LA JOLLA, Calif. – The No. 13 University of California, San Diego women's water polo team will start the 2020 season this weekend at UC Santa Barbara for the UCSB Winter Invite. This will be the Triton's first season as a member of the Big West Conference.
2019 SEASON RECAP
The Tritons went 22-14 last season and won the Western Water Polo Association for the seventh straight time. UC San Diego went on the win its NCAA opening round game against Wagner 12-8 before falling to USC 14-8 in the NCAA Quarterfinal round.
UCSB INVITE DETAILS
Vs. No. T-2 UCLA
Saturday, Jan. 18 – 9:45 A.M.
Campus Pool
Vs. Ottawa
Saturday, Jan. 18 – 3:30 P.M.
Recreation Center
Vs. Iona
Sunday, Jan. 19 – 9:45 A.M.
Campus Pool
Vs. No. 4 Berkeley
Sunday, Jan. 19 – 2:00 P.M.
Campus Pool
There will be no live stats and video provided for this weekend. Results will be updated through twitter and on the website when they become available.
RETURNING TALENT
While the Tritons lose seven seniors from last season, they return a bevy of talent ready to compete in the 2020 season.
Bennett Bugelli and
Ciara Franke were named to the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Association All-American First Team while
Grace Pevehouse and
Taylor Onstott earned a spot on the Second Team last season. Also returning is WWPA All-Tournament MVP
Reilly Gallagher and WWPA All-Freshman team honoree
Maddie Bockman.
COACHING STAFF
Brad Kreutzkamp enters his 11
th season as the Head Coach for the women's water polo team. Kreutzkamp has been named the ACPWC and WWPA Coach of the Year five times during his tenure and last earned both distinctions in 2019.
Nicki Davidson, who was promoted to Associate Head Coach, enters her third year on staff.
Randy Franke rounds out the staff.
MILESTONE WATCH
Taylor Onstott needs four more goals to hit 100 career goals for her career. Not far behind her is classmate
Ciara Franke with 82 career goals.
#BIGWESTBOUND
Women's water polo enters its inaugural season as a member of the Big West for the 2020 season. UC San Diego Athletics will officially join the Big West on July 1, 2020. The Triton's Big West opener will be at Cal State Northridge on Feb. 29. Last season, the Tritons went 2-5 against Big West Opponents.
SIZING UP THE COMPETITION
The Tritons face stiff competition to open up the season. Both UCLA and Berkley played in the NCAA Semifinal round last season. UCLA lost to eventual champion Stanford by a point and Berkley fell to USC by two points.
Iona is coming off a season where it finished third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament. Ottawa enters its inaugural season of women's water polo.
FOLLOWING THE TRITONS
Fans can follow women's water polo on social media at UCSDwwp.
UP NEXT
The Tritons will compete in the California Baptist Mini tournament on January 25 where they will face Concordia Irvine and Pomona Pitzer
About UC San Diego Athletics
With 30 national team championships, nearly 150 individual titles and the top student-athlete graduation rate among Division II institutions in the United States, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program annually ranks as one of the most successful in the country. The Tritons sponsor 23 intercollegiate sport programs that compete on the NCAA Division I and II levels and, in summer 2020, will transition into full Division I status as a member of the Big West Conference. UC San Diego student-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent. A total of 80 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 36 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. In competition, more than 1,300 UC San Diego student-athletes have earned All-America honors.
Follow The Tritons
For complete coverage and information regarding UC San Diego Athletics, follow the Tritons online at UCSDtritons.com and through social media on Twitter (@ucsdtritons), Instagram (@ucsdtritons) and Facebook (ucsdtritons).
