LA JOLLA, Calif. - With the 2024 regular season winding down, the UC San Diego women's water polo team hosts Big West rival Long Beach State Saturday at noon at Canyonview Aquatic Center.

In the latest national rankings, UC San Diego is No. 11 (CWPA) and No. 14 (ACWPC). Long Beach State is No. 7 (CWPA and No. 9 (ACWPC).

Both squads come into the contest with identical 4-1 records in the conference. The Tritons are 16-9 overall and have won their last two games. The Beach is 19-7 on the season.

UC San Diego's lone Big West loss was against Hawai'i, 18-8 in Honolulu. Long Beach State's only loss in the conference was also against the Rainbow Wahine, 13-6 in Long Beach.

Following this weekend's single match, the Tritons have two more remaining in the regular season. They entertain UC Davis in a Big West tilt on Friday, April 19 at 6 p.m., which will be Senior Night. On Sunday, April 21, the team travels across the city for the annual Harper Cup game against San Diego State. That game is slated for a 1 p.m. start.

The Big West Championship runs April 26-28 at the Schaal Aquatics Center on the campus of UC Davis. All eight conference teams compete with the winner grabbing an automatic berth in the NCAA Championship.
 

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THE ESSENTIALS
--- Game 26: Big West ---
• #11/#14 UC San Diego (16-9, 4-1) vs. #7/#9 Long Beach State (19-7, 4-1)
• Saturday / April 13 / 12 p.m. Pacific
• Canyonview Aquatic Center / La Jolla, Calif. (map)
• Tickets
• ESPN+ ($)
• KSDT Online Radio (free)
• 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: 16-9
• Big West: 4-1
• Home: 2-4
• Away: 4-1
• Neutral: 10-4
• Streak: 2 wins
• Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) national ranking: 14
• Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) national ranking: 11
• Big West Preseason Poll: 4th of 8

ABOUT THE LONG BEACH STATE BEACH
Roster | Schedule & Results | Statistics
• Location: Long Beach, Calif.
• Conference: Big West
• Overall: 19-7
• Big West: 4-1
• Home: 7-1
• Away: 5-1
• Neutral: 7-5
• Streak: 1 loss
• Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) national ranking: 9
• Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) national ranking: 7
• Big West Preseason Poll: 3rd of 8

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TRITON LEADERS
(through 4/12)
• Goals: Caroline Christl 52
• Assists: Sydney Munatones/Courtney Okumura 26
• Points: Caroline Christl 61 (52 goals, 9 assists)
• Shots: Caroline Christl 119
• Drawn Exclusions: Kendall Thomas 32
• Steals: Lexi Stahl, 22
• Field Blocks: Sofia Munatones 6
• Saves: Lexi Stahl 130

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ACTIVE TRITON SCORING STREAKS
(through 4/12)
• Caroline Christl: 11 games
• Lucia Doak: 2

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TRITON GAME-WINNING GOALS
(through 4/12)
• Caroline Christl: 5 (Ottawa, La Verne, Princeton, Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara)
• Cascade Stensland: 3 (California Baptist 2, Whittier, Biola)
• Grayson Mix: 2 (Fresno Pacific, Marist)
• Annika Arroyo: 1 (UC Irvine)
• Lucia Doak: 1 (California Baptist 1)
• Kenzie Larson: 1 (Concordia)
• Courtney Okumura: 1 (Biola 2)
• Abigail Schechter: 1 (La Salle)
• Kendall Thomas: 1 (CSUN)

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TRITON RECORDS
(through 4/12)

Overall	16-9
Big West	4-1
Non-conference	12-8
At home	2-4
On the road	4-1
At a neutral site	10-4
In overtime	0-0
Scoring 4-6 goals	1-2
Scoring 7-9 goals	1-4
Scoring 10-12 goals	2-3
Scoring 13-15 goals	7-0
Scoring 16-18 goals	1-0
Scoring 19-20 goals	3-0
Scoring 21-plus goals	1-0
More steals than opponent	14-2
Opponent has more steals	0-7
Steals are even	2-0
More shots than opponent	12-6
Opponent has more shots	3-2
Shots are even	1-1
More exclusions than opponent	4-2
Opponent has more exclusions	10-4
Exclusions are even	2-3
More field blocks than opponent	7-2
Opponent has more field blocks	3-7
Field blocks are even	6-0
On Fridays	2-4
On Saturdays	7-3
On Sundays	7-2

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2024 AWARDS
• Caroline Christl: UCU Athlete of the Week (4/1)
• Lexi Stahl: Two-time Big West Player of the Week (4/10, 3/13)
• 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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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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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
(4/10)
1. UCLA
2. Hawai'i
3. Stanford
4. USC
5. California
6. Loyola Marymount
7. Long Beach State
8. Fresno State
9. UC Irvine
10. Arizona State
11. UC San Diego
12. Princeton
13. Michigan 
14. UC Davis
15. Indiana
16. UC Santa Barbara
17. San Jose State
18. Wagner
19. Pacific
20. Long Island University
t-21. Harvard
t-21. San Diego State
23. Pomona-Pitzer
24. CSUN
25. Brown

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UC SAN DIEGO IN THE 2024 CWPA NATIONAL POLL
Week 12 (4/10): 11
Week 11 (4/3): 12
Week 10 (3/27): 12
Week 9 (3/20): 12
Week 8 (3/13): 11
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
(4/10)
1. UCLA
2. Hawai'i
3. Stanford
4. USC
5. California
6. LMU
7. Fresno State
8. UC Irvine
9. Long Beach State
10. Arizona State
11. Princeton
12. Michigan
13. Indiana
14. UC San Diego
15. UC Davis
16. UC Santa Barbara
17. San Jose State
18. Wagner
19. Harvard
20. Long Island University
21. San Diego State
22. Pacific
23. Pomona-Pitzer
24. Brown
25. Marist

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UC SAN DIEGO IN THE 2024 ACWPC NATIONAL POLL 
April 10: 14
April 3: 14
March 27: 14
March 20: T-14
March 13: 14
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 hosts Long Beach State in a Big West tilt on Saturday, April 13, at noon.

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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.