BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The head coaches of Division II institutions Gannon University, Mercyhurst University, McKendree University and Salem University, along with the head coaches of the Division III programs at Augustana College, Austin College, Connecticut College, Johns Hopkins University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Penn State Behrend and Washington & Jefferson College, have agreed to revise the schedule for the Division II and Division III Eastern Championships slated for Friday-Sunday, October 21-23, at the David M. Hallman III Aquatic Center in Erie, Pa.
Division II Eastern Championship
Gannon, McKendree University, Mercyhurst University and Salem University will compete in a single round-robin format using the win/loss records from the six scheduled games to determine final placement of the teams. If teams are tied in record, the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Tiebreaker process will be utilized to establish the final order of finish.
Competition begins on Friday, October 21, as Gannon faces Mercyhurst in a 7:00 p.m. contest. Game times and the order of contests on Saturday, October 22, adjust as McKendree-vs.-Salem (11:40 a.m.), Mercyhurst-vs.-Salem (3:40 p.m.) and Gannon-vs.-McKendree (7:40 p.m.) are on the docket. McKendree-vs.-Mercyhurst (8:00 a.m.) and Gannon-vs.-Salem (2:40 p.m.) wrap-up the slate on Sunday, October 23.
The 2022 event marks the 18th Division II Eastern Championship as Queens College (2003, 2010), Salem (2004), Slippery Rock University (2005), Mercyhurst (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016) and Gannon (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) have previously taken the title. The 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Division III Eastern Championship
The Division III Eastern Championship will feature a clash of conferences as Washington & Jefferson, Austin, Augustana and host Penn State Behrend of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) will seek to make history against Johns Hopkins University of the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) along with Connecticut College and MIT of the Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC).
In the history of the Division III Eastern tournament, Hopkins holds 19 Division III crowns (1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021) in 28 title games with losses in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2010, 2014 and 2018. Hopkins did not compete in two Division III Championships as the Blue Jays’ missed the championship game in 2007 and 2016 by not attending the event.
MIT is a nine-time champion (1991, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018) as the duo of the Blue Jays and Engineers rate as the only active Division III programs to hold a Division III Eastern crown. Overall, former varsity team Washington & Lee University defeated Johns Hopkins in 1992 and 1993 in the second and third Division III tournaments for the only titles not held by either the Blue Jays or Engineers.
The Division III Eastern Championship title game holds significant weight for all seven programs as the top two finishers punch tickets to the 2022 USA Water Polo Division III Championship versus the top-two finishing teams in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC). Slated for December 2-4, the event will be hosted on the East Coast for the first time following the 2019 (at Whittier College) and 2021 (at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges) events being hosted by the SCIAC Champion.
Based on a vote of the seven participating programs’ head coaches, the No. 3-to-7 seeds are known as Augustana, Austin, Washington & Jefferson, Connecticut and Penn State Behrend hold the spots, respectively. The selection of the No. 1 and 2 seeds between Johns Hopkins and MIT are pending the results of games on the weekend of October 15-16 . Following the weekend of October 15-16, Johns Hopkins and MIT will have five common opponents (Penn State Behrend, Princeton University, Fordham University, Wagner College, Gannon University) for the head coaches to compare the Blue Jays and Engineers.
The schedule of games adjusts as competition for the Division III Eastern Championship begins on Saturday, October 22.
Penn State Behrend-vs.-the No. 2 seed (9:00 a.m.) and Augustana-vs.-Connecticut (10:20 a.m.) start the day, with Austin-vs.-Washington & Jefferson (1:00 p.m.) and the Loser of Game 1-vs.-Loser of Game 2 (2:20 p.m.) following prior to the semifinals. The semifinals will match the Winner of Game 1-vs.-Winner Game 2 at 5:00 p.m. prior to the No. 1 seed mixing it up with the Winner of Game 3 at 6:20 p.m.
The two semifinalist victors are guaranteed to have their seasons continue following the conference championship tournaments as both programs punch their ticket to the USA Water Polo Division III Championship.
On Sunday, October 23, the Losers of Games 2 and 3 dive in at 9:20 a.m. prior to the Third Place pitting the Loser of Game 5-vs.-Loser of Game 6 at 10:40 a.m.
The title game pitting the Winner of Game 6 versus the Winner of Game 5 is on tap at Noon prior to the Loser of Game 1-vs.-Loser of Game 3 wrapping up the schedule at 1:20 p.m.
The results of Games 4, 7 and 10 determine the No. 5-to-7 placements in the final standings.
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