For the second season in a row, the Bruins will be down a player due to a knee injury.
Sophomore guard/forward Lena Bilić has been ruled out for the 2026-27 season for UCLA women’s basketball after tearing her ACL during practice. The announcement on Sunday comes a little under a month before the team begins regular-season play Nov. 2.
Bilić is one of five returners from the national championship-winning roster. The Zagreb, Croatia, local came off the bench in all 33 of her games last season.
Averaging three points a game on a 35.5% clip from the field in 12.1 minutes, she saw the second-most time off the bench among the team’s returners. Bilić scored a career-high 14 points and recorded six rebounds against Southern on Nov. 23 – one of three double-digit outings last year.
With the Bruins’ six leading scorers from last season joining the WNBA, Bilić was poised to make a bigger impact on the upcoming season.
“We are devastated for Lena,” said coach Cori Close in a statement. “She is such an important part of what we do here, and I know she’ll continue to be impactful for us through her recovery. We’ll be with Lena every step of the way, and she’s in great hands with the best medical staff in the country, so I know she will come out on the other side stronger and better.”The Bruins’ 2026-27 roster consists of five returners – four of whom played last season – including five transfers and two freshmen. Returning from a redshirt season last year is fifth-year forward Timea Gardiner, who sat out last season due to an undisclosed knee injury.
UCLA begins exhibition play against Cal on Oct. 14, with the official season opening against Lehigh.
