Photo by: Caren Nicdao
Cori Close Tabbed USBWA Coach of the Year
March 20, 2025 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES โ The Michael Price Family UCLA Women's Head Basketball Coach Cori Close has been named Coach of the Year, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) announced Thursday.
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Close has led the Bruins to a 30-2 record heading into the NCAA tournament, setting a new program best in wins and achieving the 30-win mark for the first time in school history. The Bruins racked up 23-consecutive wins to start the season, including a 22-game win streak by double digits. Both streaks set new school records. Close became the first women's basketball coach to reach 300 wins at UCLA earlier this season; she boasts 316 career wins at the helm for the Bruins.
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The Bruins sat atop the Associated Press Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll for 12-consecutive weeks during the regular season, setting a record for the Big Ten in UCLA's inaugural season in the conference.ย The Bruins reclaimed the No. 1 spot for the final two weeks of the season, totaling 14 weeks in the top spot of the AP poll.
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UCLA captured the Big Ten tournament championship โ its first conference tournament title since 2006 โ as the Bruins overcame a 13-point second-half deficit to take down rival USC on March 9. Close claimed her first conference championship as head of the Bruin program.
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Close joins the late Billie Moore as the only UCLA head coaches to earn a national coach of the year award; Moore received the honor in 1978, the year the Bruins took home the AIAW national championship.
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Close has led the Bruins to a 30-2 record heading into the NCAA tournament, setting a new program best in wins and achieving the 30-win mark for the first time in school history. The Bruins racked up 23-consecutive wins to start the season, including a 22-game win streak by double digits. Both streaks set new school records. Close became the first women's basketball coach to reach 300 wins at UCLA earlier this season; she boasts 316 career wins at the helm for the Bruins.
ย
The Bruins sat atop the Associated Press Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll for 12-consecutive weeks during the regular season, setting a record for the Big Ten in UCLA's inaugural season in the conference.ย The Bruins reclaimed the No. 1 spot for the final two weeks of the season, totaling 14 weeks in the top spot of the AP poll.
ย
UCLA captured the Big Ten tournament championship โ its first conference tournament title since 2006 โ as the Bruins overcame a 13-point second-half deficit to take down rival USC on March 9. Close claimed her first conference championship as head of the Bruin program.
ย
Close joins the late Billie Moore as the only UCLA head coaches to earn a national coach of the year award; Moore received the honor in 1978, the year the Bruins took home the AIAW national championship.
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