This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as Cori Close Reveals Recovery Timeline for UCLA’s Star Freshman. The UCLA Bruins women's basketball season is near, which means Cori Close's squad has been ramping up in practice despite a shorthanded Thursday.

The Bruins are knocking on the door to greatness. They made the Final Four for the first time in the program’s history, and the AP preseason poll has them No. 3 in the nation to start the year. At this point, the goal for them is clear: It’s championship or bust.

Some players who were considered but did not make the list include Iowa State's Audi Crooks, Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes and UConn's Serah Williams. Without further ado, here are the top 10 women's college basketball players of the 2025-26 preseason.

Feb 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close talks to her players center Lauren Betts (51), guard Gabriela Jaquez (11), guard Kiki Rice (1) and guard Londynn Jones (3) during the fourth quarter at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

As the NCAA season approaches, all eyes will be shifting to the players who will most likely emerge as the top WNBA prospects.

UCLA Women's Basketball superstar Lauren Betts is one of 13 women's college basketball stars to sign a new name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with Unrivaled, a 3v3 basketball league filled with the WNBA's biggest stars, founded by Napheesa Collier and ...

The UCLA Bruins women's basketball season is inching closer and closer by the day, and Cori Close's squad is headlined by the arguable best player in college basketball -- senior center Lauren Betts.

Big news in women’s hoops! On today’s episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball , we dive into ESPN’s just-released 2026 WNBA Mock Draft — and Lauren Betts is proje