Cori Close huddled her team at center court in the Mo Ostin Basketball Center as practice trickled toward a finish.
The UCLA women’s basketball’s head coach, who is in her 14th season leading the Bruins, knows she likely has her “most complete” team, she said Wednesday afternoon.
The Bruins return star players such as center Lauren Betts and guard Kiki Rice, both of whom are now in their senior seasons. Utah transfer guard Gianna Kneepkens, who shot 50.4% from the field, 44.8% from the 3-point range and 89.0% on free throws last year, and graduate guard Charlisse Leger-Walker, who sat out all last season with a torn ACL after transferring from Washington State, are ready to enter the fold as all-conference players with genuine immediate-impact ability.
And that doesn’t include veteran Bruins such as guard Gabriela Jaquez or forwards Angela Dugalić and Timea Gardiner. And then there’s freshmen guard/forward Lena Bilić (whom Close called “arguably the No. 1 player in Europe”) and forward Sienna Betts (the No. 2 recruit in the 2025 class, according to ESPN), joining her older sister Lauren.
Close is aware the talent is there, but the coach, who guided UCLA to the Final Four for the first time in program history with a 34-3 record last season, focused on the togetherness as the Bruins clapped their way into a circle.
She told her team that they, no doubt, have individual talent, but it’s going to take connecting as a team to become the best possible version of themselves. Lauren Betts agrees with her coach’s assessment.
“The nice thing about everybody is that we all listen to each other really well,” the 6-foot-7 All-American said. “We need to give advice, we listen, we take it in, and we just make sure that we apply it on the court.”
A handful of outlets have the Bruins as the preseason No. 1 team in the nation entering the 2025-2026 slate, while others have UCLA, at the very least, in the top five. The experience, which Close credits her staff for bringing together on this roster, sets the Bruins apart from their foes – in the Big Ten and the nation.
Where the Bruins might click into another gear is the introduction of Leger-Walker. The former Washington State star used to dominate against UCLA. Now, she’ll be suiting up alongside Rice in the backcourt. While Rice took primary ballhandling duties during Wednesday’s mid-practice scrimmage, Leger-Walker has the experience to lead the Bruins down the court
“[She’s] maybe one of the best point passing guards I’ve ever been around,” Close said.
Close said Leger-Walker tallied 11 assists and just two turnovers in a recent scrimmage.
“To now be able to share the backcourt with her, to learn from her, she’s brought a lot of new things,” Rice said. “I think she just adds a level of IQ, passion [and] her ability to get downhill and score at all three levels is just fantastic to have on this team.”
UCLA sets season opener
UCLA and San Diego State will play in the inaugural Orange County Hoops Classic on Nov. 3 at Honda Center, marking the first game of the 2025-2026 campaign for the Bruins.
Tickets for the game, which does not have a tip-off time set, will go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday.
Injury updates
Close said Bilić is “coming off a muscle strain” that is not serious, while Gardiner is suffering from an undisclosed injury that will keep her out for the start of the season.
Rice, who underwent shoulder surgery following UCLA’s Final Four defeat, is not fully cleared, but is participating during practices and parts of scrimmages.