LA JOLLA, Calif. - It's a busy week for the UC San Diego women's water polo team as it plays five games, including a conference tilt, between Friday and Sunday.

First up, the 14th-ranked Tritons take on seventh-ranked Big West rival UC Irvine in Orange County on Friday at 6 p.m.

The Tritons then return to La Jolla to play a trio of games at San Diego State's Aztec Invitational. They face Concordia Saturday morning. Sunday, UC San Diego is up against La Salle as well as Princeton, the country's eighth-ranked team.

UC San Diego is currently riding a three-game win streak. 

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THE ESSENTIALS
--- Game 19: Big West ---
• #13/15 UC San Diego (10-8, 1-0) at #7/7 UC Irvine (10-8, 0-0)
• Friday / March 8 / 6pm Pacific
• Anteater Aquatics Complex / Irvine, Calif.
• ESPN+
• Live Stats
• Twitter / Instagram

--- Game 20: Aztec Invite ---
• #13/15 UC San Diego (11-8) vs. Concordia (8-11)
• Saturday / March 9 / 11:30am Pacific
• Aztec Aquaplex / San Diego, Calif.
• Watch ($)
• Live Stats
• Twitter / Instagram

--- Game 21 Aztec Invite ---
• #13/15 UC San Diego (12-8) vs. La Salle (8-7)
• Sunday / March 10 / 11am Pacific
• Aztec Aquaplex / San Diego, Calif.
• Watch ($)
• Live Stats
• Twitter / Instagram

--- Game 22: Aztec Invite ---
• #13/15 UC San Diego (12-8) vs. #8/10 Princeton (12-2)
• Sunday / March 10 / 2:45pm Pacific
• Aztec Aquaplex / San Diego, Calif.
• Watch ($)
• Live Stats
• Twitter / Instagram

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ABOUT THE UC SAN DIEGO TRITONS
Roster | Schedule & Results | Statistics
• Location: La Jolla, Calif.
• Conference: Big West
• Overall: 10-8
• Big West: 1-0
• Home: 2-4
• Away: 1-0
• Neutral: 7-4
• Streak: 3 wins
• Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) national ranking: T-15
• Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) national ranking: T-13
• Big West Preseason Poll: 4th of 8

ABOUT THE UC IRVINE ANTEATERS
Roster | Schedule & Results | Statistics
• Location: Irvine, Calif.
• Conference: Big West
• Overall: 10-8
• Big West: 0-0
• Home: 0-1
• Away: 0-1
• Neutral: 10-6
• Streak: 5 wins
• Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) national ranking: 7
• Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) national ranking: 7
• Big West Preseason Poll: 1st of 8

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TRITONS v ANTEATERS - THE SERIES
• All-time: UCI leads 46-7
• Last meeting: 4/29/23 (UCI wins 12-6 in Santa Barbara)
• First meeting: 4/4/92 (UC San Diego wins 20-6 in Santa Barbara)
• Last UC San Diego win: 2/12/06 (6-5 in La Jolla)
• Streak: UCI 25 wins

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TRITON DEBUTS
Four UC San Diego freshmen made their collegiate debuts against Ottawa on Jan. 20 at UC Santa Barbara's Winter Invitational. The foursome accounted for five goals, two assists, and six steals in the Tritons' 23-2 victory.
• Emily Cloherty: 2 shots, 2 goals, 1 drawn exclusion, 1 steal
• Maddie McMahon: 1 shot, 1 goal, 1 steal
• Olivia Obando: 1 shot, 1 goal, 3 steals
• Abigail Schechter: 1 shot, 1 goal, 2 assists, 1 steal

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TRITON LEADERS
(through 3/7)
• Goals: Caroline Christl 33
• Assists: Sydney Munatones 22
• Points: Courtney Okumura 40 (21 goals, 19 assists)
• Shots: Caroline Christl 84
• Drawn Exclusions: Kendall Thomas 27
• Steals: Lexi Stahl, 14
• Field Blocks: Kendall Thomas 5
• Saves: Lexi Stahl 42, 58

