A title is a prelude to roster rebuilding for UCLA women’s basketball

Los Angeles – While confetti still clung to the Pauley Pavilion floor, UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close was already calculating how to keep the Bruins on top. Moments after cutting down the nets for the program’s first NCAA championship Sunday, Close turned to her mother and joked, “The transfer portal just got easier.”

The quip carried real weight. By the time the portal opened Monday morning, Close knew she would need at least five incoming transfers to replace the production walking out the door. Six Bruins—Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens, Angela Dugalic and Charlisse Leger-Walker—have declared for the WNBA Draft after combining for 75.7 points, 32.9 rebounds and 20.3 assists per game. Those figures account for 90.2 % of UCLA’s scoring, 77.6 % of its rebounding and 92.7 % of its assists during the title run.

Returning talent exists, but it is young and unproven. Forward Timea Gardiner, a former McDonald’s All-American who redshirted this season while recovering from knee surgery, averaged 7.6 points and shot 39.5 % from deep during the Bruins’ 2023 Final Four push. Forward Sienna Betts, another McDonald’s All-American who returned in December from a lower left leg injury, is expected to claim a starting spot next winter. Guard-forward Lena Bilic earned Close’s trust in the 79-51 championship rout of South Carolina, while post Amanda Muse and guard Christina Karamouzi Siegel flashed upside in late-season minutes.

Close praised the group’s approach during a month in which they balanced scout-team duties with individual development. “They’ve been methodical about going, what does it look like for me to add value to the team today, and how can it help grow me for my future?” she said. “That growth mindset will pay dividends.”

The Bruins also add Somto Okafor, a 5-9 point guard from Barcelona who de-committed from Arizona after a coaching change and held an offer from South Carolina. Even with Okafor in the fold, at least four more scholarships remain open before the transfer portal closes on April 20.

Balancing recruiting with celebration will be the next test. The team will be feted Wednesday evening inside Pauley Pavilion in a free-admission event for fans who RSVP. After that, Close and her staff will return to phones and film, searching for pieces capable of defending a banner that, for now, hangs only in theory.