Defensive star joins Lynx for WNBL27

The Perth Lynx have strengthened their roster ahead of the WNBL27 season, with emerging Australian talent, Chloe Hodges, committing to the club, pending League approval.

The 24-year-old joins the Lynx following an outstanding 2026 NBL1 Central campaign with the West Adelaide Bearcats, where she averaged 14.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.4 steals per game.

Playing alongside Lynx guard Alex Ciabattoni at the Bearcats, Hodges was named the 2026 NBL1 Central Defensive Player of the Year and selected in the competition's All-Star Five, after helping lead West Adelaide to a 17-1 regular season record and an appearance in the NBL1 Central Grand Final.

"I'm incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the Perth Lynx," Hodges said.

"Playing in the WNBL has always been something I've wanted to work towards, so to get the opportunity to join a club like Perth and test myself at the next level is really exciting.

"I've learnt a lot through my time at Drexel, and then coming home and playing with West Adelaide.

"This season in particular gave me a lot of confidence in what I can bring to a team and reinforced how much I enjoy competing, defending, and doing whatever is needed to help the team win.

"I really like the style of basketball Perth wants to play and the competitiveness of the group.

"I'm looking forward to getting over to Perth, learning from the players and coaches around me and doing everything I can to contribute."

Hodges' deal with the Lynx follows five seasons of NCAA Division I basketball with Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Hodges played an important role in one of the most successful periods in the Drexel Dragons' history, helping the program capture the 2024 Coastal Athletic Association Championship and earn a place in the NCAA Tournament.

She started all 34 games during the championship-winning campaign, averaging 8.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, before being named to the CAA Championship All-Tournament Team.

Originally from Adelaide, Hodges was a West Adelaide junior from the age of 10 and represented Australia at Under 17 level before earning a scholarship to Drexel.

Lynx coach Ryan Petrik said Hodges' combination of defence, versatility and competitiveness made her an exciting addition to the Lynx roster.

"Chloe has earned this opportunity through the way she has performed, particularly over the past 12 months, and we're really excited to bring her into our group," Petrik said.

"The first thing that stands out is her competitiveness and her ability to impact the game defensively.

"She can guard multiple positions, she rebounds incredibly well for her size, and she plays with an energy that we really value.

"She's also captained her NBL1 team and spent five years in a strong college program, so she comes to us with plenty of experience in high-performance environments.

"We think there is still another level for Chloe to go to, and we're looking forward to seeing what she can do in a WNBL environment."

Hodges comes into the Lynx squad in place of Nya Lok, who will be unavailable for the upcoming WNBL season.

Hodges joins Georgia Amoore, Samantha Ashby, Alex Ciabattoni, Steph Gorman, Teonni Key, Anneli Maley, Teige Morrell and Haley Peters on the Perth Lynx roster as the club continues preparations for WNBL27.

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