LA JOLLA, Calif. - The UC San Diego women's water polo team has been chosen to finish fourth in the conference as the Big West released its preseason coaches' poll Friday.

The Tritons garnered 28 points in the poll, tied with UC Davis for the fourth position.

Hawai'i, the 2025 conference champion, was chosen to repeat in 2026. The Rainbow Wahine earned 45 points and five of the eight first-place votes from the coaches.

Long Beach State (44 points, 2 first-place votes) was a close second. UC Irvine (39, 1) was third, UC Santa Barbara (18) placed sixth, CSUN (12) was seventh, and Cal State Fullerton (10) was eighth.

In 2025, UC San Diego went 17-14 while posting a 4-3 Big West mark, good for fourth place. At the Big West Championship, the Tritons defeated fifth-seeded UC Davis in a quarterfinal before falling to Hawai'i, the top seed, in a semifinal.

UC San Diego kicks off its 2026 campaign on Jan. 17 with two contests at Pomona-Pitzer. The Tritons take on the Sagehens as well as Azusa Pacific. The home season starts with the annual Triton Invitational, Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at Canyonview Aquatic Center.

Season tickets and single game tickets are available through the Triton Box Office.

The Big West champion earns an automatic berth in the 2026 NCAA National Collegiate Championship. UC San Diego will host the tournament Apr. 24-26. More information, including ticket sales, will be released at a later date.

2026 BIG WEST PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

Rank	School	Points	1st Place Votes
1	Hawai'i	45	5
2	Long Beach State	44	2
3	UC Irvine	39	1
T-4	UC San Diego	28	-
T-4	UC Davis	28	-
6	UC Santa Barbara	18	-
7	CSUN	12	-
8	Cal State Fullerton	10	-