Conference Tournaments Will Decide Participants in 2019 NCAA Women’s Water Polo Tournament

May 12, 2018; Uytengsu Aquatics Center, Los Angeles, California, USA; Women's Water Polo: NCAA Championship Game: USC Trojans vs Stanford Cardinals; Photo credit: Catharyn Hayne- KLC fotos

What the fuss is all about! NCAAs —and the journey starts today. Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne

A match this morning at 9 a.m. EST between Cal-State Monterey Bay and Mercyhurst at the Spire Center in Geneva, OH, opens the first of seven conference tournaments this weekend that will determine the ten berths in the 2019 NCAA Women’s Water Polo Tournament, which will take place two weeks from now at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center.

Following is a list of every conference tournament as well as what’s at stake. For the most part, there’s little surprise in store, as the nation’s top teams have spent that past four months establishing their credentials. But, there may be a deviation from the recent past when the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) has filled four of the eight NCAA berths—including the tournament’s top seeds.

By the way, if you want to check how Swimming World did in its pre-season picks, check here.

Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF)—Friday, April 26 – Sunday, April 28

Championship website

Television / Streaming Coverage: Live Video-Games 1-7 (Subscription): MPSF Sports Network
Live TV—Games 8-9: Pac-12 Networks

Location: Avery Aquatic Center—Palo Alto, CA

Regular Season Champion: Stanford (19-1; 5-0 MPSF)

What’s At Stake: As many of four NCAA berths plus the tournament’s top two seeds. By virtue of their top seeding, the Cardinal can skip today’s action and rest up (in their own beds) for a match tomorrow against the winner of the match between fourth-seeded Cal and fifth-seed Arizona State. Stanford was the country’s best offensive team, and its line-up includes 2019 MPSF Player of the Year Makenzie Fisher and 2019 Newcomer of the Year Ryann Neushul.

This tournament is not a slam-dunk for the hosts; until an overtime loss three weeks ago to Stanford, #2 seed USC was riding a 36-match win streak. The Trojans, now led by Interim Head Coach Casey Moon, have recovered with three wins against MPSF foes.

Teams To Watch: UCLA; in the previous weeks #3 Bruins sustained narrow losses to Stanford and USC; could they surprise arch-rival USC in an expected semifinal match on Saturday and advance to an MPSF final on Sunday?

Cal is in danger of missing NCAAs for the first time since 2016; more importantly—depending upon the Golden Bears’ performance—the MPSF may only earn three berths to the national championship tournament for the first time since 2015.

Indiana will be playing in its first-ever MPSF tournament. It’s been a rough season for the Hoosiers—but it will certainly get better.

[Jump to MPSF is “Game Changer” for Indiana Women’s Water Polo]

Big West Conference—Friday, April 27 – Sunday, April 29

Championship website

Television / Streaming Coverage: Big West Network

Location: Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center—Long Beach, CA

Regular Season Champions: UC Irvine (18-8; 3-1 Big West)

What’s At Stake: For the first time since 2015 the Big West may receive an at-large berth to NCAAs. Second seed Hawai’i (16-5; 4-1 Big West) was the country’s fourth-ranked team as recently as three weeks ago, and is a likely finalist for this year’s Big West title. The Anteaters are likely to join the Rainbow Wahine in Sunday’s championship match; the winner gets an automatic berth but the loser may get consideration from the NCAA selection committee.

Team To Watch: After a hot start, UC Santa Barbara (20-7; 3-2 Big West) cooled off late in the season. The fourth-seed Gauchos own the league’s only win over UC Irvine; a win today over fifth-seed Long Beach State will set UCSB for a rematch against the champs.

Makenzie Fischer is 2019 MPSF Player of the Year, and ready to lead the Cardinal this weekend. Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne

Golden Coast Conference—Friday, April 26 – Sunday, April 28

Championship website

Television / Streaming Coverage: Mountain West Network

Location: Fresno State University, Fresno, CA

Regular Season Champion: Pacific (14-8; 7-0 GCC)

What’s At Stake: Top seed Pacific has won the past two GCC titles for both the men and the women. After a decisive 13-7 win three weeks ago over second-seed Loyola Marymount, it’s highly unlikely that the Tigers, led by Kyra Christmas, 2018 and 2019 GCC Player of the Year, will fail to defend their title.

Teams To Watch: Host Fresno State (12-14; 4-3 GCC) is in its second year of women’s polo. The Bulldogs have performed exceptionally well, and are favored to advance to a semifinal match-up… with Pacific, where their season is almost sure to end.

Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference—Friday, April 26 and Sunday, April 28

Championship website

Television / Streaming Coverage: Stretch Internet

Locations: Campus of No. 1 seed Pomona-Pitzer, and No. 2 seed Cal Lutheran

Regular Season Champion: Pomona-Pitzer (19-12; 14-0 SCIAC)

What’s At Stake: The Sagehens continue to beat SCIAC opponents at a record clip, with their conference win streak stretching to 36 after a perfect 14-0 campaign this season. Four teams—Pomona-Pitzer, Cal Lutheran (19-8; 12-2 SCIAC), #3 Whittier (13-9; 9-5 SCIAC) and #4 La Verne (11-13, 9-5 SCIAC)—are vying to represent the conference in NCAAs.

Team To Watch: La Verne has stormed to the post-season behind sophomore Jassmine Kezman (81 goals), and will hope to take surprise the champs later today. But, the Sagehens are not a team to be caught unprepared.

Real dedication! Pomona-Pitzer President Gabrielle Starr takes the victory plunge. Photo Courtesy: Pomona-Pitzer Athletics

Western Water Polo Association—Friday, April 27 – Sunday, April 29

Championship website

Television / Streaming Coverage: Stretch Internet

Location: The Spire Center, Gambier, Ohio

Regular Season Champion: UC San Diego (18-13; 4-0 WWPA)

What’s At Stake: The WWPA remains the most innovative water polo conference in the country. With a split in teams between California-based programs and so-called Eastern team—in essence programs from the Midwest. A Division II conference, next year the Tritons of UCSD—who are migrating to DI status—will move to the Big West. Which is likely a boon to the rest of the WWPA; the Tritons have dominated the conference for the past seasons, winning six titles, and are a virtual lock to get to get back to the NCAA tournament for the second-straight year.

Team To Watch: Salem has supported women’s water polo off and on for the past two decades, but the school’s current iteration may be the best in program history. The Tigers (13-12; 2-1 WWPA)—with only nine healthy players—are riding a seven-match winning streak, which has them in contention for a semifinal spot on Saturday.

[On The Record with Justin Kassab, Head Coach For Salem Women’s Water Polo]

Collegiate Water Polo Association—Friday, April 27 – Sunday, April 29

Championship website

Television / Streaming Coverage: Stretch Internet

Location: Brown University, Providence, RI

Regular Season Champion: Michigan (21-8; 6-0 CWPA)

What’s At Stake: Michigan is again on the hunt for the CWPA title; a win on Sunday will make it a third-straight title for the Wolverines. But, what’s challenging for Head Coach Marcelo Leonardi is that two of his squad’s main competitors are gone—Indiana jumped to the MPSF, and Hartwick discontinued polo altogether. Princeton gave Michigan a game three weeks ago in Cambridge, but it would be a monumental upset if anyone but the Wolverines advances to NCAAs.

Team To Watch: Harvard (20-6; 3-3 CWPA) bolted out of the starting gate with 10 wins, and at one point was ranked as high as 15th. The Crimson have slumped since then, and the low point of their season was a 17-2 thrashing at the hands of Michigan two weeks ago. Perhaps they’ll get their mojo back in time for a strong showing in the CWPA tournament.

[Catching Up With Harvard Water Polo Head Coach Ted Minnis and Freshman Standout Inde Halligan]

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference—Saturday, April 27 and April 28

Championship website

Television / Streaming Coverage: ESPN3

Location: Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY

Regular Season Champion: Wagner (28-9; 13-1 MAAC)

What’s At Stake: For Wagner, which recently had a 57-match conference win streak terminated by a clerical error, the only thing that matters is getting back to NCAAs for a sixth straight time—and the ninth time in program history. Marist again is most likely to stand in the Seahawks way, and this will not be an easy final for the champs.

Team To Watch: Even though they’re not playing, the big story this year in the MAAC was the phenomenal success of La Salle (10-23; 5-9). Now in their third year of existence, in the previous two season Explorers were absolutely lost (1-35 record). But, in following new Head Coach Tom Hyman, they found their way to nine wins, and came within a couple of goals of qualifying for the MAAC postseason. Even though they won’t be competing this weekend, La Salle’s success, including the program’s first five wins in conference play, are worth celebrating.

[On The Record with Tom Hyham, Head Coach, La Salle Men’s and Women’s Water Polo]

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Anonymous

5 years ago

CONGRATULATIONS LA SALLE !!!!!!

CONTINUED SUCCESS.

TDC

5 years ago

If it was a clerical error that ended 57 game win streak, why don’t they fix it? This does not seem to be fair to the players or coaches. Just saying…

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Michael Randazzo

5 years ago

Reply to TDC

Good morning:

So, you might note that “clerical error” is a euphemism for “I’m not really sure”! As I mentioned to another commenter, IMO there’s no way Wagner wouldn’t have looked to preserve the streak—though what does it profit them to say that after the fact? Besides, I suspect their actions will speak FAR louder than their words; a 25-2 win over VMI in the MAAC semifinals seems pretty emphatic to me.

I’m going to check out the MAAC final between Marist and Wagner; maybe additional light will be shed on this circumstance (or maybe the Seahawks will let their play speak for them).

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