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TRITONS AMONG THE BIG WEST LEADERS
(through 3/7, all games)
• Annika Arroyo: 7th in assists (20)
• Caroline Christl: 7th in goals (33), 8th in goals/game (1.9)
• Sofia Munatones: 8th in sprint wins (11)
• Sydney Munatones: 5th in assists (22), 7th in assists/game (1.3)
• Courtney Okumura: 1st in sprint wins (19)
• Lexi Stahl: 9th in saves (58)
• Kendall Thomas: 8th in goals (30)
• Katie Ward: 2nd in goals against average (8.49), 7th in save percentage (.454), 8th in saves/game (5.4), 10th in saves (54)

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ACTIVE TRITON SCORING STREAKS
(through 3/7)
• Caroline Christl: 4 games
• Sofia Munatones: 4
• Kendall Thomas: 4
• Annika Arroyo: 3
• Cascade Stensland: 3
• Abby Moll: 3
• Sydney Munatones: 2

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TRITON GAME-WINNING GOALS
(through 3/7)
• Cascade Stensland: 3 (California Baptist 2, Whittier, Biola)
• Caroline Christl: 2 (Ottawa, La Verne)
• Grayson Mix: 2 (Fresno Pacific, Marist)
• Lucia Doak: 1 (California Baptist 1)
• Courtney Okumura: 1 (Biola 2)
• Kendall Thomas: 1 (CSUN)

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TRITON RECORDS
(through 3/7)

Overall	10-8
Big West	1-0
Non-conference	9-8
At home	2-4
On the road	1-0
At a neutral site	7-4
In overtime	0-0
Scoring 4-6 goals	0-2
Scoring 7-9 goals	0-3
Scoring 10-12 goals	1-3
Scoring 13-15 goals	4-0
Scoring 16-18 goals	1-0
Scoring 19-20 goals	3-0
Scoring 21-plus goals	1-0
More steals than opponent	9-2
Opponent has more steals	0-6
Steals are even	1-0
More shots than opponent	8-6
Opponent has more shots	0-1
Shots are even	0-1
More exclusions than opponent	3-1
Opponent has more exclusions	5-4
Exclusions are even	0-3
More field blocks than opponent	3-2
Opponent has more field blocks	3-6
Field blocks are even	2-0
On Wednesdays	0-0
On Thursdays	0-0
On Fridays	1-3
On Saturdays	5-3
On Sundays	2-2

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2024 AWARDS
• Kendall Thomas: All-Big West Preseason Coaches' Team, UCU Athlete of the Week (1/29)

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UC SAN DIEGO ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Returning (20)
Annika Arroyo, UTL
Allie Bartholomew, ATT
Lauren Bellavia, ATT
Caroline Christl, UTL
Lucia Doak, CD
Sila Fedler, UTL
Sasha Frey, ATT
Hannah Kawar, C
Kenzie Larson, ATT
Grayson Mix, UTL
Abby Moll, ATT
Sofia Munatones, ATT
Sydney Munatones, ATT
Courtney Okumura, ATT
Olivia Seargeant, UTL
Lexi Stahl, GK
Cascade Stensland, CD
Kendall Thomas, C
Katie Ward, GK
Bria Zwaschka, GK

Lost (8)
Caroline Courtois, ATT
Natalie DiMeo, ATT
Tania Frank, ATT
Madisongrace Guerra, GK
Maja Layden, C
Maddie Solares, ATT
Kayla Peacock, ATT
Carson Rampelberg, ATT

Newcomers (7)
Kyla Bruhn, ATT
Emily Cloherty, ATT
Paedrin Gillett, GK
Zoe Grover, ATT
Maddie McMahon, UTL
Olivia Obando, ATT
Abigail Schechter, UTL

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AYE AYE CAPTAIN
The Tritons' co-captains this season are senior Annika Arroyo and junior Lexi Stahl.

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THOMAS NAMED TO ALL-BIG WEST PRESEASON COACHES' TEAM
Junior Kendall Thomas was named to the 2024 All-Big West Preseason Coaches' Team. In 2023, Thomas rang up 67 points on 56 goals and 11 assists. The center led the Tritons in drawn exclusions with 42 and was second on the team in points and goals. Among all Big West players, she ranked seventh in goals and 10th in points. Thomas scored multiple goals in 16 games including a career-best seven in a win against conference opponent Cal State Fullerton. In the annual Harper Cup game against San Diego State, Thomas scored with three seconds left to give the Tritons a 10-9 win and keep the cup in La Jolla for the seventh-consecutive season. Thomas earned several accolades in 2023 including All-America Honorable Mention from the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC), All-Big West Second Team, and Harper Cup MVP. She also won academic awards from the Big West and ACWPC.

