UCLA Bruins women's basketball
Encyclopedia
The UCLA Bruins
women's basketball
program was established in 1974. The Current coach is Cori Close The team was a member of the AIAW until joining the NCAA in 1984. The UCLA Bruins women's basketball team won the AIAW championship in 1978, and a banner commomorating the championship hangs in Pauley Pavilion
, the current home of the Bruins basketball teams.
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UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
women's basketball
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
program was established in 1974. The Current coach is Cori Close The team was a member of the AIAW until joining the NCAA in 1984. The UCLA Bruins women's basketball team won the AIAW championship in 1978, and a banner commomorating the championship hangs in Pauley Pavilion
Pauley Pavilion
Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
, the current home of the Bruins basketball teams.
Current players (2010-11 season)
| No. | Name | Ht. | Position | Yr | Hometown | Last School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nina Earl | 6-1 | Forward | JR | Pomona, CA | Diamond Ranch HS |
| 2 | Jackie Shepard | 5-10 | Guard | FR | Palo Alto, CA | Menlo School |
| 3 | Darxia Morris | 5-8 | Guard | JR | Pasadena, CA | Muir HS |
| 4 | Christina Nzekwe | 6-4 | Forward | JR | Seattle, WA | Chief Sealth HS |
| 5 | Mariah Williams | 5-3 | Guard | FR | Aurora, CO | Regis Jesuit HS |
| 11 | Atonye Nyingifa | 5-11 | Guard/Forward | SO | Torrance, CA | Redondo Union HS |
| 13 | Erica Tukiainen | 6-0 | Guard | SR | Los Angeles, CA | Windward HS |
| 21 | Doreena Campbell | 5-10 | Guard | JR | Alexandria, VA | Thomas A. Edison HS |
| 23 | Markel Walker | 6-1 | Forward | FR | Philadelphia, PA | Schenley HS |
| 33 | Jasmine Dixon | 5-11 | Forward | SO | Long Beach, CA | Rutgers |
| 35 | Rebekah Gardner | 6-0 | Guard | SO | Upland, CA | Ayala HS |
2011–12 season
While Pauley Pavilion is being renovated, the women's basketball team will play its 2011-12 season home games at the John Wooden Center.- April 21, 2011 – Cori Close was named head coach.
2010–11 season
- November 12, 2010 – The No. 16 Bruins opened the season with a win over San Diego State 55–48.
- November 18, 2010 – UCLA upset No. 12 Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting IrishNotre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
in double overtime, 86–83 at Notre Dame to begin the season with a 3-0 record. - February 6, 2011 – UCLA defeated USC for the second time this season at Galen CenterGalen CenterThe Galen Center is a multipurpose indoor arena and athletic facility owned and operated by the University of Southern California. Located at the southeast corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Figueroa Street in the Exposition Park area of Los Angeles, it is right across the street from the campus and...
. - March 12, 2011 – The Bruins were defeated by Stanford in the 2011 Pac-10 Women's Basketball Tournament Final in the Staples CenterStaples CenterStaples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
. - March 25, 2011 – Mariah Williams, Rebekah Gardner and Markel Walker were named to the 2011 Pac-10 Conference Women's Basketball All-Academic Team.
1978 season
The 1978 team led by Ann Meyers, Denise Curry and Anita Ortega won the AIAW National Championship under head coach Billie MooreBillie Moore
Billie J. Moore is an American basketball coach. She was the first coach in women's basketball history to lead teams from two different schools to national championships...
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Head coaches
- Cori Close
- Nikki CaldwellNikki CaldwellNikki Caldwell is an American women's basketball coach, who was the head coach for UCLA Bruins women's basketball at the University of California, Los Angeles and is currently head coach for the Lady Tigers at Louisiana State University.-Early life:Caldwell is a native of Oak Ridge, Tennessee,...
- Kathy Olivier
- Billie Moore
- Ellen Mosher
- Kenny WashingtonKenny Washington (basketball)Kenneth Washington is a retired American basketball player and coach. As a player, he was a two-time NCAA champion at UCLA and represented the United States in the 1970 FIBA World Championship. He was also the first head coach in UCLA women's basketball history.Washington, a 6'3 guard out of...
Notable players
- Nikki BlueNikki BlueAnitra Necole Blue better known as Nikki Blue is a professional basketball player with the New York Liberty of the WNBA and an assistant coach at UNLV.-High school:...
, New York LibertyNew York LibertyThe New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league... - Denise CurryDenise CurryDenise Curry is an American former basketball player and college and professional basketball coach. As of the 2007-2008 season, she is in her fifth year as an assistant basketball coach for the Cal State Long Beach women's basketball team.-College basketball:Curry moved to Davis, California by the...
- Michelle Greco
- Jackie Joyner-KerseeJackie Joyner-KerseeJacqueline "Jackie" Joyner-Kersee is a retired American athlete, ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women's heptathlon as well as in the women's long jump. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals, in those four different events...
- Maylana MartinMaylana MartinMaylana Lynn Martin is an American former professional women's basketball player and currently a collegiate coach.Although born in Hawaii, she grew up in Southern California...
- Ann MeyersAnn MeyersAnn Meyers Drysdale is a retired American basketball player and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.Meyers was the first player to be part of the U.S. national team while still in high school...
, Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... - Teiko NishiTeiko NishiTeiko Nishi is an American former women's basketball player. She played for the UCLA Bruins each year from 1985 until 1988. In 1987, Nishi, from North Torrance, California, was the only Asian American woman playing Division I basketball in southern California....
- Anita OrtegaAnita OrtegaAnita Ortega is an Afro-Puerto Rican that was a collegiate basketball player at UCLA. She was an All-American. The team went on to defeat the University of Maryland, College Park in 1978 to take the Division I collegiate title . In 1979, she played in the 1979 Pan American Games, representing...
- Rehema Stephens
- Noelle QuinnNoelle QuinnNoelle Quinn is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA, currently playing for the Los Angeles Sparks.-High school:...
, Los Angeles SparksLos Angeles SparksThe Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began... - Sandra Van Embricqs
- Natalie WilliamsNatalie WilliamsNatalie Williams was a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, Indiana FeverIndiana FeverThe Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began... - Lisa WillisLisa WillisLisa Willis is a professional basketball player in the WNBA, most recently playing for the Los Angeles Sparks.Willis attended college at UCLA and graduated in 2006. Following her collegiate career, she was selected 5th overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks...
, Los Angeles Sparks