Hold up, Seattle. We gotta talk about a big move, even if it’s not on the field or court here in the Emerald City, because it touches one of our own. Noelle Quinn, a familiar face from the Seattle Storm coaching staff, is making a return to UCLA Women’s Basketball as an assistant coach. It’s a huge “full circle” moment for her, heading back to her alma mater, but it means she’s leaving our side of the country.
UCLA’s Legend Returns to Serve
Let’s be clear, folks, Noelle Quinn didn’t just *play* for UCLA. She was a bona fide legend, racking up four years of absolute dominance. She’s the first player in Bruins basketball history to ever stack up at least 1,700 points, 700 rebounds, and 400 assists over her career. Think about that for a second. *First ever*. That’s not just good, that’s setting a whole new standard. Her name is plastered all over the record books too, closing out her collegiate career in the Top-10 in an incredible 14 different categories! We’re talking fourth in points, eighth in rebounds, and seventh in assists. And she wasn’t just piling up stats, she was getting recognized for it, earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors as a freshman, junior, and senior, plus Pac-10 All-Tournament nods in 2006 and 2007. She was simply built different out there.
From Draft Pick to Storm Coach and Back Home
After absolutely tearing it up at UCLA, Quinn took her talents to the WNBA. She was picked fourth overall in the 2007 WNBA Draft and went on to have a stellar 12-year playing career. And for us here in Seattle, we know her from her time on the Seattle Storm coaching staff, a role where she continued to impact the game. Now, she’s heading back to where it all began, and you can hear the excitement in her voice. Quinn talked about how “surreal” it is to be back in a place where she “grew so much,” not just playing, but being around “the culture of excellence.” She called it “quite a dream come true,” especially as an LA native coming home. What really resonates with her, and what she wants to bring to the program, is that core lesson: “It is not about the name on the back of the jersey but the four letters across your chest, and what that stands for and means.” That’s a philosophy that stuck with her through her entire playing and coaching journey, and it’s still driving her today.
This return is massive for the Bruins. Quinn, alongside Close and the rest of the Bruins crew, will be hoping her presence on the coaching staff sparks just as much success as it did when she was rocking the blue and gold as a player. You know when a legend comes home, the expectations are sky-high, and for good reason. It’s an exciting time for UCLA, and a moment to reflect on the impact she had here in Seattle.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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