Mar 30, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close looks on against the LSU Lady Tigers during the first half of a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images James Snook-Imagn Images

Bruins' Cori Close Earns Another National Coaching Honor

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI
By Madeleine Considine | Last updated Apr 3, 2025 6:00 AM ET

UCLA’s historic season has earned its architect one the sport’s highest coaching honors.

Coach Cori Close was named the 2025 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year on Wednesday.

“I’m not at a loss for words often, but I am about this award,” Close said. “I’m humbled and grateful. It’s most meaningful because it gives me a chance to thank each player, staff member, role model and mentor.

"May our work in the win and loss columns always pale in comparison to the work we do to help teach, mentor and equip for life beyond the hardwood.”

Close’s leadership has propelled UCLA to unprecedented heights this season. The Bruins reached the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 after a statement win over then top ranked South Carolina in November.

They held the top spot for 14 weeks, including a record-breaking 12-week streak that marked the longest by any Big Ten women’s basketball team.

Now in her 14th year leading the program, Close has built a powerhouse in Westwood. She became the first UCLA women’s basketball coach to reach 300 career wins and currently holds a 321 and 142 overall record.

Her Bruins have advanced to the program’s first ever NCAA Final Four, the team’s first national semifinal appearance since 1979 when UCLA competed in the AIAW. That run came just one year after UCLA won its lone national title in 1978.

This year’s team has dominated statistically. UCLA leads the Big Ten in seven major categories, including assists per game, field goal percentage, rebounding margin and scoring defense.

The Bruins are averaging 20.4 assists per game and are holding opponents to just 57.9 points per contest. They have only been outrebounded three times all season.

Their grit was on full display during the Big Ten Tournament championship when UCLA stormed back from a 13-point second-half deficit to defeat top-seeded USC.

The victory earned the Bruins their first conference tournament title since 2006 and punctuated one of the most impressive regular seasons in program history.

Close was also named USBWA Coach of the Year on March 20. As the Bruins prepare for the Final Four, Close’s commitment to both competitive excellence and personal development continues to define the program.

Her message is simple. Wins are meaningful, but helping young women grow into leaders is what matters most. And in 2025, she is doing both at the highest level.

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This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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