The UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team has received several postseason awards from the Big Ten Conference, as announced on Tuesday. The No. 2-ranked Bruins completed their regular season with a 28-1 overall record and went undefeated in conference play at 18-0.
Senior center Lauren Betts was named both Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season. She leads her team in points, rebounds, and blocks per game, and also averages over three assists per contest. Betts is the first player in Big Ten history to earn both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same season. She was also selected for the All-Big Ten First Team and All-Defensive Team.
Graduate student Angela Dugalić was recognized as Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year. Dugalić is notable for being one of few non-starters nationally to average at least nine points, five rebounds, and one steal per game while maintaining strong shooting percentages from both field goal and three-point range.
Head coach Cori Close received Coach of the Year honors after guiding UCLA through an unbeaten conference schedule. This achievement makes UCLA only the fourth program in Big Ten history to finish a season without a conference loss, joining Maryland (2015), Purdue (1999), and Ohio State (1985). Close previously won Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2019 and collected national coaching awards last year.
Senior point guard Kiki Rice earned unanimous selection to both coaches’ and media’s All-Big Ten First Team lists. Rice also made her first appearance on the All-Defensive Team this year. She has been named to an all-conference team every year since her freshman season.
Other honorees include senior Gabriela Jaquez, who was chosen for Second Team All-Big Ten by both coaches and media panels. Jaquez ranks among a select group nationwide who average over 14 points with high shooting efficiency from both inside and beyond the arc during her senior campaign.
Graduate guard Gianna Kneepkens joined Jaquez on Second Team via media selection; she also received honorable mention from coaches. Kneepkens is part of an exclusive group known as the “50/40/90 club” due to her shooting percentages—over 50 percent from field goals, over 40 percent from three-point range, and over 90 percent from free throws—with especially low turnovers compared to peers.
Freshman Sienna Betts was recognized on both coaches’ and media’s All-Freshman Teams after averaging nearly seven points per game with efficient shooting during limited minutes.
Graduate guard Charlisse Leger-Walker was named UCLA’s Sportsmanship Honoree for women’s basketball this season.
A full list of awardees can be found through official channels detailing all Big Ten Women’s Basketball teams and individual recognitions.
