UCLA Bruins are healthy again

Cori Close begins her second year at UCLA. It’s the long time assistant coach’s first Head Coaching job. Close was the Florida Assistant Head Coach for 7 seasons but is from the west coach and coached at UCLA in the 90’s. Until this past injury riddled season Close had been to the NCAAs 15 straight seasons. Last year UCLA was 14-16 overall and 9-9 in Pac 12 play.

Shannon Perry is back for her 2nd year. Her most recent position before UCLA was an assistant at Duke for 5 seasons. Tony Newnan is also back for his 2nd season. His background includes coaching stints at UCSB, Oregon State and for 8 seasons prior to UCLA, Westmont College of Santa Barbara. Jenny Huth is back for her 2nd season. Her prior experience includes being a graduate assistant with Close at Florida State.


THE SCHEDULE: San Diego State, Oklahoma, Norte Dame, Texas and maybe St John’s highlight their very good pre season schedule. This will be challenging. For Pac 12 play UCLA doesn’t travel to Colorado or Utah, nor do they host the Oregon schools.


LOSSES: Rebekah Gardner was the leading scorer last season and graduated. Gardner averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds per game. She also made 30 threes, not a big number but 2nd on the team.

Moriah Faulk averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds in 16 minutes per game as a Frosh. She transferred to another school.


RETURNEES: Markel Walker is a 6-1 Sr Forward and the 2nd leading scorer for the Bruins last season at 15 points and the leading rebounder at an outstanding 11 per game. One of the Pac 12’s elite players.

Atonye Nyingifa is a 5-11 redshirt Jr who played only 9 games last season but she averaged 15 points and 9 rebounds in those games. She missed her true Soph season with an injury, played as a true Jr all games then just 9 last year in her true Sr season. So she is in her 5th season and could play one more year after this season.

Corinne Costa is a 6-4 Jr Post who averaged 4 points and 4 rebounds in 21 minutes per game.

Thea Lemberger is a 5-7 Jr and the returning Point Guard. Last season Thea averaged 12 points per game and led the team, although just slightly, in assists. She also led the team in threes, but only 40 and at 30%.

Mariah Williams is a 5-4 Sr Point Guard who averaged 5 points per game both splitting time with Lemberger and playing the Point when Lemberger moved to the 2.

Rhema Gardner is a 6-1 Soph Wing who averaged 26 minutes per game as a Frosh and had 4 points and 5 rebounds per game.


NEWCOMERS: The most important newcomers are two players who were on the Bruin roster last season but couldn’t play. 6-0 Sr Forward Jasmine Dixon missed the season with an injury and 6-3 Post Alyssia Brewer sat out after transferring from Tennessee.

Dixon has been All Pac 10 in both her UCLA years. She spent her Frosh season at Rutgers. In her two years Dixon has averaged just shy 14 points and 8 rebounds per game. She is a tremendous inside player and rebounder.

Brewer played three seasons at Tennessee where she averaged 7 points and 5 rebounds per game. Brewer was a High School All American.

Nirra Fields is a 5-9 Frosh Guard who may well start but even if not with 4 Srs who probably start, Fields will see a lot of playing time. She was ranked # 11 overall and a McDonalds All American. Fields is Canadian who played on both their National 17U and 19U teams and scored 17 points in a game against the American 17U team. She is the Laker Coach’s legal guardian, after going the 3 High Schools in 3 years. Last year was with the awesome Mater Dei of Southern California team. (This is the new High School of the Samuelson sisters). Fields is a game changer.

Kari Korver is a 5-9 Frosh Guard, ranked # 98. A great three point shooter, scoring 25 points a game in High School. Kari hit 5 or more threes in 13 High School games as a JR with a high of 11.

Lauren Holliday is a 5-8 Frosh Guard, ranked # 32 by one service and # 65 by another. . Very quick and a very tough defensive played who scored 23 points a game as a Jr.

Alexis Perry is a 5-5 Soph Guard who did not play last season. She is from Jeanette Pohlen’s High School.


OUTLOOK: UCLA only made 107 threes at 29% last season and that needs to be improved upon especially as the Bruins will be very strong inside. With Dixon, Walker, Nyingifa and Brewer the Bruins will be very strong inside and have the potential, with health, to be a top 10 team.