Cori Close Wins 2025 Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year Award

For the first time in her stellar 14-year tenure at UCLA, Cori Close has been named the Naismith College Coach of the Year winner.

The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Close has been bestowed the honor for a superb 2024-25 season with the Bruins.

"I'm not at a loss for words often, but I am about the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year award," Close said in a statement. "I'm humbled and grateful. It's most meaningful because it gives me a chance to thank each player, staff member, role model and mentor. May our work in the win and loss column always pale in comparison to the work we do to help teach, mentor and equip for life beyond the hardwood."

Close beat out fellow finalists Mark Campbell of TCU, Lindsay Gottlieb of USC and defending three-time winner Dawn Staley of South Carolina for the award.

Originally hired by the Bruins in April 2011, Close had the difficult task of replacing Nikki Fargas. At the time of Fargas' departure for LSU, she was coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 25 wins.

After a difficult first season that saw UCLA finish 14-16, Close found her groove and has been building the program into one of the best in the nation. This season has been her masterpiece with 34 wins and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.

The Bruins won their first conference tournament title this season since 2005-06. They will play in the Final Four for the first time in program history when they take on Connecticut on Friday.

Close is just the second UCLA coach to win the Naismith College Coach of the Year award since it was introduced in 1987. Jim Harrick previously won it for the men's team during the 1994-95 season when the Bruins went on to win a national title.