The 2025–26 UCLA Bruins women's basketball team represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 2025–26 NCAA Division I women's basketball season.Mueller, Corey - 2025-26 UCLA Women's Basketball Information Guide UCLA Athletics, October 2025 The Bruins were led by head coach Cori Close in her fifteenth year, and played their home games at Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins went 37–1 and won the program's second women's basketball national championship, and the first basketball championship in the NCAA era.Robinson, Cameron Teague - UCLA clobbers South Carolina for first NCAA national title in program history. New York Times, April 5, 2026
In the preseason, the Bruins were voted the favorite to win the Big Ten conference, with senior center Lauren Betts named the 2025-26 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.UCLA, Betts Headline Big Ten Women's Basketball Preseason Honors. Big Ten Conference, October 2, 2025 Betts and senior guard Kiki Rice were named to the All-Big Ten preseason conference team. Laren Betts was named to the Associated Press Preseason All-America team.Women’s Preseason All-America Team. Associated Press, October 21, 2025.
In November 2025, the first month of the season, the Bruins faced ranked teams in Oklahoma, Texas, North Carolina, and Tennessee, going 3-1, and won their other games, to establish their ranking in the top 5. Iowa State's Crooks headlines USBWA's women's weekly honors. U.S. Basketball Writers Association, November 18, 2025 USBWA National Team of the Week is UCLA. Past the mid-point of the conference schedule at the end of January 2026, the Bruins had defeated 10 conference teams, including four ranked teams, to solidify a number 2 national ranking.Tyler, Travis - 2 Bruins Featured on Midseason Awards Lists Sports Illustrated. February 4, 2026 UCLA has a few of the best players in the country. The entire starting lineup was projected to be taken in the first round of the WNBA draft.Lasse, Eden - 2026 WNBA Mock Draft: UCLA Supremacy and a New No. 2 Pick. Hoops HQ January 30, 2026Hirsh, Alissa - For WNBA front offices navigating a strange offseason, UCLA is a one-stop shop. Chicago Sun Times, January 27, 2026Blum , Elaine - UCLA players could make WNBA history without even playing a single game. High Post Hoops (msn.com) February 14, 2026 The Bruins clinched a share of the Big Ten conference title on February 19, 2026 by defeating Washington.UCLA Clinches Share of 2025-26 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Championship Title. Big Ten Conference (bigten.org), February 20, 2026 The Bruins won the outright regular season Big Ten conference championship on February 22 against Wisconsin on Senior night.Harris, Beth - UCLA rolls past Wisconsin 80-60, celebrates first outright Big Ten title with 21st win in a row. Associated Press, February 22, 2026 They finished the conference season undefeated on March 1, 2026 with a win at USC.Gibson, Charlotte - UCLA completes undefeated Big Ten regular season, 1st since 2014-15. espn.com, March 1, 2026. Note: the 2014-15 Maryland Terrapins were the last Big Ten team to go undefeated in conference
Starting the postseason seeded number 1 in the Big Ten tournament, the Bruins won all three games, concluding with a tournament record-setting win over number 8 ranked Iowa.Maloney, Jack - After 51-point rout of Iowa in Big Ten final, can UCLA steal the No. 1 overall seed from undefeated UConn? CBS Sports, March 8, 2026 Article Note, "UCLA has 18 Quad 1 wins, while UConn only has 10" For the NCAA tournament, the Bruins were the number 2 seed overall and number one in the Sacramento region.Ingemi, Marissa and Felicia Keller - 'We know what it takes to get there.'; No. 1 UCLA ready to begin NCAA title chase. Los Angeles Times, March 15, 2026 The Bruins needed a comeback in the second half against Duke to reach the final four.Brewer, Jerry - Lauren Betts and UCLA return to Final Four with unfinished business. New York Times, March 29, 2026 In the national semi-final game, the Bruins won the re-match with the Texas Longhorns, the one loss they experienced all season.Raynor, Grace - UCLA takes down Texas, advances to program’s first NCAA national championship game. New York Times, April 3, 2026 In a dominating performance, UCLA defeated South Carolina 79-51 in the 2026 NCAA Division I women's basketball championship game. All six senior players were selected in the 2026 WNBA draft, five in the first round, setting a record.Ingemi, Marisa - UCLA breaks WNBA draft records with five first-round picks and six overall. Los Angeles Times, April 13, 2026 Previous season The Bruins finished the 2024–25 season with a 34–3 record, including 16–2 in Big Ten play to finish in second place to USC. UCLA proceeded to beat USC in the 2025 Big Ten conference tournament to win the championship. They were ranked No. 1 in the polls for the first time in program history.UCLA moves up to No. 1 in AP Top 25 women's basketball poll for first time in history. CBS News, November 25, 2024 They received the number 1 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and reached their first NCAA Final Four game,Knoblauch, Austin - The Sports Report: UCLA women make history on Selection Sunday Los Angeles Times, March 17, 2025 where they were eliminated by the eventual national champion UConn.Green, Austin - UConn routs UCLA, advances to national championship: Live updates and reaction from women’s Final Four. New York Times, April 5, 2025 A documentary named You See LA produced by Fox Sports was broadcast on March 1, 2026 on FS1 immediately following the 2026 UCLA-USC women's basketball game.FOX Sports, AV8 Productions, Allez! Sports, and Hello Sunshine Announce New Documentary Special You See L.A. Fox Sports, February 25, 2026 The episode includes footage from games and post-game locker room team meetings, team gatherings, and interviews.Bolch, Ben - UCLA women’s basketball documentary unveils raw, vulnerable moments. New York Post, February 25, 2026
Offseason In the offseason, the Bruins did not lose any players to graduation.Nguyen, Thuc Nhi - 'We're not done': UCLA women aim to reload for another title chase. Los Angeles Times, April 5, 2025 Charlisse Leger-Walker entered the lineup following a 650-day recovery from an ACL injury she suffered while playing against the Bruins for Washington State before her transfer.Big Ten favorite UCLA reloads, has sights set on national championship. Newsday (AP) October 29, 2025 The team was joined by Lauren Betts' younger sister Sienna, Gianna Kneepkens, who transferred from Utah,Ferguson Jr., Andrew L. - Why Gianna Kneepkens Was a Home-Run Transfer. Sports Illustrated, December 14, 2025 and Megan Grant, a member of the UCLA Softball team.Henderson, Devon - UCLA softball All-American Megan Grant taking her shot with Bruins basketball. New York Times, December 5, 2025 New recruit Lena Bilić earned a medal at FIBA summer international play representing Croatia,Moreno, Connor - 3 UCLA Women's Hoops Commits Win FIBA Medals. Sports Illustrated, July 23, 2025 while Sienna Betts and Gianna Kneepkens also earned medals for UCLA. The Bruins also signed Christina Karamouzi from Sweden.Regalado, Mike - Swedish Combo Guard Siegel Commits to UCLA WBB. 247SPORTS, Jun 12, 2025. The UCLA women's basketball team has secured a commitment from Swedish guard Christina Karamouzi Siegel... With six senior starters available, Angela Dugalić asked to come off the bench.Heisen, Aaron - No. 2 UCLA women rout No. 8 Iowa for 15th straight win. Orange County Register, February 1, 2026. Angela Dugalic scores a season-high 22 points and Kiki Rice adds 17 points and seven assists as UCLA wins, 88-65, despite a turnover-riddled first half
The entire highly rankedLaflin, Shane - Women's college basketball recruiting: The early top 10 classes. ESPN, November 2, 20232024 women's college basketball recruiting rankings: Final top 25 classes. espn.com, May 13, 2024 2024–25 freshman recruiting class, along with Janiah Barker and Londynn Jones, entered the transfer portal within days following the end of the season.McNeill, Dylan - UCLA Bruins' entire freshman class hits the transfer portal USA Today, April 9, 2025Anderson, Karl - UCLA sees mass exodus as juniors Londynn Jones, Janiah Barker reportedly join group entering transfer portal. Yahoo Sports, April 10, 2025 "Almost a week after an appearance in the Final Four, six UCLA players — including the team's entire freshman class — are entering the transfer portal" They wanted more playing time and larger roles within the team.Laase, Eden - UCLA Has a New Plan for Lauren Betts. Will It Work? Hoops HQ, June 29, 2025 The Bruins lost their entire freshman class, but with Betts’ younger sister Sienna coming on board, hopes remain high in Westwood for another Final Four Elina Aarnisalo, who transferred to North Carolina, would have played significant minutes. The Bruin team would play all six of the teams of the transfers during the season and defeat them.
