BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Significant changes come to the national scene after eight weeks of competition as the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) releases the 2018 Women’s Varsity Week 8/March 7 National Top 25, Division III Top 10, CWPA Top 10 and CWPA Division III Top Five Polls.
In the aftermath of an 8-7 sudden victory defeat of defending National Champion Stanford University over the weekend, the University of California catches the Cardinal to tie the two programs at No. 1 in the National Top 25.
Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (Division III), the University of Michigan (CWPA Top 10) and Macalester College (CWPA Division III Top Five) also retain top-billing in their respective rankings.
Voted on by a panel of coaches from the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA), the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), the Golden Coast Conference, the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the Big West Conference, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and the CWPA based on the cumulative results of the season, the polls are compiled and released on Wednesday during the season through the week following the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship.
2018 Women’s Varsity National Top 25 (Week 8)
Arguably the most significant change of the season occurs this week as defending National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Champion Stanford University, which ranked at No. 1 in the Preseason through the Week 7 polls, are caught by the University of California to create a tie for the top position in the Week 8/March 7 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Women’s Varsity National Top 25 Poll.
The rise of California (97 points) comes about following an 8-7 sudden victory defeat of the Cardinal (97 points) over the weekend to hand Stanford its inaugural loss of the 2018 campaign. However, the Golden Bears do not claim sole custody of the No. 1 berth likely in part due to earlier losses to Stanford (11-9 L), the University of California-Los Angeles (7-5 L) and the University of Southern California (6-5 L).
Cal’s rise forces USC (93 points) back to No. 3 with UCLA (89 points) slipping to No. 4. The University of Hawaii (84 points) and Arizona State University (80 points) remain at No. 5 and 6, while the University of California-Irvine (75 points) and University of the Pacific (70 points) exchange the No. 7 and 8 spots in front of No. 9 the University of Michigan (69 points).
The University of California-Davis (61 points) rises from a tie at No. 13 to take over at No. 10 with previously No. 10 the University of California-San Diego (58 points) falling out of the Top 10 and back to No. 11.
Loyola Marymount University (57 points) stays constant at No. 12 with the duo of Indiana University (49 points) and Hartwick College (49 points) readjusting to tie at No. 13.
Long Beach State University (41 points) and the University of California-Santa Barbara (37 points) come in at No. 15 and 16 to rate in front of Princeton University (34 points) and Wagner College (34 points) who both rate at No. 17.
California State University-Northridge (27 points) and Harvard University (23 points) complete the Top 20 at No. 19 and 20, respectively, with San Jose State University (22 points) and San Diego State University (22 points) tying at No. 21.
Marist College (14 points), California Baptist University (8 points) and Fresno State University (4 points) wrap-up the Top 25 at No. 23-to-25.
2018 Women’s Varsity Top 25 (Week 8/March 7) |
|||
| Rank | Team | 2018 Week 7 Poll |
Points |
| 1 (T) |
Stanford University |
1 | 97 |
| 1 (T) |
University of California |
4 |
97 |
| 3 |
University of Southern California |
2 |
93 |
| 4 | University of California-Los Angeles |
3 | 89 |
| 5 | University of Hawaii |
5 | 84 |
| 6 | Arizona State University |
6 |
80 |
| 7 |
University of California-Irvine |
8 | 75 |
| 8 | University of the Pacific |
7 | 70 |
| 9 |
University of Michigan |
9 | 69 |
| 10 |
University of California-Davis |
13 (T) |
61 |
| 11 |
University of California-San Diego |
10 (T) |
58 |
| 12 |
Loyola Marymount University |
12 |
57 |
| 13 (T) |
Indiana University |
10 (T) |
49 |
| 13 (T) |
Hartwick College |
13 (T) |
49 |
| 15 |
Long Beach State University |
17 |
41 |
| 16 |
University of California-Santa Barbara |
16 |
37 |
| 17 (T) |
Princeton University |
22 |
34 |
| 17 (T) |
Wagner College |
15 |
34 |
| 19 |
California State University-Northridge |
19 |
27 |
| 20 |
Harvard University |
21 |
23 |
| 21 (T) |
San Jose State University |
18 |
22 |
| 21 (T) |
San Diego State University |
20 |
22 |
| 23 | Marist College |
RV |
14 |
| 24 |
California Baptist University |
23 |
8 |
| 25 |
Fresno State University |
24 (T) |
4 |
| RV |
California State University-East Bay |
24 (T) |
2 |
| RV | Santa Clara University |
RV |
2 |
| RV | George Washington University |
RV |
1 |
| RV | Brown University |
RV |
1 |
| RV | Bucknell University |
NR |
1 |
| RV | Pomona-Pitzer Colleges |
RV |
1 |
| RV | Azusa Pacific University |
RV |
1 |
2018 Women’s Varsity Division III Top 10 (Week 8)
Pomona-Pitzer Colleges remains the top team in Division III as the Sagehens once again rank at No. 1 in the Week 8/March 7 Women’s Varsity Division III Top 10 Poll.
