’s program. In addition, the long line of UCLA greats and the program’s upward trajectory is an enticing factor for the Ridgeline High School senior.

If the Bruins can string together another good season and a deep run into March, the Bruins could be the front-runner to land Skinner as the team begins its tenure in the Big Ten.

UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close excited for Lauren Betts in 2024-2025

Cori Close can’t contain her excitement.

Head women’s basketball coach at UCLA, Cori Close tweeted about one of her players and her ability earlier this week. Close worked with her center in the paint Lauren Betts in one of their off-season workouts this summer.

Betts was one of the best players on the court for much of last season. She started 27 of 29 games and scored nearly 15 points per game. She also averaged just shy of 10 rebounds per game. Betts is among one of the top centers in all of college basketball.

Close is one of the best head coaches in all of college basketball. She has gone 287-140 in her time with the Bruins.  The Bruins have won 54 games over the last two seasons. Here is what the head coach tweeted about her prized center:

The Bruins have yet to announce their non conference slate for the 2024-2025 season. In Big Ten play, the Bruins will get Illinois, Michigan State, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State and then rival USC.

UCLA women’s in running for #3 Class of 2025 recruit

This would be huge for Cori Close.

The UCLA Bruins women’s basketball program has become one worth watching recently. As such, Cori Close and her staff have been active in the recruiting trails.

Jazzy Davidson, the No. 3 recruit in the Class of 2025, narrowed her list down from eight to six and has UCLA as one of the final six, per Talia Goodman of On3.

“Jazzy Davidson told On3 she has recently narrowed her list from eight schools to six. She’s now considering USC, UCLA, Duke, South Carolina, TCU and Texas.”

Davidson has yet to plan an official visit with the Bruins but hopes to get that done in the near future.

As far as what she’s looking for, it’s a number of things: “The combination of academics, which are super important to me, and obviously a really high-level basketball program. Just when I’m on campus, seeing the connection and relationship that coaches have with players and a family environment.”

Davidson has a ton of talent and was named the Gatorade Oregon Girls Basketball Player of the Year three years in a row.

If the Bruins can land Davidson, that would be a massive addition fo the future of Bruins women’s basketball.

Cori Close remembers Bill Walton with touching tribute

Cori Close chimes in on Bill Walton’s passing.

After UCLA legend Bill Walton passed away on Monday, tributes came in full force. Perhaps the most colorful person in recent memory, Walton’s lasting impact will be remembered by many for a number of reasons.

UCLA women’s basketball head coach Cori Close shared a video with her remembrance of Bill Walton.

“We lost a magnificent human being in Bill Walton. He’s had such an impact on the game and obviously on broadcasting…The one that stuck in my heart today…’Disagree without being disagreeable.'”

“Isn’t it ok to have a different point of view?… I am building my standards from my life and my heart differently than you…I look at Bill Walton. We probably disagree on how to call a basketball game, for instance…I think about all the ways Coach Wooden used to talk about him…Probably Coach Wooden and Bill Walton disagreed on a lot of things. But man, their love was so deep.”

The relationship between Bill Walton and John Wooden, two UCLA legends who will be remembered by basketball fans forever, left a lasting impact on the lives of many, and Close had a lot to say about it.

Kiki Rice, Lauren Betts, Cori Close take in Angel FC-San Diego Wave game

Rice, Betts, and Close all together.

The UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team is right in the middle of the offseason after losing to LSU in the Sweet 16. Gabriela Jaquez is playing with the softball team in the Super Regionals, but other than that, not much else is happening.

On Thursday night, Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, and Bruins coach Cori Close were spotted taking part in a game between Angel FC and San Diego Wave FC, per a report from Amanda Scurlock.

They were on the field and were being interviewed in the clip shown below. Betts and Rice are both expected to be major contributors for the Bruins in 2024-2025 as they once again enter with top-10 aspirations despite the move to the Big Ten.

The game ended in a stalemate on Thursday, but it is good to see the Bruins stars and head coach hanging out during the offseason and building chemistry together.

Cori Close’s ‘no-brainer’ decision on Gabriela Jaquez softball move

Cori Close didn’t hesitate at all.

In a bit of an unorthodox move, UCLA women’s basketball player Gabriela Jaquez joined the Bruins softball team for the College World Series run.

She played softball in high school, but joining this late is certainly a surprising turn of events.

Rhiannon Potkey of D1Softball spoke with Cori Close about Gabriela Jaqiez joining the Bruins softball team:

“I said ‘Absolutely! It sounds like a no-brainer.’ It really wasn’t a hard decision. First of all, I really believe in Kelly and how she leads her program. But I also remember what a huge softball fan and player Gabriela was. I remember her senior year in high school she came down to watch UCLA softball in the NCAA Tournament.”[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”dW5kZWZpbmVk”][/anyclip-media]

UCLA is now getting ready for the Super Regionals and it would be quite the sorry if Jaquez ends up making a difference for the team after the women’s basketball team made a Sweet 16 run.

Close added more context to the decision:

“You never want to put your players at risk, but I am a big believer that you want to be wise and make solid decisions but you also don’t want to make decisions out of fear,” Close said. “I want to make decisions out of opportunity, and this is a great opportunity for Gabs and softball that I could not be more thankful to provide.”

Cori Close cashes in on $10,000 bonus with March Madness win over California Baptist

Cori Close earned a $10,000 bonus with this win.

The UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team had no issues against 15-seed California Baptist on Saturday night. Even without Lauren Betts, the Bruins cruised to an 84-55 blowout to advance to the Round of 32.

As a result, UCLA head coach Cori Close cashed in on a $10,000 bonus and brought her bonus total to the season to $35,000, per Steve Berkowitz of USA Today.

The Bruins magnificent season continues with their seventh win in the last eight games and moving on in the Big Dance.

Close has done a terrific job coaching all year and won this game without Lauren Betts, who will hopefully return for the next matchup on Monday with a Sweet 16 trip to the line.

If Close and UCLA can keep winning games in March, even more bonuses will be coming her way. Their next opportunity comes against Creighton on Monday night.