Behind UCLA’s first-ever NCAA women’s basketball championship is a coach forged in a household of three sisters, a girl dad ahead of his time, and a family that built her long before the Bruins ever did.
When Cori Close cut down the nets in Phoenix on April 5, 2026, completing UCLA’s first-ever NCAA women’s basketball championship, the cameras found her mother, Patti, on the floor almost immediately.
But the real question fans have been searching for is: who is Cori Close’s sister?
Far fewer know about the two sisters standing behind the story, Amity Wicks and Adell Gillman, and the Milpitas, California, household where three daughters were quietly shaped into women defined by service, faith, and showing up for others.
Who Are Cori Close’s Sisters?
Cori Close has two sisters, Amity Wicks and Adell Gillman, as confirmed by the official UCLA Athletics website.
The three daughters were raised together in Milpitas, California, by their parents, Don and Patti Close, in a household where sports, faith, and service were daily constants.
While Cori has become the most publicly recognized of the three, commanding sidelines, sweeping national Coach of the Year awards, and leading UCLA to its first-ever NCAA women’s basketball championship in April 2026, her sisters have carved out their own meaningful paths far from the spotlight.
Adell Gillman, based in Sacramento, California, works as an Academic Advisor and Biblical Counseling Professor at Epic Bible College, where she holds a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling from Azusa Pacific University.
Her career in counseling and faith-based education reflects the same value system that the Close family built their home around, purpose over prestige, and people over performance.
Amity Wicks, the third sister, has maintained an almost entirely private life. No public career information is available, suggesting a conscious choice by the Close family to keep certain chapters personal, even as Cori’s career has brought the family name national attention.
The Close Sisters Grew Up in a Family That Rewired What “Winning” Means
What makes Cori Close’s story, and by extension her sisters’, so compelling is the household they came from.
Their father, Don Close, was a former college football player who coached at Milpitas High School and spent three decades teaching health and psychology.
He coached youth soccer for Cori and her friends and, as Cori has described him, was a “girl dad before he really knew what that was.”
Their mother, Patti, created balance at home while raising Cori and her two sisters in that same Northern California household where character came before competition. That foundation is the quiet through-line in all three sisters’ lives.
Don Close passed away in 2021 after battling vascular dementia, but his legacy continues to resonate in Cori’s coaching philosophy.
His absence made the family unit even tighter, and made Patti Close’s presence at every UCLA game even more meaningful.
Mother Bruin: How Family Became Part of the Program
One detail competitors consistently miss: the Close family isn’t just behind the program. They’re embedded in it.
Cori’s mother, Patti, affectionately known as “Mother Bruin” has traveled with the UCLA team to Europe and Africa, drives herself to games at age 80, arriving an hour before tipoff, and stays after the final buzzer for postgame recaps.
After games, Cori and Patti share what the coach calls “afterglow” a quiet moment over a glass of wine where they decompress together.
That’s a family tradition that began long before any championship banners. It’s the same instinct that made Don and Patti show up for their daughters every single time.
The values Cori absorbed watching her sisters grow alongside her in that Milpitas home, mutual accountability, faith under pressure, and showing up without being asked, now run through one of women’s college basketball‘s most respected programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cori Close have siblings?
Yes. Cori Close has two sisters: Amity Wicks and Adell Gillman.
What does Cori Close’s sister, Adell Gillman, do?
Adell Gillman is an Academic Advisor and Biblical Counseling Professor at Epic Bible College in Sacramento, California, with a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Azusa Pacific University.
Who are Cori Close’s parents?
Her father, Don Close, was a coach and teacher, while her mother, Patti Close, known to the UCLA program as “Mother Bruin” is actively involved in supporting the team.
Is Cori Close married?
Cori Close is not publicly known to be married and has kept her personal life largely private.
What high school did Cori Close attend?
She grew up in Milpitas, California, and went on to play college basketball at UC Santa Barbara, where she served as team captain during her final two seasons and helped the program reach consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
Did Cori Close’s family influence her coaching style?
Significantly, Close has said the way she leads UCLA is rooted in the experience her father created coaching soccer for her and her friends, prioritizing the people over the scoreboard, a value shared across all three Close sisters.
Quick Facts: Cori Close’s Family at a Glance
- Full name: Cori Rashel Close
- Born: July 29, 1971, Milpitas, California
- Sisters: Amity Wicks and Adell Gillman
- Parents: Don Close (deceased, 2021) and Patti Close
- Marital status: Not publicly married
- Faith: Christian; servant-leadership philosophy
- Notable achievement: Led UCLA to its first-ever NCAA women’s basketball national championship in 2026
