Two UCLA Stars Earn Unanimous Preseason Recognition

The 2025-26 UCLA women's basketball team is one of the most anticipated teams in recent program history.

Coming off a Final Four run cut short by the eventual national champion UConn Huskies, the Bruins reloaded and have national championship aspirations.

With media day just around the corner, preseason polls and voting are commencing, and UCLA was well-represented in Big Ten Conference preseason polls.

Star seniors Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice were unanimously named to the 2025-26 Coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Team. The full team is below:

• Lauren Betts, Sr., C, UCLA
• Kiki Rice, Sr., G, UCLA
• Hannah Stuelke, Sr., F, Iowa
• Yarden Garzon, Sr., G, Maryland
• Kaylene Smikle, Sr., G, Maryland
• Olivia Olson, So., G, Michigan
• Syla Swords, So., G, Michigan
• Grace VanSlooten, Sr., F, Michigan State
• Jaloni Cambridge, So., G, Ohio State
• Sayvia Sellers, Jr., G, Washington

Betts and Rice also made the 2025-26 Media Preseason All-Big Ten Team. Betts was the only unanimous player voted by the media. UCLA Athletics detailed Betts and Rice's previous seasons in a statement released announcing the Big Ten teams.

On Betts:

"Betts, coming off a unanimous Defensive Player of the Year campaign in the conference, has also been selected as the unanimous Preseason Player of the Year by Big Ten ahead of her senior year. In 2024-25, she became the first Bruin with 600+ points, 300+ rebounds, 100+ blocks in a season.  The center also set a new single-season blocks record with her 100 rejections this year and captured the UCLA single-game blocks record with nine against No. 25 Baylor at the Coretta Scott King Classic. The team's leading scorer (20.2 PPG) had a career-high 33 points at No. 8 Maryland in late January, one of four games in which she scored 30+ points."