| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1957-07-12)July 12, 1957 (age 68) |
| Nationality | American / Puerto Rican |
| Listed height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Los Angeles High School (Los Angeles, California) |
| College | UCLA (1975–1979) |
| Position | Guard |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1979–1981 | San Francisco Pioneers |
| 1981 | Minnesota Fillies |
Coaching | |
| 1981–1983 | UCLA (assistant) |
| Career highlights | |
Stats atBasketball Reference  | |
Anita Ortega (born July 12, 1957) is an American-Puerto Rican former basketball player and law enforcement officer. She playedcollege basketball atUCLA[1] where she won the1978 AIAW championship. She later played professionally in theWomen's Professional Basketball League before starting a career as a law enforcement officer with theLos Angeles Police Department.
Ortega was a four-year starter atUCLA from 1975 to 1979. During her junior year, she won the1978 AIAW championship.[2]
Ortega played in theWomen's Professional Basketball League (WBL), the first women's professional basketball league in the United States, from 1979 to 1981. During her first season with theSan Francisco Pioneers, she averaged 24.1 points 5.2 assists per game and was selected both to the All-Pro team and to the1980 WBL All-Star Game. In 1981, she was traded to theMinnesota Fillies.[2][3]
In 1979, she played in the Pan American Games, representingPuerto Rico.[citation needed]
After the WBL folded in 1981, Ortega returned to theUCLA as an assistant coach. She left coaching to attend the police academy and later served in theLos Angeles Police Department (LAPD) from 1984 until her retirement in 2016.[2][4]
Her father was born inBayamón.[citation needed]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | Points | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-79 | UCLA | 34 | 548 | 43.3% | 69.4% | 5.0 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 16.1 |
| 1977-78 | UCLA | 29 | 535 | 49.9% | 61.3% | 4.4 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 18.4 |
| 1976-77 | UCLA | 23 | 340 | 45.4% | 61.7% | 5.8 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 14.8 |
| 1975-76 | UCLA | 23 | 328 | 44.7% | 61.8% | 5.6 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 14.3 |
| Career | UCLA | 109 | 1751 | 45.9% | 64.1% | 5.1 | 2.9 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 16.1 |
Source[5]