California Irvine Athletics

All-Big West Awards

IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine women's basketball claimed three major Big West awards to headline Tuesday's all-conference announcement.
 
Senior Hunter Hernandez was named the Big West Player of the Year, senior Jada Wynn was tabbed the Big West Newcomer of the Year, and Tamara Inoue took home Big West Coach of the Year honors.
 
Hernandez and Wynn were also first-team all-conference selections, while Nohe'alani Stores made the All-Freshman Team. This is the ninth year in a row the Anteaters have had a first-team selection, and second-straight year they have had multiple first-teamers.
 
Hunter Hernandez is UC Irvine's second Big West Women's Basketball Player of the Year, joining Deja Lee (2023-24) in exclusive company. In addition, Hernandez is the first 'Eater in program history to earn three first-team all-conference awards.
 
Hernandez has had a record-breaking year. The 5-foot-9 guard closed out the regular-season as UCI's all-time single-season scoring leader (603 points) and all-time career leader in free throws made (385). She also tied the single-game school record with 41 points at Cal Poly on March 5. It was the third 40-point game in program history and first since 2010, while her 41 points are tied for the 11th-most in all of NCAA Division I this season.
 
Hernandez has started all 31 games with 28 double-figure scoring performances and 14 outings with 20-plus, 10 of which came in Big West play. Three of her four 30+ point games were also against conference opponents. Hernandez joined the 1,000-point club back in December and is now tied for second in program history with 1,425 career points. She also became the 11th Anteater to record 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds. On the year, Hernandez ranks second in the conference and 24th in the nation with 19.5 points per game. She earned a league-leading five Big West Player of the Week honors during the season.
 
Jada Wynn is the second 'Eater to be named Big West Newcomer of the Year, joining Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba who won the award in 2024. Wynn, a senior transfer from Texas Tech, has made an immediate impact, starting every game and averaging 15.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 steals. She is tied for second in single-season school history and ranks second in the Big West with 71 threes made. The 6-foot-1 guard is also among the top-10 in the conference in scoring, rebounding, assists, free throw percentage, and 3-point field goal percentage. On the year, Wynn has 25 double-figure scoring games, including eight with 20+ points, and five double-doubles. She drained a career-high 25 in a New Year's Day win over Cal State Bakersfield, and pulled down a career-best 13 rebounds at UC Riverside on Dec. 4.
 
Tamara Inoue received her second career Big West Coach of the Year award, and first since 2021. In 2025-26, Inoue led UC Irvine (26-5, 17-3 Big West) to its second regular-season title and No. 1 Big West Championship seed in four years. Her squad registered their fifth-straight 20-win season, setting a new standard with a program-best 26 victories. UCI's 17 conference wins are also the most in school history. The 'Eaters have been among the top-25 in the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll for 12 consecutive weeks with an all-time high ranking of No. 12 on Jan. 20. That ranking came amid a school-record 16-game win streak from Nov. 15-Jan. 22.
 
Nohe'alani Stores was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team. Stores has played in 30 games with four starts. She is the Anteaters' top reserve, averaging 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest. She also leads the team in field goal percentage (55.6%). The 6-foot-2 forward has six double-figure scoring performances including a season-high 17 in the opener against San Diego on Nov. 5.
 
UC Irvine is the No. 1 seed in this week's Credit Union 1 Big West Women's Basketball Championship. The Anteaters receive a double-bye into the first semifinal at 12 p.m. on Friday, March 13, at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada.