CANADA NAMED TO NAISMITH WATCH LIST
UCLA sophomore point guard Jordin Canada is one of eight sophomores and one of eight Pac-12 players to be named to the Naismith Trophy's Early Season Watch List by the Atlanta Tipoff Club (announced Dec. 10). The watch list includes 50 of the top women's collegiate basketball players who will be in the conversation for the prestigious honor. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the Naismith Trophy recognizes the top Men's and Women's College Basketball Players of the Year. Canada is currently leading UCLA in scoring at 19.2 points per game, which ranks sixth in the Pac-12 and 39th in the country. She also paces the Bruins in assists at 6.0 apg, which ranks third in the league and 24th nationally.
BATTLE-TESTED BRUINS
In addition to the four starters, UCLA also returns three players that all averaged double-digit minutes last year. All three Bruins are part of the top-rated recruiting class from 2014 and include sophomore forward Monique Billings (5.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.4 bpg), sophomore forward Lajahna Drummer (5.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.6 spg) and sophomore guard Kelli Hayes (2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 0.5 apg). Three other battled-tested Bruins that return for the season are junior guard Dominique Williams (0.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.6 apg), sophomore forward Paulina Hersler (1.7 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 0.1 apg) and sophomore guard Chrissy Baird (0.4 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 0.1 bpg).
COACH CLOSE
Head Coach Cori Close is in her fifth year with the Bruins after guiding UCLA to the WNIT title last season with a 62-60 win at West Virginia (Charleston, W.Va.). She sports an overall record of 76-62 (.551).
WELCOME TO WESTWOOD
The UCLA women's basketball team entered the 2015-16 season with another top 10 recruiting class on campus. The reigning WNIT champions have added guard Kennedy Burke (Northridge, Calif./Sierra Canyon HS) and forward Ashley Hearn (Rowlett, Texas/Sachse HS). Both players were ranked in the top 40 in the overall recruiting rankings and in the top five at their respective positions. The Bruins also welcomed in Oklahoma transfer Nicole Kornet. The senior guard will redshirt the 2015-16 season but will be invaluable during practices, going against the eight players on UCLA's roster that are listed as either a freshman or a sophomore this year.
BOMBS AWAY
The Bruins have two three-point shooting contest winners on the roster this year as freshman guard Kennedy Burke won the 2015 high school three-point shooting contest, a competition won by junior guard Kari Korver in 2012. Right now, the pair have combined to make 19 of the team's 28 three-pointers (Korver has made 13, Burke has made six).
BIG MACS ON CAMPUS
UCLA's roster will also feature a school-record-tying four McDonald's All-Americans in 2015-16 as freshman forward Ashley Hearn joins sophomores Jordin Canada and Lajahna Drummer as well as senior guard Nirra Fields.
FIELDS CLIMBING CAREER CHARTS
Senior guard Nirra Fields ranks No. 15 on UCLA's career scoring list with 1,431 points. She needs 106 to pass Necie Thompson (1,536 - 1981-83) for 14th. She is 10th in 20-point scoring games (27) and needs four more to pass Nikki Blue (30 - 2003-06). She is 7th in three-point field goals made (111) and 3rd in attempts (375).
KORVER ALSO ON CAREER CHARTS
Junior guard Kari Korver is currently at No. 1 on UCLA's career free throw percentage list at 84.4 percent (108-for-128). She also ranks in the top 10 in all three categories for three-point shooting, ranking No. 4 in three-point percentage (.388), at No. 3 in makes (125) and at No. 6 in attempts (322).
PRESEASON PROJECTIONS
UCLA was picked to finish fourth in the Pac-12 in 2015-16 in a vote by the league's coaches. For the first time in the history of the poll, Oregon State was selected to win the Pac-12 title. The Beavers received the maximum first place votes with 11 and 121 total points. Stafnord, which had been voted to win the Conference 15-consecutive years prior to this year, collected 104 points for second in the polling, followed by Arizona State, which placed third with 102 points and one first-place vote. Tied for fourth with California, the Bruins and the Golden Bears had 88 points. Washington rounded out the top half of the league, coming in sixth with 68 points. The Bruins were also picked to finish fifth by the Pac-12 media.
BRUINS IN THE POLLS
UCLA is currently ranked 20th in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll with 121 points. The Bruins also received 39 points for 28th in the USA TODAY Sports Top 25 women's basketball coaches poll. UCLA has received votes in both polls every week in 2015-16. Several 2015-16 opponents are also ranked or receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll as South Carolina is at No. 2 and Notre Dame is at No. 3. Oregon State is ranked No. 7 while Stanford, Arizona State and California are right behind at 14th, 22nd, and 24th, respectively. UCLA's season-opening opponent, St. John's, received 58 points (No. 27) in this week's poll. USC (26 points) and Oregon (one point) also received votes in this week's AP poll while Washington received four votes in the USA TODAY Poll.
