Florida State’s Cori Close to coach UCLA

ESPN is reporting that UCLA is set to name Cori Close as UCLA’s new coach within a half hour.

Close has been associate head coach at Florida State for the past seven years. She is characterized as “one of the best offensive minds in the country.”

Before that, she was a longtime assistant at UC Santa Barbara.

Close, who was inducted into the UCSB Hall of Fame six years ago, will return to her native California.

In a 2009 interview, Close talked about leadership.\

This seems like a solid hire. Close has a tremendous wealth of experience, and she’s strongest in offense, where the Bruins have focused so much on defense under former coach Nikki Caldwell. I’m guardedly optimistic.