UCLA Hires Assistant to Take Over as Coach : Women’s basketball: Olivier, who has been with Bruins for last seven seasons, replaces Moore.

Kathy Olivier, assistant coach of UCLA women’s basketball teams the last seven years, was named head coach Monday.

She succeeds Billie Moore, who resigned last month after 19 seasons. The UCLA women were 13-14 last season.

Olivier, 33, lives in Los Alamitos with her husband, Jim, a chemical engineer, and daughter Alexis, 4. She played basketball at Valencia High in Placentia, Cal State Fullerton and Nevada Las Vegas. She has also been an assistant coach at USC, UC Irvine and UNLV.

Said Judith Holland, senior associate athletic director in announcing Olivier’s promotion: “I feel Kathy has been one of the top assistant coaches in the country for several years, and I know she will make an outstanding head coach.”

Olivier said she had an inkling early Monday that she would get the job. “I was still at home . . . when Judy called and said to me, ‘Get in here as quickly as you can . . . and look nice.’ ”

Twice in the last five seasons, Olivier has filled in as head coach when Moore was absent for personal reasons, and was 4-1 in five games.

Olivier said she believes in pressure at both ends of the court.

“We’ll be a fast-break, up-tempo team on offense, but we’ll talk a lot about defense, too,” she said. “I believe in defensive pressure, all over the court, the kind that results in easy baskets for us.”

Olivier said a returning group and some promising new players would give UCLA a strong team next season. Leading the returnees is Natalie Williams, the 6-foot-1 All-American. Williams was also an All-American volleyball player at UCLA, but her volleyball eligibility has expired.

Also returning next season are starters Amy Jalewalia, Zrinka Kristich and Michelle Palmisano.

In addition, redshirt transfers Kisa Hughes, from Cal State Fullerton, and Kellie Bennett, from Cal State Long Beach, will become eligible next season. Both won freshman-of-the-year awards in the Big West Conference.

Olivier also said that incoming point guard Ricarda Kuypers of Orange Coast College will contend for a starting point guard spot with returnee Detra Lockhart.