No. 2 UCLA cleans house in Big Ten postseason awards

LOS ANGELES - The Big Ten's postseason honors are in and the Blue and Gold is well represented.

Senior center Lauren Betts headlined the honors with a historic double-selection, becoming the first player ever to be named both Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, putting yet another feather in Betts' cap in her senior season. Betts repeated as DPOY, earning the honor last season as well. 

"It's an honor. I'm truly in shock," Betts said to Big Ten Network on receiving both awards.

Starting in all 18 conference games, Betts averaged 17.4 points and 2.1 blocks per game and career-highs in both average assists with 3.1 and average rebounds with 9.9. 

Graduate forward Angela Dugalic landed Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year honors with nine points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game. 

Coming off the bench in all 18 of UCLA's conference games was an adjusted role for the forward, who had been a perennial starter in her prior two seasons with the Bruins, but it was a change that she welcomed, according to head coach Cori Close. 

While being an offensive spark plug off the bench for the Bruins, Dugalic also lended crucial size, pace and defense to the team and widened the scope of schemes that Close had to work with throughout the season. 

Betts was named to the Big Ten First Team alongside senior guard Kiki Rice, while senior forward Gabriela Jaquez netted Big Ten Second Team honors. 

Rice and Betts were both named to the All-Defensive team by Big Ten coaches as well.

Graduate guard Gianna Kneepkens, one of UCLA's impactful transfers, joined Jaquez on the Second Team in the media vote, but just missed in the coaches' eyes and was named an honorable mention in the coaches vote instead. 

Freshman forward Sienna Betts was named to the All-Freshmen team after averaging 6.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in 17 conference games, despite missing the early part of the season due to injury. 

The last player recognition for the Bruins went to senior forward Charlisse Leger-Walker, who was named UCLA's 2025-26 Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree, but there was still one more special recognition due for the Bruins, and it went to their leader at the helm. 

Close was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in recognition of her leading the Bruins to a 28-1 overall record and an undefeated 18-0 record in conference play, becoming just the fourth team in Big Ten history to do so.

It's Close's first honor as conference Coach of the Year, though she was named the Naismith and USBWA Coach of the year in 2025.