Vanguard rallied back from a huge deficit to nab a critical PacWest win over Westmont. Concordia’s Genesis Hopkins pulled down another Defender of the Week award with 33 rebounds in a trio of games and Menlo’s Laila Saenz was light’s out from behind the arch for Player of the Week.

2025-26 Results/Schedule
2025-26 Standings
2025-26 Statistics

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Menlo’s Laila Saenz, G, Grad., 5-6, Nampa, Idaho                                                                 
Menlo’s Laila Saenz could hardly miss from long range, hitting 8-of-11 three point attempts during the Oaks 79-74 overtime win over Biola. The grad transfer from Westmont had a career high 26 points and also pulled down eight rebounds and had four steals. The eight treys is a PacWest best this season and tops in the conference over the past three seasons. She also hit the game-tying shot in regulation with five seconds left. For the week the Idaho native averaged 21 points a game, nine rebounds and four steals in a split of games.
 
DEFENDER OF THE WEEK: Concordia’s Genesis Hopkins, F, Soph., 6-0, Seattle, Wash.                                           
Concordia’s Genesis Hopkins captured her third Defender of the Week award during a 2-1 week for the Golden Eagles. The 6-foot transfer, who came to Irvine via Holy Names and Sonoma State, had 17 rebounds in a 75-67 win over Menlo, the second highest total in the PacWest this year. She had 33 rebounds for the week (11 rpg) and also had eight blocked shots.  

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Vanguard is the Team of the Week after going 2-0. They raced past Hilo (99-49) behind Kayla Boozer’s 14 points and 14 boards off the bench, and Micael Hanning’s 10 points and 14 assists. Those 14 dimes equal the second highest total in PacWest history. On Saturday in a pivotal PacWest meeting, the Lions roared back from a 21-point third quarter deficit to outscore the Warriors 24-8 in the fourth quarter for the 73-70 win. Kaylee Byon had 19 points, Boozer had another 19 off the bench and Emma Schaaf hit the game winner with 32 seconds left. The Lions are now 12-3 in conference play and 16-4 overall.

ROAD TO SAN DIEGO: In a race that is tight as can be, only 1.5 games separate the top four teams in the conference. Seven squads are in contention, with two others just outside looking in,  to fight for the top six spots at the end of the month qualify for the PacWest Championship, March 5-7 in San Diego. Here’s a look at the top nine teams fighting for those half dozen positions. (1) Azusa Pacific 13-2, (T2) Vanguard 12-3, (T2) Point Loma 12-3 (4) Westmont 12-4, (5) Dominican 10-5, (6) Concordia 11-6, (7) Biola 9-7, (8) Menlo 7-10, (9) Hawaii Pacific 6-10.  
 
 
PACWEST NEWS AND NOTES: Azusa Pacific kept their slim grip on first place with wins over Concordia (62-54) and Jessup (64-63). Keisharna Lucas had 16 points and nine rebounds against the Golden Eagles and Rachel Roderick added nine points and 13 boards. APU outscored CUI in the fourth quarter, 23-2 after trailing by 15 points in the third. Against Jessup, it was the opposite as the Cougars built a 14-point third quarter lead only to see the Warriors cut it to one point with 33 seconds left. Calista Arzaga had 22 for APU and Roderick had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds…Concordia is 7-2 in their last nine games to improve to 11-6 in PacWest play. Camryn Kiernan averaged 16.7 ppg as the Golden Eagles went 2-1 last week…Biola’s overtime loss to Menlo snapped a 6-game Eagles win streak…Point Loma won its only game of the week, 78-62 over Menlo. Eiley Tippins had 24 points and nine rebounds and Izzy Navarro had eight steals and 11 assists, the second and third highest totals respectively this year in those categories…Jessup beat Fresno Pacific 63-57 behind Hailey Hoff’s 25 points and eight rebounds. Parker Wood had 18 points and nine rebounds in JU’s upset effort against Azusa (64-63)…Dominican had three players in double figures in their lone game of the week, a 71-61 win over FPU. Mahliya Wilson had 15 and Keyonee Neal (11-13) and Janiya Sawyer (11-11) had double-doubles…Kyra Tanabe had 26 points in Hawaii Pacific’s win over Chaminade, 64-52.

WHAT’S NEXT: More impact games are on the slate again this week. Point Loma, Fresno Pacific and Jessup head to Hawaii for three games each Before that, Azusa Pacific is at Dominican on Monday and Concordia is at Westmont on Wednesday. On Thursday, Biola goes to Dominican, and Vanguard is at APU. Saturday’s busy schedule, in addition to the Hawaii games, sees Biola going to Menlo, Westmont traveling to Dominican and Concordia is at Vanguard. To see the complete season schedule, click here.