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'TIS THE PRESEASON
2024 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. UC Irvine: 47 points, 5 first-place votes
2. Hawai'i: 42, 1
3. Long Beach State: 40, 2
4. UC San Diego: 31
5. UC Davis: 23
6. UC Santa Barbara: 20
7. CSUN: 13
8. Cal State Fullerton: 8

2024 All-Big West Preseason Coaches' Team
• Rachel Kowalchick: Sr., Center, Long Beach State
• Bia Mantellato Dias: So., Center, Hawai'i
• Elisa Portillo: So., Attacker, Long Beach State
• Faith Tedesco: Sr., Goalkeeper, UC Irvine
• Dorottya Telek: Sr., Center, CSUN
• Kendall Thomas: Jr., Center, UC San Diego
• Nioka Thomas: Jr., Center, UC Irvine

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TAKE ME BACK
In 2023, the Tritons went 14-17 overall and posted a 4-3 Big West record. They finished strong, winning five of their last six games. As the fourth seed in the Big West Championship, UC San Diego defeated fifth-seeded UC Davis in a quarterfinal and fell against top-seeded and eventual conference winner UC Irvine in the semifinal round. Kendall Thomas, Caroline Christl and Courtney Okumura also earned ACWPC All-America Honorable Mention. Sofia Munatones and Sydney Munatones joined that trio in gaining Big West postseason recognition.

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2024 CWPA NATIONAL POLL
(3/6)
1. UCLA
2. Hawai'i
3. Stanford
4. California
5. USC
6. Fresno State
7. UC Irvine
8. Princeton
9. Michigan
10. Long Beach State
11. Arizona State
12. Loyola Marymount
T-13. Indiana
T-13. UC San Diego
T-13. UC Santa Barbara
16. UC Davis
17. San Jose State
18. Wagner
19. Harvard
20. Brown
21. Pacific
T-22. CSUN
T-22. Long Island
24. San Diego State
25. Marist
Receiving votes: Pomona-Pitzer, Azusa Pacific, Biola

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UC SAN DIEGO IN THE 2024 CWPA NATIONAL POLL
Week 7 (3/6): T-13
Week 6 (2/28): 15
Week 5 (2/21): T-13
Week 4 (2/14): 14
Week 3 (2/7): 14
Week 2 (1/31): 9
Week 1 (1/24): 10
Preseason (1/11): 10

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2024 ACWPC NATIONAL POLL
(3/6)
1. UCLA
2. Hawai'i
3. Stanford
4. California
5. USC
6. Fresno State
7. UC Irvine
8. Arizona State
9. Long Beach State
10. Princeton
11. Michigan
12. Loyola Marymount
T-13. Indiana
T-13. UC Santa Barbara
T-15. UC Davis
T-15. UC San Diego
17. San Jose State
18. Wagner
19. Harvard
20. Pomona-Pitzer
21. San Diego State
T-22. Brown
T-22. Long Island University
T-22. Pacific
25. Marist

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UC SAN DIEGO IN THE 2024 ACWPC NATIONAL POLL 
March 6: T-15
Feb. 28: 14
Feb. 21: 13
Feb. 14: 13
Feb. 7: 15
Jan. 31: 9
Jan. 24: 9

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HEAD COACH BRAD KREUTZKAMP
Brad Kreutzkamp is in his 15th season as head coach of the UC San Diego women's water polo program in 2024. In 14 seasons at the helm, Kreutzkamp has led UC San Diego to eight Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) championships and eight appearances at the NCAA Championship. He holds an overall record of 278-197 (.585) during his tenure and has been named the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) and WWPA Coach of the Year five times during this stretch. Full Bio

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UP NEXT
UC San Diego plays in the Aztec Invite, hosted by San Diego State. The Tritons play Concordia (11:30 a.m.) and #17 San Jose State (5:20 p.m.) on Saturday, March 9. On Sunday, UC San Diego takes on La Salle (11 a.m.) and eighth-ranked Princeton (2:45 p.m.).

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FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!

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GEAR HERE
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, visit the official team store of the Tritons here.

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WHY THE TRITONS?
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.

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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.