The defending champion UCLA Bruins added to their roster over the weekend with the signing of Slovenian guard Lina Jerkovic. Jerkovic is the second international freshman that Cori Close and the Bruins have added this offseason, along with Somto Okafor out of Spain.
Jerkovic and Okafor are the only incoming freshmen for the NCAA champion Bruins. UCLA hit the portal hard after losing a record-setting six seniors to the WNBA Draft earlier this year. With the Bruins needing to replace Charlisse Leger-Walker and Kiki Rice in their backcourt, guard becomes a major need for this year’s Bruins team.
UCLA will return Christina Karamouzi as their only guard from last year’s team, but the Bruins added old friend Elina Aarnisalo, along with KK Bransford, Donanvyn Hunter and Bonnie Deas in the transfer portal.
Jerkovic, the 5’9” guard, played in seven games last year in the FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket, where she averaged 10.4 points, 5.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game for Team Slovenia. Jerkovic will turn 19 this month, making her a typical-aged college freshman next season.
Close and the Bruins have had good results with international players. UCLA scooped up Angela Dugalic and Leger-Walker from the portal, with both players having successful tenures in Westwood. Both Karamouzi and Aarnisalo are recruiting finds for the Bruins, as is UCLA forward Lena Bilic, who’s entering her sophomore season with the Bruins.
We’ll see if UCLA uses the 2026-2027 season as a developmental campaign for Jerkovic while filling out the team’s guard depth, or if she’ll quickly be added into the fold for the Bruins rotation.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Defending champion UCLA adds Slovenian guard Lina Jerkovic
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire | USA TODAY Network
