UCLA basketball: Cori Close returns to Bruins as women's coach

Cori Close has been hired as UCLA's women's basketball coach, the school announced Thursday during an introductory news conference in Westwood.

Close replaces Nikki Caldwell, who left UCLA after three seasons to become coach at Louisiana State.

Close, a former player at UC Santa Barbara, served as a restricted earnings coach at UCLA in 1994 and 1995 before moving to Santa Barbara and then Florida State, where she was associate head coach for the last seven seasons.

UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said Close was "fit to a tee for UCLA."

Close said, "I've been preparing for this my entire life."

More later at latimes.com/sports.

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-- Gary Klein