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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Cori Close, who led UCLA to its first women's Final Four during one of the best seasons in school history, was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Thursday.
The Bruins earned the No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25 for the first time, holding the spot for 14 weeks as they piled up win after win on their way to grabbing the top overall seed in the women's NCAA Tournament.
“I’m thankful to be surrounded by the players and staff I have,” Close said. “It’s a really nice thing. It does give me an opportunity to say thank you to all the people who have poured into me all the years. Never be here without village of people who mentored me, who have come alongside me in difficult times.”
She received 16 votes from the 31-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. Mark Campbell of TCU finished second with five votes. Vic Schaefer, who guided Texas to its first Final Four since 2003, got three votes and Kentucky's Kenny Brooks received two.
Close took over at UCLA in 2011 and has had only two losing seasons.
“UCLA was my first ever head coaching job. They took a chance on this kid who was from California and had spent some time at UCLA,” Close said at Thursday's ceremony. “I'm forever grateful.”
She is the first UCLA women’s coach to win the award and said she was honored to join her mentor, the late John Wooden, who won the men's award five times.
“The reality is to have been mentored by him and to have a chance to even pay it forward to other people the same way he paid his success forward to me is indescribable,” Close said. “To have my name associated with his in a small way is humbling. I hope his family would see it as a way I can say thank you.”
Close also recognized AP Player of the Year JuJu Watkins of Southern California, who was on Zoom for the ceremony while recovering from an ACL injury. UCLA and USC have revitalized women's basketball in Los Angeles.
“We're both partnering to be a part of growing women's basketball in all of Los Angeles,” Close said. “We have great players on both sides and it's sort of the mecca right now.”
UCLA faces UConn on Friday night in a national semifinal and is two wins away from the first NCAA championship in program history. The Bruins won a national title in 1978 in the pre-NCAA era of women's basketball.
The Bruins only lost twice this year, both to Watkins and USC. UCLA got a measure of revenge by beating USC to win the Big Ten Tournament in its first year in the league after the dismantling of the Pac-12.
The Bruins set a program record for wins in a season with 34. The team won 23 consecutive games, including 22 in a row by double digits.
“I was expecting that if this group could maintain their work ethic and maintain their selflessness we could do special things,” Close said. “I thought we had the talent and if we add the character and chemistry we’d have a chance.”
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