Pac 12 Preview: UCLA

Last Season:
The Bruins were 13-18 overall and 7-11 in Pac 12 play during a terribly sad injury ridden year. Average attendance was 2,119.

The Coaching Staff:
Cori Close is in her 4th season as Head Coach and enjoyed her 2nd year going 26-8. Close was the lead assistant at Florida State for 7 seasons and went to HS in Milpitas.

Jenny Huth is in her 4th season at UCLA. She was all Big 12 threes seasons while playing at Colorado.

Tony Newman is in his 4th season at UCLA, after 8 years at Westmont.

Shannon Perry is also in her 4th season at UCLA. Perry was at Duke for 5 years and at USC before that.




Losses:
Atonye Nyingifa averaged 18 points and 9 rebounds per game leading the team in both categories. A major loss.

Thea Lemberger averaged 15 points and 4 assists per game at the Point. Led the team in assists and 3rd in scoring. Also Thea hit 49 threes, 2nd on the team by one.

Lauren Holiday was a starter at the start of the season but could only play 9 games and has now retired due to injuries. She averaged 4 points per game

Rhema Gardner played 14 minutes per game and has also retired due to injuries.



The Schedule:
UCLA plays North Carolina, Texas. Nebraska, Miami of Florida, UConn and Notre Dame. A killer schedule. They play the Arizona and Washington schools once each, with the Washington games on the road.




Additions:
Wow, 10 additions with 5 new frosh, 3 back from injuries, a good walk on and at some point 6-9 Savanna Trapp may return.
The three who missed last year with injuries should all play quite a bit.

Kari Korver is a 5-9 Redshirt Soph who as a Frosh she had a game high of 17 points and hit 38 threes at 35%. Kari tore her right ACL last year and her left as a HS SR. As a HS Jr she averaged 25 points per game. Cousin Kyle is a great NBA three point shooter.

Kacey Swain is a 6-3 Redshirt Jr Forward. As a Soph Swain averaged 11 minutes, 3 points and 3 rebounds. She was ranked # 25 overall out of HS.

Paulina Hesler is a 6-3 redshirt Frosh Forward. Hesler is from Sweden and on their 18U team in the European Championship Tournament averaged 21 points per game.

Chrissy Baird is a 6-1 Frosh Guard/Forward and a walk on. Baird averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds as a HS Sr.

6-9 Redshirt Frosh Center Savanna Trapp is on a leave this quarter for personal reasons. Plus she is getting married.

Now on to the # 1 recruiting class in the country:
Jordin Canada is a 5-6 Frosh Guard.
Recee Caldwell is a 5-8 Frosh Guard
Lajahna Drummer is a 6-1 Frosh Forward
Kelli Hayes is a 6-0 Frosh Wing
Monique Billings is a 6-4 Frosh Forward/Center



The Team:
Nirra Fields is 5-9 Jr Guard who was 2nd in scoring last season, 17 points per game, plus she averaged 6 rebounds per game. She will be outstanding this season.

Corinne Costa is a 6-4 Sr Center presently recovering from an injury. Last season Costa averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds per game.

Luiana Livulo is a 6-3 Sr Center who averaged 4 points and 5 rebounds per game.

Hard to tell who starts with Fields, but almost certainly it will be four players who didn’t play last season.




Predictions:
Very young but so talented. Four very good teams ahead of them at this point.


2015 Recruiting:
Kennedy Burke, 6-2 Wing CA # 32 overall, ESPN # 29, Blue Star # 58

Ashley Hearn 6-4 Post , CA. # 24 on PN # 11 ASGR, # 13 ESPN, Blue Star # 22