BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) releases the 2026 Week 10/March 25 Women’s Varsity National Top 25, Division III Top 10, CWPA Top Five and CWPA Division III Top Five Polls.
A new team reigns supreme in the Top 25 as the University of Southern California displaces previously top-billed Stanford University following an 11-10 head-to-head defeat of the Cardinal last week. Pomona-Pitzer Colleges and Augustana College remain in the lead positions of the Division III Top 10 and CWPA Division III Top Five rankings, while Harvard University assumes the No. 1 berth in the CWPA Top 5.
Voted on by a panel of coaches from around the country based on the cumulative results of the season, the polls are compiled and released on Wednesday during the season.
2026 Women’s Varsity National Top 25 (Week 10)
Defending National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Champion Stanford University drops off the pace this week as the University of Southern California – which defeated the Cardinal by an 11-10 score over the weekend – climbs to No. 1 in the 2026 Week 10/March 25 Women’s Varsity National Top 25 Poll.
Similar to their most recent meeting, the Trojans (98 points) clip the Cardinal (97 points) by a single point to take over at No. 1. The rise of USC from No. 3 to No. 1 drops the University of California-Los Angeles (93 points) back to No. 3 with the University of California (88 points) retaining the No. 4 position.
More changes to the Top 10 occur as Arizona State University (82 points) and the University of Hawaii (81 points) trade the No. 5 and 6 berths with Loyola Marymount University (74 points), Long Beach State University (73 points) and the University of California-Irvine (68 points) remaining at No. 7-to-9, respectively.
Indiana University (60 points) cracks the Top 10 by acquiring the final berth with Harvard University (56 points) sticking at No. 11 for another seven-day run.
Princeton University (53 points) and the University of Michigan (53 points) ascend and descend into a tie at No. 12 prior to Fresno State University (51 points) and the University of California-San Diego (49 points) settling at No. 14 and 15.
The University of California-Davis (39 points), San Diego State University (36 points), Marist University (34 points), San Jose State University (29 points) and University of the Pacific (24 points) stand at No. 16-to-20, while the duo of Wagner College (17 points) and California Baptist University (17 points) are tied at No. 21.
Brown University (11 points), Villanova University (8 points) and California State University-Northridge (6 points) complete the Top 25.
2026 Women’s Varsity Top 25 (Week 10/March 25)
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| Rank | Team | Week 9 Poll |
Points |
| 1 |
University of Southern California | 3 | 98 |
| 2 |
Stanford University | 1 | 97 |
| 3 |
University of California-Los Angeles | 2 | 93 |
| 4 | University of California | 4 | 88 |
| 5 | Arizona State University | 6 | 82 |
| 6 | University of Hawaii | 5 | 81 |
| 7 | Loyola Marymount University |
7 | 74 |
| 8 | Long Beach State University |
8 | 73 |
| 9 | University of California-Irvine | 9 | 68 |
| 10 | Indiana University | 12 | 60 |
| 11 | Harvard University | 11 | 56 |
| 12 (T) | Princeton University | 16 | 53 |
| 12 (T) | University of Michigan | 10 | 53 |
| 14 | Fresno State University | 13 (T) | 51 |
| 15 | University of California-San Diego | 13 (T) | 49 |
| 16 | University of California-Davis | 17 | 39 |
| 17 |
San Diego State University | 13 (T) | 36 |
| 18 |
Marist University | 18 | 34 |
| 19 | San Jose State University | 20 | 29 |
| 20 | University of the Pacific | 19 | 24 |
| 21 (T) | California Baptist University | 23 | 17 |
| 21 (T) | Wagner College | 21 | 17 |
| 23 |
Brown University | 22 | 11 |
| 24 |
Villanova University | 24 | 8 |
| 25 | California State Universtiy-Northridge | RV | 6 |
| RV | Pomona-Pitzer Colleges | 25 | 2 |
2026 Women’s Varsity Division III Top 10 (Week 10)
Pomona-Pitzer Colleges remains the dominant presence in Division III as the Sagehens stay at No. 1 in the 2026 Week 10/March 25 Women’s Varsity Division III Top 10 Poll.
The Sagehens (99 points) – who fall one point shy of remaining a unanimous top selection – are followed by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (96 points) and California Lutheran University (89 points).
Chapman University (83 points) gains company at No. 4 from Augustana College (83 points) with Macalester College (74 points), Whittier College (67 points), previously not ranked the University of La Verne (53 points), Occidental College (48 points) and the University of Redlands (38 points) completing the Top 10.
2026 Women’s Varsity Division III Top 10 (Week 10/March 25)
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| Rank | Team | Week 9 Poll |
Points |
| 1 | Pomona-Pitzer Colleges | 1 | 99 |
| 2 |
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges | 2 | 96 |
| 3 |
California Lutheran University |
3 | 89 |
| 4 (T) | Augustana College | 5 | 83 |
| 4 (T) | Chapman University | 4 | 83 |
| 6 | Macalester College | 6 | 74 |
| 7 |
Whittier College |
7 | 67 |
| 8 | University of La Verne | NR | 53 |
| 9 | Occidental College | 8 | 48 |
| 10 | University of Redlands | 9 | 38 |
| RV | Austin College | 10 (T) | 33 |
| RV | Carthage College | 10 (T) | 12 |
2026 Women’s Varsity Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 5 (Week 10)
A 9-8 loss by the University of Michigan at Princeton University last week shifts the upper echelon of the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division I Top Five rankings with Harvard University (96 points) filling the vacuum at No. 1 in the 2026 Week 10/March 25 poll.
The defending/2025 CWPA Champion Crimson (96 points) hold a one-point lead over the 2000, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2023 and 2024 league champion Tigers (95 points) and a two point spread compared to the 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 league champion Wolverines (94 points).
Brown University (85 points) and Bucknell University (80 points) again complete the Top Five.
2026 Women’s Varsity Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 5 (Week 10/March 25)
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| Rank | Team | Week 9 Poll |
Points |
| 1 | Harvard University | 2 | 96 |
| 2 | Princeton University | 3 | 95 |
| 3 | University of Michigan | 1 | 94 |
| 4 | Brown University |
4 | 85 |
| 5 | Bucknell University |
5 |
80 |
2026 Women’s Varsity Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III Top 5 (Week 10)
Consistency reigns in the Week 10/March 25 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Top Five poll with defending CWPA Division III Champion Augustana College remaining a unanimous No. 1 pick.
No placement changes occur from the Week 9/March 18 balloting as Augustana, Macalester College (95 points), Carthage College (89 points), Austin College (86 points) and Washington & Jefferson College (48 points) continue at No. 1-to-5.
2026 Women’s Varsity Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III Top 5 (Week 10/March 25)
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| Rank | Team | Week 9 Poll |
Points |
| 1 | Augustana College |
1 | 100 |
| 2 | Macalester College |
2 | 95 |
| 3 | Carthage College | 3 | 89 |
| 4 | Austin College |
4 | 86 |
| 5 | Washington & Jefferson College |
5 | 48 |
| RV | Connecticut College |
RV | 16 |
| RV | Grove City College |
RV | 16 |
