LOS ANGELES — Cori Close, head coach of UCLA’s women’s basketball team, has been rewarded with a four-year contract extension following the Bruins’ historic national championship victory.
The university announced the deal on Tuesday, which will keep Close at the helm through the 2029–30 season.
“Winning a national championship is a tremendous achievement,” athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement. “But what truly stands out with Cori is the character, leadership and daily commitment she and her staff bring to developing student-athletes into the best versions of themselves.”
The Bruins dominated South Carolina 79–51 last month to claim the program’s first NCAA title. Along the way, they posted a school-record 31-game winning streak, secured UCLA’s first undefeated regular-season Big Ten championship, and captured their second consecutive league tournament crown. The previous season, UCLA reached the Final Four for the first time in program history.
Close, 54, owns a 358–144 record over 15 seasons, making her the only coach in Bruins history to surpass 300 wins.
“I love being here in Westwood, and I am so excited for what the future holds,” Close said in a statement.
The Bruins also set a program milestone last month when six players were selected in the WNBA draft, the most ever from a single school in a single draft.