UCLA women’s basketball dream season is well behind us but that hasn’t stopped Lauren Betts from continuing to win awards. The former UCLA Bruins senior won an ESPY on Wednesday, being named the Best Women’s College Athlete for her championship season.
UCLA’s center was named the winner of the ESPY over Pittsburgh volleyball’s Olvia Babcock, Oklahoma gymnastics’s Faith Torrez and Northwestern lacrosse’s Madison Taylor.
Betts was the focal point for the record-breaking UCLA team, which won a program-best 37 games and ended with an NCAA title. The season ended Betts’ time in Los Angeles on the highest possible note, with the 6’7” center scoring 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.
While that statline is terrific, Betts’ numbers as a junior with the Bruins were even better, as she scored 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. Betts had a better supporting cast for her senior season, with Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker being added to the mix. UCLA then saw six players from their championship team be drafted to the WNBA, with two-sport star Megan Grant being drafted to the AUSL.
On top of Betts’ dominance, the 2025-2026 season was extra special for her because of the fact she was able to play alongside her younger sister, Sienna Betts, on the NCAA title-winning squad. Betts’ younger brother, Dylan, has already received a scholarship to UCLA, meaning that the Betts-Bruin connection could be far from over.
Betts is in the midst of her rookie season with the Washington Mystics, which hasn’t gone as well as her college career ended. Betts has put up just 6.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.5 blocks while playing just 16.4 minutes per game.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Lauren Betts wins ESPY for Best Women’s College Athlete
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire | USA TODAY Network
