LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (Jan. 5, 2026) – Junior
Xochitl Hood (Whittier, Calif. / Troy / Fullerton College) of the Whittier College women's basketball team has been named SCIAC Defensive Athlete of the Week for her work in three wins for the Poets dating back to the end of December at the D3Hoops.com Classic.
The Poets resurrected their season with a 3-1 stretch over the waning moments of December into January when they earned their first SCIAC win of the season over a tough Occidental College team. Hood played at least 25 minutes in every game, enjoying a starting role while wrecking havoc defensively with 13 total steals between the four games. She had sive against Bridgewater State University in Las Vegas, leading her team to a 20-point comeback that stands out as the Poets' largest come-from-behind win in modern history. She then posted three steals against Wesleyan University (Conn). Hood also came up big for the Poets on the glass, with eight rebounds against Bridgeater, nine against Wesleyan and seven in the Poets' home win over Oxy.
She is also coming into her own as a scorer, averaging 13 points per game over that stretch.
Hood and the Poets will look to make it back-to-back SCIAC wins when they host Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
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