Former player Michaela Onyenwere became part of the coaching staff of the 2025-26 team.Gupta, Nishant - Sky Forward to Return to UCLA After Disappointing Season. Sports Illustrated, September 17, 2025Michaela Onyenwere Joins UCLA Women’s Basketball Coaching Staff. uclabruins.com, September 16, 2025 Departures UCLA departuresNameNumPos.HeightYearHometownReason for Departure Janiah Barker 0 F 6'4" Junior Marietta, GA Transferred to TennesseePhilippou, Alexa - Janiah Barker leaving UCLA for Tennessee after 1 year. ESPN (MSN), April 1, 2025 Avary Cain 2 G 6'1" Freshman Santa Maria, CA Transferred to OregonCrepea, James - Former UCLA guard Avary Cain officially signs with Oregon women’s basketball. Portland Oregonian oregonlive.com, April 21, 2025 Londynn Jones 3 G 5'4" Junior Riverside, CA Transferred to USCPhilippou, Alexa - Londynn Jones commits to USC from portal after leaving UCLA. espn.com, April 21, 2025 Zania Socka-Ngumen 6 F 6'3" Freshman Silver Spring, MD Transferred to IndianaJames, Dalton - Former UCLA forward Zania Socka-Nguemen commits to Indiana women’s basketball. Indiana Student News, April 12, 2025 Elina Aarnisalo 7 G 5'10" Freshman Helsinki, Finland Transferred to North CarolinaArtacho, Jeremiah - UNC Women's Hoops Player Preview: Sophomore Elina Aarnisalo. Sports Illustrated, September 2025. The UCLA transfer guard will begin her career as a Tar Heel during the 2025-2026 season. Kendall Dudley 22 F 6'2" Freshman Lewisville, TX Transferred to Michigan
Additions UCLA incoming transfersNamePositionHeightYearHometownPrevious school Megan Grant G/F 5'10" Senior San Mateo, CA UCLA (softball) Gianna Kneepkens G 6'0" Senior Duluth, MN Utah
Recruiting
Roster
Seven of the team members had been named to the McDonald's All-American Game team before coming to UCLA: Lauren Betts, Sienna Betts, Angela Dugalić, Timea Gardiner, Gabriela Jaquez, Amanda Muse, and Kiki Rice. Rice, Jaquez, and Sienna Betts were game MVPs. Both Sienna Betts and Timea Gardiner were out with injuries in November.Moreno, Connor - UCLA's Close Shares Discouraging Injury Update on Star Freshman. Sports Illustrated, November 13, 2025 Gardiner elected to redshirt for the 2025-26 season.Campion, Willa - Women’s basketball forward Timea Gardiner to redshirt 2025-26 season for injury. UCLA Daily Bruin, January 31, 2026
Schedule and results
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Game summaries Sources: 2025-26 UCLA Bruins Women's basketball Schedule UCLA Athletic Communications Office Website at uclabruins.comUCLA Athletic Communications Office Website at https://uclabruins.com, retrieved October 2025Big Ten Network Announces 2025-26 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Broadcast Schedule Big Ten Conference bigten.org, October 7, 2025UCLA WBB Reveals Loaded Non-Conference Schedule, Sports Illustrated, October 10, 2025 'The Bruins are in store for some tough tests early in the season.'
San Diego State (Orange County Hoops Classic)