As the 2025-26 NCAA women’s basketball season charges into its most crucial stretch, the UCLA Bruins find themselves not only chasing titles but also making headlines for the family ties and coaching philosophies that have shaped their remarkable journey. The spotlight shines especially bright on Lauren Betts and her younger sister Sienna, a duo whose shared love of basketball has brought them together on the same court, and on head coach Cori Close, whose roots and family support have helped drive UCLA to new heights.
Lauren Betts, now a senior center for the Bruins, has spent the past year relishing a dream come true: playing alongside her younger sister Sienna, a freshman who joined the team in November 2024. “It’s been super special as an older sister,” Lauren told SportsCenter in March 2026. “To win games like that and have your sister on the floor with you, it’s unforgettable.” For the Betts sisters, this season marks their only chance to share the court in UCLA blue and gold before Lauren graduates—a moment neither is taking for granted.
The Betts family’s basketball pedigree is no secret. Lauren, born on October 15, 2003, in Vitoria, Spain, is the eldest of three siblings: Sienna (born October 3, 2006), Dylan (born March 8, 2010), and Ashton, whose birthdate remains private. Their father, Andy Betts, played professional basketball across several Spanish cities—Barcelona, Seville, Málaga, and San Sebastian—before the family relocated to Colorado when Lauren was eight years old. “It was kind of a culture shock,” Lauren recalled in her 2026 essay for Players’ Tribune. “It’s funny, I grew up watching High School Musical, and that was like my favorite movie. And I remember going into my first day at my new school thinking, ‘I wonder if it’s going to be like that?’”
Though Andy and Michelle Betts later divorced, they maintained a close-knit environment for their children, living only a few minutes apart in Colorado. Lauren’s memories of her early years are filled with “a magical childhood” in Spain, but the transition to American life brought its own set of challenges and opportunities. As Lauren’s basketball journey took off, so did those of her siblings—especially Sienna and Dylan.
Sienna’s arrival at UCLA in 2024 was a highly anticipated event. The younger Betts quickly made her mark as a freshman, joining her sister for a season that has already become the stuff of family legend. Their on-court chemistry is undeniable. “It’s really comforting to know that there’s someone on the court who just like knows you for you and who’s known you for your entire life,” Lauren said during a December 2025 episode of the In Case You Missed It with Khristina Williams podcast. “Sienna and I know what we’re thinking most of the time, and we know how to speak to each other when we’re both frustrated.”
Sienna herself echoed the sentiment, calling this season “the closest” she’s ever been to her older sister and expressing gratitude for the rare opportunity. “I’m really thankful for the chance to play with her,” she shared. With Lauren set to graduate in 2026, the Betts sisters are savoring every moment they have together on the hardwood.
The family’s basketball legacy doesn’t end with the sisters. Dylan, now a high school basketball standout, has already surpassed his father’s towering 7-foot-1 frame by an inch at just 15 years old. “I think maybe a few more inches—like one or two more,” Dylan told USA Basketball in April 2025, noting that his growth plates are still open. He’s been invited to the USA Basketball 2025 Men’s Junior National Team minicamp and has fielded offers from the University of Washington, Purdue University, and the University of California, Berkeley. Dylan credits his sisters as role models: “You definitely learn a lot as you watch them,” he said. “They’re very talented and they obviously know a lot. Watching both of them, you just learn what it takes to be a USA Basketball player and the communication you need, everything.”
While the Betts siblings have made headlines for their athletic prowess, the Bruins’ success is also deeply tied to the leadership of head coach Cori Close. Since taking the helm in 2011, Close has transformed UCLA into one of the nation’s most consistent programs. The 2024-25 season was a milestone, with the Bruins capturing their first-ever Final Four appearance and clinching the Big Ten Tournament championship. Close’s efforts did not go unnoticed—she swept all four major national Coach of the Year awards: Associated Press, Naismith, USBWA, and WBCA.
Close’s coaching philosophy is rooted in her own upbringing. Her father, Don Close, was a former college football player who later coached sports and taught at Milpitas High School in the San Francisco Bay Area. “I think he was a girl dad before he really knew what that was,” Cori told USA Today in 2024, reflecting on her father’s influence. She credits his approach to coaching her youth soccer team as foundational to her own style: “My dad had a program and not a team. My dad taught lessons and made them feel loved unconditionally. And, they, to this day, still come back.” Don passed away in 2021 after battling vascular dementia, but his legacy lives on through Cori’s commitment to her players.
The Close family’s support extends beyond the sidelines. Patti Close, known affectionately as “Mother Bruin,” is a fixture at UCLA women’s basketball games, traveling with the team and attending postgame interviews. Since Don’s passing, Patti’s involvement has deepened, bringing her closer to both the team and her daughter. At 80 years old, Patti still drives herself to games, arriving early and participating in recruit dinners. After games, she and Cori share an “afterglow”—a ritual of reviewing box scores and discussing the action over a glass of wine. “I usually joke that I’m placating her,” Cori said, “but probably if I’m really honest, it’s sort of a safety net for me, too.”
Cori Close has faced her own crossroads, admitting to The Sporting Tribune that she’s considered coaching in the WNBA but has remained at UCLA out of loyalty to her players. “I’ve considered going to the WNBA,” she stated. “I’ve had opportunities and I’ve said, ‘Not yet.’” Her passion for the Bruins and her deep ties to the program have kept her in Westwood, even as the pressures of college coaching continue to mount.
With the NCAA tournament in full swing and the Bruins riding the momentum of a historic season, the story of UCLA women’s basketball is as much about family as it is about competition. For Lauren and Sienna Betts, this year is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to share the court and create memories that will last long after the final buzzer. For Cori Close and her mother Patti, it’s another chapter in a legacy built on love, support, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
As fans pack Pauley Pavilion and the postseason drama unfolds, there’s no telling how far this Bruins team can go. But one thing’s for sure—the bonds of family, both on and off the court, are fueling UCLA’s remarkable run in 2026.