UCLA earned a No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll for the first time a year ago. The Bruins also earned a Final Four berth in the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.
Yet, the Bruins fell short, just a step away from playing for a national championship.
Luckily for coach Cori Close and company, UCLA returns some of the best players in the country – all the while retooling for the season by adding top-ranked freshmen and a prolific transfer guard.
“I think it’s gonna be another great year, and I’m looking forward to it,” said Close, entering her 15th season in Westwood and second season coaching in the Big Ten. “If you want to become the best, you’ve got to compete against the best.”
Here’s who departed, remained, and joined the Bruins ahead of their widely anticipated 2025-26 season as UCLA attempts to return to the Final Four with national championship aspirations.
Who’s gone
Elina Aarnisalo, G, 5-10: The sophomore out of Finland, who played sporadically at point guard last season while averaging 5.1 points across all 37 games with 10 starts, decided to transfer to North Carolina.
Janiah Barker, F, 6-4: The senior spent one year in Westwood after transferring from Texas A&M and averaged 7.4 points and ranked second on the team with 6.0 rebounds per game. Barker transferred to Tennessee, where she is expected to start.
Avary Cain, G, 6-1: The former five-star recruit played in 18 games off the bench for UCLA a year ago before the sophomore elected to transfer to Oregon.
Kendall Dudley, F, 6-2: The sophomore out of Sidwell Friends in Washington D.C., averaged 12.4 minutes per game across all 37 games last year. Dudley is staying in the Big Ten as she will play for Michigan.
Londynn Jones, G, 5-4: The senior from Centennial High became the fourth Bruin in program history to make 200 career three-pointers a year ago. However, the former All-Big Ten honorable mention will now suit up across town for USC after averaging 8.5 points per game a year ago.
Zania Socka-Nguemen, F, 6-3: The last of the Bruins’ full freshman class to depart via the transfer portal, the sophomore from Maryland played in just 15 games for UCLA last year as she dealt with injuries. Socka-Nguemen opted for Indiana and recently started in its last preseason scrimmage.
Who’s back
Lauren Betts, C, 6-7: The senior, who is the consensus Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, is looking to improve on her breakout season. The former Stanford transfer averaged a team-high 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and became UCLA’s first national defensive player of the year.
Angela Dugalić, F, 6-4: The graduate student from Illinois has played for the Bruins since 2021 and returns a veteran presence in the post that saw her average 7.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season. Dugalić, who also plays for the Serbian national team, led UCLA with 50 steals last season.
Timea Gardiner, F, 6-3: The junior, who transferred from Oregon State last season, became one of UCLA’s best shooters from beyond the arc, connecting for 39.5% from 3-point range and averaging 7.6 points per game off the bench. Gardiner will miss the start of the season as she recovers from a knee injury.
Gabriela Jaquez, G, 6-0: The senior and younger sister of Miami Heat forward and former Bruins star Jaime Jaquez continued to prove her worth as a do-it-all option on the floor. The Camarillo High alum started 33 of 36 games and averaged 9.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Charlisse Leger-Walker, G, 5-11: The graduate student, who previously played at Washington State, sat out last season as she recovered from a torn ACL. Leger-Walker is likely to slot in as a starter in the backcourt after she averaged 13.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game in 2023-2024.
Amanda Muse, F, 6-4: The redshirt sophomore from Heritage High redshirted most of last season for developmental reasons. Muse played in 19 games two years ago and will provide the Bruins with length and depth in the frontcourt.
Kiki Rice, G, 5-11: The senior guard, who was once the second-ranked recruit in the country coming out of Sidwell Friends, will slot in at a starting guard spot again, as she has in every season in Westwood. Rice was UCLA’s second-leading scorer with 12.8 points per game last season.
Who’s new
Sienna Betts, F, 6-4: The freshman, who is the younger sister of Lauren Betts, was the second-ranked recruit in the freshman class, according to ESPN. Betts is highly expected to play a role in the frontcourt, but is currently nursing a lower-leg injury suffered in a preseason scrimmage.
Lena Bilić, G/F, 6-3: The Croatian freshman is someone Close called “the best player from Europe in her class.” The lengthy wing averaged 18.0 points, 7.1 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game for ZKK Tresnjevka 2009 in Croatia last year.
Megan Grant, G/F, 5-10: The senior is a two-sport athlete at UCLA, joining the women’s basketball team after being a power hitter for the softball program.
Christina Karamouzi, G, 5-10: The Swedish freshman joined the Bruins in July after representing her country at the Scania Cup G19 competition.
Gianna Kneepkens, G, 6-0: The graduate student from Duluth, Minnesota, played for Utah from 2021-25 before arriving in Westwood. Kneepkens was a prolific scorer for the Utes, averaging 19.3 points per game while shooting 50.4% from the field and 44.8% from beyond the arc last season. The veteran guard will play a vital role in the backcourt.