Women’s Water Polo Tied for Largest Growth in Number of International Student-Athletes in Division I Per Latest National Collegiate Athletic Association Country of Origin Data

2018 National Collegiate Athletic Association International Student-Athlete Chart (PDF)

BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — 94 international student-athletes competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Women’s Water Polo competition during the 2015-16 academic year per the latest data recorded on the NCAA’s Country of Origin Spreadsheet for International Student-Athletes.

The most popular nation for international student-athletes in NCAA women’s water polo during the 2015-16 season was Canada with 40 athletes. Australia (15) and Spain (11) also produced double-digit totals in athletes, with New Zealand (six), Hungary (four), Brazil (three), Greece (three), the Netherlands/Holland (two), South Africa (two) and the United Kingdom (two) also posting multiple players.  Italy, the Czech Republic, Mexico, China, Serbia and Sweden each placed one competitor on an NCAA program’s roster.

Overall, women’s water polo (eight-to-20 percent) is tied with field hockey (13-to-25 percent) for the largest growth among international students-athletes on the Division I level from 2010 to 2016 with 12 percent increases.  No other women’s sport experienced a double-digit increase as golf (21-to-29 percent – eight percent increase), basketball (six-to-12 percent – six percent increase) and tennis (47-to-53 percent – six percent increase) are immediately behind water polo and field hockey for international growth.