BRIDGEPORT – The 2015 Women’s Varsity season comes to a close as the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) releases the Week 17/May 13/Final Women’s National Top 20 of the year. National Champion Stanford University, which captured the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title over the weekend to become the first host school to claim the women’s championship, returns to the No. 1 spot as a unanimous top pick.
In the wake of the outcome from the eight-team NCAA Championship at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center on Friday-Sunday, May 8-10, the National Top 20 poll experiences significant changes in the Top 10 with the remainder of the rankings undergoing minor adjustments as the teams enter the off-season.
Voted on by a panel of coaches from the CWPA, Western Water Polo Association (WWPA), Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), Big West Conference, Golden Coast Conference, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the National Top 20, Division III Top 10, CWPA Top 10 and CWPA Division III Top Five polls are compiled and released on each Wednesday during the season through the week following the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship.
2015 Women’s Varsity National Top 20 (Week 17/Final)
The Stanford University Cardinal may not have won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) championship, but the squad stands alone at the top of the national rankings in the wake of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship as the National Champions return to the No. 1 position in the Week 17/May 13/Final Women’s Varsity National Top 20 Poll.
It marks the ninth time in 18 weeks of balloting (Preseason-to-Week 17) that Stanford ranks at No. 1 as the Cardinal topped the polling in the Preseason, Week 1-to-5 and Week 13-to-14 voting prior to returning to the prime position this week. MPSF Champion the University of California-Los Angeles (95 points), which fell to Stanford by a 7-6 count in the NCAA Championship game, held the No. 1 position the rest of the time as the Bruins reached the pinnacle of the National Top 20 in the Week 6-to-12 and Week 15-to-16 polls.
Due to their runner-up mark at the NCAA Championship, the Bruins slip to No. 2 following the outcome of the final voting for the season, while the University of Southern California (90 points) and the University of California (85 points), which finished third and fourth at the NCAA Championship, hold true to their placements at No. 3 and 4.
The biggest changes in the Top 10 occur at No. 5-to-9 as the University of California-Irvine (79 points) improves one place from its Week 16 position to take over at No. 5 following a Fifth Place finish at the NCAA Championship.
Former No. 8 Princeton University (72 points), which fell to UC-Irvine by a 6-5 score in the NCAA Fifth Place game, moves into a tie with former No. 5 the University of Hawaii (72 points). The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) champion Tigers defeated the Big West champion Rainbow Wahine, 7-6, in the second round of the NCAA Championship, but will enter the off-season tied at No. 6.
Princeton’s rise forces the remainder of the Top 10 to fall back as San Jose State University (65 points) and Arizona State University (60 points) each slide one position to take over at No. 8 and 9, respectively. California State University-Northridge (56 points) joins USC and California as the only teams in the Top 10 to retain a position as the Matadors remain at No. 10.
The University of California-Davis (49 points) breaks out of a tie with Indiana University (47 points) at No. 11 as the Aggies and Hoosiers now rate at No. 11 and 12, respectively.
As one tie dies off, another is born, as the University of California-Santa Barbara (35 points) and Loyola Marymount University (35 points) pull even at No. 13. Long Beach State University (28 points) remains at No. 15, while the University of the Pacific (23 points) and San Diego State University (23 points) conclude the year tied at No. 16.
Wagner College (13 points) and Hartwick College (13 points), which were tied at No. 18 last week, remain each others’ equal as the Seahawks and Hawks remain deadlocked.
The final spot in the Top 20 belongs to Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) champion the University of California-San Diego (11 points) as the Tritons complete the Top 20.
The University of Michigan (3 points) also receives votes in the final poll of the 2015 season.
2015 Varsity Top 20 (Week 17/May 13/Final)
Rank Team Week 16 Poll Points
1 Stanford University 2 100
2 University of California-Los Angeles 1 95
3 University of Southern California 3 90
4 University of California 4 85
5 University of California-Irvine 6 79
6 (T) Princeton University 8 (T) 72
6 (T) University of Hawaii 5 72
8 San Jose State University 7 65
9 Arizona State University 8 (T) 60
10 California State University-Northridge 10 56
11 University of California-Davis 11 (T) 49
12 Indiana University 11 (T) 47
13 (T) Loyola Marymount University 14 35
13 (T) University of California-Santa Barbara 13 35
15 Long Beach State University 15 28
16 (T) San Diego State University 17 23
16 (T) University of the Pacific 16 23
18 (T) Hartwick College 18 (T) 13
18 (T) Wagner College 18 (T) 13
20 University of California-San Diego 20 11
RV University of Michigan RV 3
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