USC Takes Solo Hold of Top Spot in Women’s Water Polo Poll after Stanford Loss
USC finds itself alone at No. 1 in the latest Collegiate Water Polo Association women’s water polo poll, breaking a preseason tie with Stanford.
The Cardinal plummeted to seventh in the Week 1 poll after a loss to Fresno State at Fresno’s Polo-Palooza. Stanford is feeling the absence of Jenna Flynn, Ryann Neushul, Jewel Roemer and Ella Woodhead, all taking Olympic redshirt seasons while vying for places on the U.S. Olympic team.
USC opened the season with a pair of wins, beating San Diego State and Cal State Fullerton at the latter’s Titan Invitational. The Trojans, under first-year head coach Casey Moon, are diminished by the looming Olympics, with American Emily Ausmus deferring her enrollment by a year and Australian Tilly Kearns training in her home country.
The rest of the top five bump up a place this week, with UCLA in at No. 2, followed by California and Hawaii. Fresno State jumps from No. 9 to No. 6 thanks to its upset. UC-Irvine slots in at No. 6.
Long Beach State, Princeton and UC San Diego round out the top 10. Michigan jumps two spots to No. 11, while UC Davis fell three spots to No. 14.
The full poll is available here.