WHITTIER, Calif. – Following a dominant 3-0 sweep of the Cal Lutheran Regals on Tuesday night, Whittier women's volleyball has climbed to No. 1 in Region X for the first time in program history.

With an NCAA Power Index (NPI) rating of 59.726, the Poets rank 28th nationally among Division III programs. Whittier also currently sits in first place in the SCIAC standings with a perfect 7-0 conference record, putting the team in position to compete for the conference's automatic qualifier (AQ) to the NCAA Tournament. To secure the bid, the Poets must win the SCIAC Tournament.

After opening the season 5-3, Head Coach Chris Duarte-McDermott's squad has been on a tear, winning 11 of its last 12 matches. During that stretch, Whittier has recorded seven sweeps while dropping just seven of the 41 sets played.

Junior outside hitter Malena Thé has spearheaded the Purple and Gold's offense with 237 kills, averaging 3.39 per set. Senior middle blocker Mia D'Amato has also been a force at the net, posting an impressive .319 hitting percentage, while senior setter Hailey Church leads the team with 5.53 assists per set.

Defensively, junior libero Alyssa Gonzalez has anchored the back row with 346 digs, averaging 4.87 per set. Sophomore middle blocker Morgan Kinser has provided a strong presence at the net, totaling 74 blocks on the season.

Beyond their individual contributions, the Poets have excelled collectively, leading the SCIAC in several statistical categories. Whittier tops the conference in total points (1,177.5), kills (915), assists (832) and digs per set (18.22).

Whittier will look to extend its winning ways when it hosts William Paterson University in a non-conference matchup on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. Catch all the action on FloCollege.

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