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What's next for UCLA? Meet top recruits, returning players after national championship triumph originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A championship banner will be billowing in Pauley Pavilion come the start of the 2026-27 season. This one belongs to the women; Cori Close's side finally scaled the mountaintop, downing South Carolina in historic fashion to hoist its first-ever national title.
A target will be placed firmly on the Bruins' back come the start of the 2026-27 season. This year's iteration of UCLA teemed with experience, with seniors accounting for each of the Bruins' last 173 points in the tournament. Close's side featured six seniors: Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Angela Dugali. All six are slated to leave Los Angeles' shores in 2026-27, setting the stage for plenty of upheaval.
So, just what's on deck for the Bruins in 2026-26 and beyond? Which players could take the mantle from Betts, Jaquez and Co. in the coming few seasons? Here's what you need to know.
MORE: How UCLA shut down South Carolina to win national championship game
What's next for UCLA?
The Bruins roster will look a lot different in 2026-27, with Betts, Rice, Jaquez, Kneepkens, Leger-Walker and Angela Dugali all slated to take their talents to the professional ranks in 2026. Here's a look at who Cori Close has enlisted to succeed her standout seniors in 2026-27 and beyond:
Somto Okafor
The Bruins have been mum on the recruiting trail in recent months. They were dealt a cruel blow in January, seeing Joyce Isi Etute -- a 6-2 forward from Luxembourg who landed five-star billing on 247 Sports' composite scale -- de-committed from UCLA to join Texas.
Close did land the signature of another highly-touted international talent, however. The Bruins landed 5-9 guard Somto Okafor, a former Arizona commit who ripped up her verbal agreement following coach Adia Barnes' move to SMU.
Okafor averaged 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists for Spain during the U19 World Cup, emerging as one the Spaniards most consistent offensive threats. She drew interest from a number of the country's highest-profile programs, including South Carolina, per 247 Sports.
MORE: Meet Gabriela Jaquez, Jaime's sister who led UCLA to first national championship
Who is returning for UCLA in 2026-27?
The Bruins have precious few contributors returning to action in 2026-27. Sienna Betts is the only regular slated to be back next campaign. The forward averaged 14.4 minutes as a freshman, tallying 6.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. A former five-star prospect out of Grandview, Sienna Betts will look to assert herself as UCLA's No. 1.
Outside of Betts, the Bruins' roster is presently lacking in firepower. Lena Bilic played sparingly as a freshman but was renowned as Europe's top guard in last year's class, while Amanda Muse and Christina Karamouzi will look to carve a spot in Close's rotation in future months.
Close will likely have to look towards the transfer portal to round out UCLA's roster. But the Bruins found success doing so in recent campaigns, landing Leger-Walker and Kneepkens in successive windows.
With that, here's a look at the players returning to Pauley Pavilion in 2026-27:
- Sienna Betts, F (6.2 points per game, 4.0 rebounds per game, 1.1 assists per game)
- Lena Bilic, G (3.2 points per game, 1.5 rebounds per game, 0.6 assists per game)
- Amanda Muse, F (1.3 points per games, 1.7 rebounds per game, 0.6 assists per game)
- Christina Karamouzi, G (0.5 points per game, 0.3 rebounds per game, 0.1 assists per game)
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