The UCLA Bruins team saw several key players leave through women’s college basketball’s transfer portal season. Some of the big names the team lost were starting guard Londynn Jones, Janiah Barker, and Elina Aarnisalo, who were crucial off-the-bench stars.
Meanwhile, the team has also received its home and away opponents for the 2025-26 Big Ten Conference season. While the upcoming season will be UCLA’s second year competing in the Big Ten Conference, curiosity regarding which players will step forward to contribute to the team this season has risen.
Kiki Rice – Guard
Kiki Rice played 34 games last season and averaged 28.4 minutes per game. Despite missing three games to start the year following injury, she concluded the season with 12.8 points per game, becoming UCLA’s second-leading scorer. She also ended up being the team leader in assists with 170 and 5.0 APG assists per game for UCLA.
Gianna Kneepkens – Guard
Giania Kneepkens was one of the most efficient scorers in the nation last season. The 22-year-old recorded 19.3 points per game on average, which was the 29th-best in the country. In addition to this, the three-time first-team all-conference guard also shot 44.8% from 3-point range and 89% at the free-throw line.
Timea Gardiner – Forward
Following Janiah Barker’s departure, Timea Gardiner might step up. The 6 ft 3 inches tall player began her last year with a stunning performance, shooting 5-of-7 from 3-point range in Paris, and the Bruins played against Louisville. The 21-year-old contributed strongly off the bench after registering 7.6 points in 18.3 minutes on the floor on average. She also recorded 3.4 rebounds per game.
Angela Dugalic – Forward
Angela Dubalic will return to UCLA for her sixth year, which will also be her final season for the program. The Serbian-American player is one of the Bruins’ top starting talents for the upcoming season. The 23-year-old took over her social media account to announce that the college side had retained her. Dugalic began to play in 34 of the 35 games she played last year and has improved her field goal percentage.
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Lauren Betts – Center
Lauren Betts had an outstanding 2024-25 season. She became the first-ever national defensive player of the year in the history of Women’s UCLA basketball. She also became the first player from the program to register 600+ points, 300+ rebounds, and 100+ blocks in a season.
Additionally, Betts was also named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by coaches in the conference last year. The 21-year-old also recorded 19 double-doubles this season, the second most by a player from the team in its history. The player has shown offensive versatility, and there is no reason not to keep her in the starting lineup for the Bruins.
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