The Sagehens (99 points) fall one point shy of unanimous status for the second week in a row.
California Lutheran University (94 points) hangs on at No. 2 with Whittier College (84 points) and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (84 points) tying at No. 3.
Chapman University (83 points), the University of La Verne (73 points), the University of Redlands (70 points), Occidental College (63 points), Macalester College (51 points) and Connecticut College (41 points) complete the Top 10.
2018 Women’s Varsity Division III Top 10 (Week 8/March 7) |
|||
| Rank | Team | 2018 Week 7 Poll |
Points |
| 1 |
Pomona-Pitzer Colleges |
1 |
99 |
| 2 | California Lutheran University |
2 |
94 |
| 3 (T) |
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges | 4 |
84 |
| 3 (T) | Whittier College |
3 |
84 |
| 5 |
Chapman University |
5 (T) |
83 |
| 6 | University of La Verne |
5 (T) |
73 |
| 7 |
University of Redlands |
7 |
70 |
| 8 | Occidental College |
8 | 63 |
| 9 | Macalester College |
9 | 51 |
| 10 | Connecticut College |
10 | 41 |
| RV | Washington & Jefferson College |
RV | 22 |
| RV | Carthage College |
NR | 11 |
2018 Women’s Varsity Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 10 (Week 8)
Two-time defending Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Champion the University of Michigan remains the top pick in the Week 8/March 7 Women’s Varsity CWPA Top 10 Poll.
Michigan (98 points) hangs on at No. 1 by the narrowest of margins as Hartwick College (97 points) moves within a point of the Wolverines with a non-conference matchup between the two titans set for Sunday, March 11, in Oneonta, N.Y.
Indiana University (88 points) falls back to No. 3 with Princeton University (85 points), Harvard University (82 points) and Bucknell University (73 points) remaining at No. 4-to-6, respectively. George Washington University (69 points) and Brown University (68 points) trade the No. 7 and 8 slots with Saint Francis University (60 points) and Macalester College (56 points) concluding the Top 10.
2018 Women’s Varsity Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 10 (Week 8/March 7) |
|||
| Rank | Team | 2018 Week 7 Poll |
Points |
| 1 | University of Michigan |
1 | 98 |
| 2 |
Hartwick College |
2 (T) |
97 |
| 3 |
Indiana University |
2 (T) |
88 |
| 4 | Princeton University |
4 | 85 |
| 5 | Harvard University |
5 |
82 |
| 6 |
Bucknell University | 6 | 73 |
| 7 |
George Washington University | 8 |
69 |
| 8 | Brown University |
7 | 68 |
| 9 | Saint Francis University |
9 | 60 |
| 10 |
Macalester College |
10 |
56 |
| RV |
Connecticut College |
RV | 11 |
2018 Women’s Varsity Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III Top 10 (Week 8)
Macalester College, which captured the 2017 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Championship, remains at No. 1 in the Week 8/March 7 CWPA Division III Top Five Poll.
Macalester (99 points), which joined Grove City College (2010-2012) and Connecticut College (2013-2016) as the sole teams to ever claim the CWPA Division III league crown, continues to hold a dominating lead in the poll as Connecticut (94 points) stays behind by five points at No. 2.
Carthage College (89 points) and Grove City (51 points) hang on at No. 3 and 4 with Monmouth College (49 points) and Penn State Behrend (49 points) tying at No. 5.
2018 Women’s Varsity Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III Top 5 (Week 8/March 7) |
|||
| Rank | Team | 2018 Week 7 Poll |
Points |
| 1 | Macalester College |
1 | 99 |
| 2 | Connecticut College |
2 | 94 |
| 3 | Carthage College |
3 | 89 |
| 4 | Grove City College |
4 | 51 |
| 5 | Penn State Behrend |
RV | 49 |
| RV | Monmouth College |
5 | 49 |
| RV | Washington & Jefferson College | RV | 19 |
