By Ross BersotSummer Bruin Staff
After a one-year leave of absence, Amy Jalewalia is back with
the UCLA women’s basketball program for a second tour of duty.
Only, this time around she will be giving the orders instead of
receiving them – as a part-time assistant on head coach Kathy
Olivier’s staff.
Graduating in 1994 after four years of service, Jalewalia left
Westwood as the ninth-leading scorer in school history with 1,201
points (10.7 points per game).
After starting at forward in 38 games during her first two
seasons, Jalewalia became a mainstay at that position during her
junior year, starting all 26 of her games and averaging 12.2 points
and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Switching to off-guard prior to her senior campaign, she was
second on the team in scoring average only to All-American Natalie
Williams, with 14.3 points per contest.
Last season, Jalewalia remained in the game as an assistant
coach at Cypress College in Orange County, where she helped guide
the team to the second round of the California State Junior College
Tournament.
Jalewalia will fill the position left open by Cori Close, who
departed Westwood to take a full-time assistant position at her
alma mater, UC Santa Barbara.
Close spent two years on the Bruin coaching staff after playing
at UCSB from 1990-93. On the floor, she was a standout point guard
for the Gauchos. Close was the only player in the history of the
school to record more than 1,100 points while racking in 500
assists and leading the team to the second round of the NCAA
tournament.Jalewalia reunites with old team
1994 grad returns to fill w. hoops coaching position