Cori Close
{{Short description|American basketball coach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Cori Close
| image = Cori Close.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Close in 2014
| current_title = Head coach
| current_team = UCLA
| current_conference = Big Ten
| current_record = {{Winning percentage|321|143|record=y}}
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|7|29}}
| birth_place = Milpitas, California
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1989–1993
| player_team1 = UC Santa Barbara
| player_positions = Guard
| coach_years1 = 1993–1995
| coach_team1 = UCLA (Asst.)
| coach_years2 = 1995–2004
| coach_team2 = UC Santa Barbara (Asst./Assoc.)
| coach_years3 = 2004–2011
| coach_team3 = Florida State (Assoc.)
| coach_years4 = 2011–present
| coach_team4 = UCLA
| overall_record = {{Winning percentage|321|143|record=y}}
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships =
| awards =
| coaching_records =
}}
Cori Rashel Close (born July 29, 1971) is an American college basketball coach who has served as the head women's basketball coach for the UCLA Bruins since 2011.{{Cite web|last=|date=2011-04-21|title=Cori Close is introduced as UCLA women's basketball coach|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2011-apr-21-la-sp-ucla-basketball-20110422-14-story.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-29|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602212458/https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2011-apr-21-la-sp-ucla-basketball-20110422-14-story.html |archive-date=2021-06-02 }} Before UCLA, she spent time as an assistant coach at Florida State University and her alma mater, UC Santa Barbara. She was a star player for the UCSB Gauchos, serving as a team captain during the 1992 and 1993 seasons while leading them to the NCAA tournament both years.{{cite web |url=http://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30500&ATCLID=207913763 |title=Cori Close Biography - UCLA Bruins Official Athletic Site | UCLABruins.com |accessdate=2014-10-03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131108064651/http://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30500&ATCLID=207913763 |archivedate=2013-11-08 }}
College statistics
Source{{Cite web|url=http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careerplayer|title=NCAA Statistics|website=web1.ncaa.org|access-date=2021-06-25}}{{Cite web|title=FINAL 1990 DIVISION I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTICS REPORT|url=https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1990_104_University%20of%20California,%20Santa%20Barbara.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=25 June 2021|website=NCAA.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625205143/https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1990_104_University%20of%20California,%20Santa%20Barbara.pdf |archive-date=2021-06-25 }}{{Cite web|title=FINAL 1991 DIVISION I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTICSREPORT|url=https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1991_104_University%20of%20California,%20Santa%20Barbara.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=25 June 2021|website=NCAA.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625205424/https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1991_104_University%20of%20California,%20Santa%20Barbara.pdf |archive-date=2021-06-25 }}{{Cite web|title=FINAL 1992 DIVISION I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTICS REPORT|url=https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1992_104_University%20of%20California,%20Santa%20Barbara.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=25 June 2021|website=NCAA.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625205424/https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1992_104_University%20of%20California,%20Santa%20Barbara.pdf |archive-date=2021-06-25 }}{{Cite web|title=FINAL 1993 DIVISION I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTICS REPORT|url=https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1993_104_University%20of%20California,%20Santa%20Barbara.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=25 June 2021|website=NCAA.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625205431/https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/WBB1/Women's%20Basketball_Women's_Division%20I_1993_104_University%20of%20California,%20Santa%20Barbara.pdf |archive-date=2021-06-25 }}{{
Switcher
| {{wikitable| class="wikitable"
|+{{{caption|Ratios}}}
!YEAR
!Team
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|GP|Games played}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|FG%|Field goal percentage}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|3P%|3-point field-goal percentage}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|FT%|Free-throw percentage}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|RPG|Rebounds per game}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|APG|Assists per game}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|BPG|Blocks per game}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|SPG|Steals per game}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|PPG|Points per game}}
|-
|1989-90
|UC Santa Barbara
|13
|43.2%
|27.3%
|65.2%
|2.85
|2.69
|0.00
|2.08
|6.31
|-
|1990-91
|UC Santa Barbara
|29
|41.3%
|30.8%
|75.9%
|2.62
|4.28
|0.03
|1.90
|8.97
|-
|1991-92
|UC Santa Barbara
|32
|48.8%
|31.9%
|77.5%
|2.28
|5.84
|0.06
|1.88
|12.69
|-
|1992-93
|UC Santa Barbara
|31
|43.4%
|36.8%
|79.8%
|0.52
|8.29
|0.06
|2.52
|15.35
|-
|Career
|
|105
|44.6%
|33.8%
|77.2%
|1.92
|5.74
|0.05
|2.10
|11.66
}}
| Ratios
| {{wikitable| class="wikitable"
|+{{{caption|Totals}}}
!YEAR
!Team
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|GP|Games played}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|FG|Field goals made}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|FGA|Field goal attempts}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|3P|3-point field-goals made}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|3PA|3-point field-goal attempts}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|FT|Free-throws made}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|FTA|Free-throws attempted}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|REB|Total rebounds}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|A|Assists}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|BK|Blocks}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|ST|Steals}}
! scope{{=}}"col"|{{abbr|PTS|Points}}
|-
|1989-90
|UC Santa Barbara
|13
|32
|74
|3
|11
|15
|23
|37
|35
|0
|27
|82
|-
|1990-91
|UC Santa Barbara
|29
|93
|225
|8
|26
|66
|87
|76
|124
|1
|55
|260
|-
|1991-92
|UC Santa Barbara
|32
|145
|297
|23
|72
|93
|120
|73
|187
|2
|60
|406
|-
|1992-93
|UC Santa Barbara
|31
|169
|389
|35
|95
|103
|129
|16
|257
|2
|78
|476
|-
|Career
|
|105
|439
|985
|69
|204
|277
|359
|202
|603
|5
|220
|1224
}}
| Totals
}}
Head coaching record
{{CBB Yearly Record Start
|type=coach
|conference=
|postseason=
|poll=no}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=UCLA
|startyear=2011
|conference=Pac-12 Conference
|endyear=2024
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2011–12
| name = UCLA
| overall = 14–16
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2012–13
| name = UCLA
| overall = 26–8
| conference = 14–4
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2013–14
| name = UCLA
| overall = 13–18
| conference = 7–11
| confstanding = 8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = postseason
| season = 2014–15
| name = UCLA
| overall = 19–18
| conference = 8–10
| confstanding = 6th
| postseason = WNIT Champions
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = =
| season = 2015–16
| name = UCLA
| overall = 26–9
| conference = 14–4
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = =
| season = 2016–17
| name = UCLA
| overall = 25–9
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = =
| season = 2017–18
| name = UCLA
| overall = 27–8
| conference = 14–4
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason = NCAA Elite Eight
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = =
| season = 2018–19
| name = UCLA
| overall = 22–13
| conference = 12–6
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = =
| season = 2019–20
| name = UCLA
| overall = 26–5
| conference = 14–4
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason = Postseason not held
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = =
| season = 2020–21
| name = UCLA
| overall = 17–6
| conference = 12–4
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = =
| season = 2021–22
| name = UCLA
| overall = 18–13
| conference = 8–8
| confstanding = 7th
| postseason = WNIT Semifinals
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = =
| season = 2022–23
| name = UCLA
| overall = 27–10
| conference = 11–7
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = =
| season = 2023–24
| name = UCLA
| overall = 27–7
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=UCLA
|startyear=2024
|conference=Big Ten Conference
|endyear=
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 2024–25
| name = UCLA
| overall = 34–3
| conference = 16–2
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Final Four
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = UCLA
| overall = {{Winning percentage|321|143|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{Winning percentage|162|83|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
|overall = {{Winning percentage|321|143|record=y}}
}}
Awards and honors
- March 23, 2016 – Close was named the 2016 United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I Region 5 Coach of the Year
- March 6, 2019 – Close was named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year by Pac-12 women's basketball media members{{Cite web | url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2019/3/6/womens-basketball-cori-close-awarded-media-pac-12-coach-of-the-year.aspx |title = Cori Close Awarded Media Pac-12 Coach of the Year}}
- March 20, 2025 – Coach Cori Close was named USBWA Coach of the YearMoran, Malcom - [https://www.sportswriters.net/usbwa/news/2025/03/20/uclas-close-is-usbwa-womens-national-coach-of-the-year UCLA's Close is USBWA Women's National Coach of the Year.] U.S. Basketball Writers Association, March 20, 2025{{Cite web | url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2025/3/20/womens-basketball-cori-close-tabbed-usbwa-coach-of-the-year |title = Cori Close Tabbed USBWA Coach of the Year}}
- March 24, 2025 – Coach Cori Close was named a finalist for the Naismith College Coach of the Year[https://www.si.com/college-basketball/dawn-staley-jon-scheyer-headline-finalists-naismith-coach-of-the-year-awards Dawn Staley, Jon Scheyer Headline Finalists for Naismith Coach of the Year Awards.] Sports Illustrated, March 24, 2025 Note: "...four-time Naismith winner South Carolina's Dawn Staley leads the nominee list. ... The other nominees include TCU's Mark Campbell, UCLA’s Cori Close and Southern California’s Lindsay Gottlieb, who are all first-time nominees... "
- April 2, 2025 – Coach Cori Close was the 2025 Naismith Women’s College Coach of the YearConsidine, Madeline -[https://www.si.com/college/ucla/women-s-basketball/bruins-cori-close-werner-ladder-naismith-final-four Bruins' Cori Close Earns Another National Coaching Honor.] Sports Illustrated, April 3, 2025,
In the midst of a record-breaking season and UCLA’s first NCAA Final Four appearance, Coach Cori Close has been honored as the 2025 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year.
References
{{reflist|refs=
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{{Big Ten Conference women's basketball coach navbox}}
{{UCLA Bruins women's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Carol Eckman Award}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Close, Cori}}
Category:American women's basketball coaches
Category:Basketball coaches from California
Category:Florida State Seminoles women's basketball coaches
Category:Sportspeople from Milpitas, California
Category:UCLA Bruins women's basketball coaches
Category:UC Santa Barbara Gauchos women's basketball coaches
Category:UC Santa Barbara Gauchos women's basketball players
Category:Long stubs with short prose
{{US-basketball-coach-stub}}