When coach Cori Close received five faxes Wednesday afternoon, it became official. History was made.
UCLA women’s basketball signed its first No. 1 recruiting class in the program’s history, but the five new recruits have already set their minds on leaving an even larger legacy: the program’s first NCAA national championship.
“It feels great, I’ve been waiting since March to sign,” said guard Jordin Canada, ranked No. 6 by ESPN. “It’s an honor to be the No. 1 class coming in for 2014, but we don’t really focus on that too much. We’re just focused on getting to UCLA, being a part of the team.”
All five recruits are top-40 prospects according to ESPN, and three of the new Bruins are ranked in the top 10. After verbal agreements had been set months ago, all five quickly made things official, signing with UCLA on the first day of the early signing period.
In her third year as head coach at UCLA, Close has been working hard to build a program that’s based around John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, trying to create a culture of sustained excellence. She said that each of the five recruits have impressed her with a mentality that she believes can bring a championship to Westwood.
“It’s a lot easier to go to a place that’s already done it before and you can take the baton from somebody else and continue that legacy,” Close said. “It takes a lot more drive to say, ‘No, I want to blaze a new trail, I want to be a part of something that hasn’t happened yet.’ These five young women are those kinds of people, they’re trailblazers.”
Close made a point to emphasize during the recruiting process that while UCLA has won 109 national championships, the women’s basketball program has not been a part of the success. But she wants to be the first.
Close’s mentality left an impression on No. 8-ranked forward Lajahna Drummer that influenced Drummer’s decision to commit to UCLA.
“She’s very fierce, fierce as in she knows what she wants, she knows that she’s trying to take the school to another level,” Drummer said. “I think she’s trying to take the school to a place where they’ve never been before, she’s trying to go to a different path and take us to the next level.”
Besides Canada and Drummer, Close also brought in No. 9-ranked guard Recee’ Caldwell, No. 26-ranked forward Kelli Hayes and No. 37-ranked forward Monique Billings. Close said she believes they all understand what it means to be a Bruin.
“When they were walking around new Pauley Pavilion, I can see in their eyes that they were honoring the people that had created the great history, but they were also dreaming about what they could create,” Close said.
Before these five new Bruins create anything or hang up any banners, they’ll have to make it through high school. And after that, the hard work begins.
“If they want to accomplish all the dreams they articulated to me, they’re going to have to have a work ethic and the mentality of just going after it and earning it,” Close said. “Nothing’s going to be handed to them; they have to earn it. It’s going to be the most difficult thing they’ve ever done. That’s the only thing I’ve promised them.”