Hernandez Wins Fifth Big West Player of the Week Award
March 09, 2026 | Women's Basketball
IRVINE, Calif. – Senior Hunter Hernandez has been named the Big West Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the fifth time this season the conference office announced Monday afternoon.
Hernandez is the first Big West women's basketball player to win five weekly awards in a season since 2018-19.
Hernandez was recognized following a record-breaking week in which she led UC Irvine to a share of its second Big West regular-season championship in four years.
On Thursday at Cal Poly, Hernandez tied UCI's single-game scoring record with 41 points. She went 11-for-22 from the field and 16-of-18 at the free throw line. It was the third 40-point game in program history and the Anteaters' first since 2010. Her 41 points are also tied for the 11th-most in all of NCAA Division I this season.
Two days later, Hernandez dropped a game-high 24 points (10-10 FT) in UC Irvine's title-clinching win at UC Davis. In the two victories, the 5-foot-9 guard averaged 32.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals. She shot 45.9% overall, 45.5% from beyond the arc, and 92.9% at the charity stripe.
Hernandez closed out the regular season with a school-record 603 points. She also broke the Anteaters' all-time record with 385 career free throws made. As a team, the 'Eaters set a new program best in both overall (26) and conference (17) wins.
UCI earned the No. 1 seed in this week's Credit Union 1 Big West Championship at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada. The 'Eaters have a double-bye into the first semifinal at 12 p.m. on Friday, March 13.
Hernandez is the first Big West women's basketball player to win five weekly awards in a season since 2018-19.
Hernandez was recognized following a record-breaking week in which she led UC Irvine to a share of its second Big West regular-season championship in four years.
On Thursday at Cal Poly, Hernandez tied UCI's single-game scoring record with 41 points. She went 11-for-22 from the field and 16-of-18 at the free throw line. It was the third 40-point game in program history and the Anteaters' first since 2010. Her 41 points are also tied for the 11th-most in all of NCAA Division I this season.
Two days later, Hernandez dropped a game-high 24 points (10-10 FT) in UC Irvine's title-clinching win at UC Davis. In the two victories, the 5-foot-9 guard averaged 32.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals. She shot 45.9% overall, 45.5% from beyond the arc, and 92.9% at the charity stripe.
Hernandez closed out the regular season with a school-record 603 points. She also broke the Anteaters' all-time record with 385 career free throws made. As a team, the 'Eaters set a new program best in both overall (26) and conference (17) wins.
UCI earned the No. 1 seed in this week's Credit Union 1 Big West Championship at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada. The 'Eaters have a double-bye into the first semifinal at 12 p.m. on Friday, March 13.
Players Mentioned
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