Friday, January 17
Santa Barbara, CA
2:30 PM
UCLA
vs
CSUN
The 2020 UCLA women's water polo team.
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
No. 2 UCLA Opens Season at UCSB Winter Invitational
January 16, 2020 | Women's Water Polo
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LOS ANGELES โ No. 2 UCLA (0-0, 0-0 MPSF) opens the 2020 season with No. 22ย CSUN (0-0) for the second straight season at the UC Santa Barbara Winter Invitational on Friday, Jan. 17 at 2:30 p.m. PT at UCSB's Campus Pool. The Bruins will also face No. 11 UC Santa Barbara (0-0) at 6:00 p.m. PT on Friday before playing No. 13 UC San Diego (0-0) and Iona (0-0) on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 9:45 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively. UCLA will close out the tournament on Sunday, Jan. 19 with OUAZ (0-0) at 11:00 a.m.
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Friday, Jan. 17 (Campus Pool)
2:30 PM PT โ No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 22 CSUN
6:00 PM PT โ No. 2 UCLA at No. 11ย UC Santa Barbara (LIVE STATS)
Saturday, Jan. 18 (Campus Pool/Rec Center)
9:45 AM PT โ No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 13 UC San Diego (Campus Pool)
2:00 PM PT โ No. 2 UCLA vs. Iona (Rec Center)
Sunday, Jan. 19 (Campus Pool)
11:00 AM PT โ No. 2 UCLA vs. OUAZ (Ottawa University - Arizona)
MINI OUTLOOK
Third-year head coach Adam Wright returns three of his top six scorers to NCAA-semifinalist UCLA. But the Bruins have some big shoes to fill as senior All-Americans Maddie Musselman (61 goals) and Bronte Halligan (34 goals) have taken the year off to pursue Olympic dreams.
ย
Sophomore attacker Val Ayala (34 goals) was second on the team in scoring a year ago. Sheย earned Honorable Mention All-American plaudits and was named to the MPSF All-Newcomer team. She is the Bruins' only returning All-American.
ย
Sophomore center Ava Johnson (20 goals) was fifth on the squad last year in scoring and was also named to the MPSF All-Newcomer team.
ย
The Bruins will also have to replace goalkeeper Carlee Kapana who ranked among the conference's top goalkeepers all season, tallying a career-best 234 saves (10.08 per game), which ranked second in the MPSF. She allowed 6.68 goals per game, which ranked third in the league. Reserve junior goalie Jahmea Bent (6.59 goals against average and 81 saves, 9.70 saves per game in 2019) will look to replace Kapana, but has some stiff competition from redshirt freshman Georgia Phillips and true freshman Quinn Winter (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach HS).
ย
UCLA also lost All-American attacker Lizette Rozeboom (25 goals) to graduation.
But the Bruins' depth will get a big boost by a large and talented freshman class littered with experience on four USA Water Polo National Team levels, as well as Junior Olympics gold medalists and CIF champions. All 10 student-athletes are from California andย includes center Layne Anzaldo (Corona del Mar, Calif./Corona del Mar HS), defender Brooke Banta (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor HS), attacker Brooke Dotenย (Davis, Calif./Davis Senior HS), utility Brooke Gruneisenย (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Wilson HS), utility Abbi Hill (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos HS), attacker Fiona Kuesis (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos HS), attacker Kate McCarthy (San Anselmo, Calif./Sir Francis Drake HS), attacker Hannah Palmer (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran HS), center Rachel Spadt (Fullerton, Calif./Brea Olinda HS,ย and goalkeeper Winter.
Coaching Changes
During the offseason, UCLA women's water polo hired James Robinson as an assistant coach to replace Kodi Hill.
Wright on Deck
Adam Wright is in his third season as UCLA's head men's water polo coach in 2019 with an overall record of 47-15 (.758) and an MPSF mark of 6-5 (.545).ย On July 20, 2017, UCLA Director of Athletics, Dan Guerrero, announced that Wrightย will guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams.
ย
Recapping 2019
Overall Record: 24-7 |ย Final Ranking: 3rd | NCAA Finish: T-3rd |ย MPSFย Tournament Finish: 3rd
UCLA advanced to the semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament in head coach Adam Wright's second season at the helm of the program. The Bruins' 13-7 win over No. 6 Michigan at Stanford secured their ninth consecutive appearance in the national semifinals. Junior Maddie Musselman secured ACWPCย first team All-America acclaim for the third time in her career. Junior Bronte Halligan picked up second team acclaim while seniorsย Carlee Kapanaย and Lizette Rozeboom as well as freshman (now sophomore) Val Ayala were named honorable mention All-America selections. For the second straight season, a total of 12 Bruins claimed ACWPC All-Academic honors.
UCLA In The CWPA Poll
The Bruins begin the season ranked tied for second in the 2020 Preseason CWPAย National Women's Varsity Top 25 Poll (95 points), released on Jan. 15.
ย
LOS ANGELES โ No. 2 UCLA (0-0, 0-0 MPSF) opens the 2020 season with No. 22ย CSUN (0-0) for the second straight season at the UC Santa Barbara Winter Invitational on Friday, Jan. 17 at 2:30 p.m. PT at UCSB's Campus Pool. The Bruins will also face No. 11 UC Santa Barbara (0-0) at 6:00 p.m. PT on Friday before playing No. 13 UC San Diego (0-0) and Iona (0-0) on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 9:45 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively. UCLA will close out the tournament on Sunday, Jan. 19 with OUAZ (0-0) at 11:00 a.m.
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Friday, Jan. 17 (Campus Pool)
2:30 PM PT โ No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 22 CSUN
6:00 PM PT โ No. 2 UCLA at No. 11ย UC Santa Barbara (LIVE STATS)
Saturday, Jan. 18 (Campus Pool/Rec Center)
9:45 AM PT โ No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 13 UC San Diego (Campus Pool)
2:00 PM PT โ No. 2 UCLA vs. Iona (Rec Center)
Sunday, Jan. 19 (Campus Pool)
11:00 AM PT โ No. 2 UCLA vs. OUAZ (Ottawa University - Arizona)
MINI OUTLOOK
Third-year head coach Adam Wright returns three of his top six scorers to NCAA-semifinalist UCLA. But the Bruins have some big shoes to fill as senior All-Americans Maddie Musselman (61 goals) and Bronte Halligan (34 goals) have taken the year off to pursue Olympic dreams.
ย
Sophomore attacker Val Ayala (34 goals) was second on the team in scoring a year ago. Sheย earned Honorable Mention All-American plaudits and was named to the MPSF All-Newcomer team. She is the Bruins' only returning All-American.
ย
Sophomore center Ava Johnson (20 goals) was fifth on the squad last year in scoring and was also named to the MPSF All-Newcomer team.
ย
The Bruins will also have to replace goalkeeper Carlee Kapana who ranked among the conference's top goalkeepers all season, tallying a career-best 234 saves (10.08 per game), which ranked second in the MPSF. She allowed 6.68 goals per game, which ranked third in the league. Reserve junior goalie Jahmea Bent (6.59 goals against average and 81 saves, 9.70 saves per game in 2019) will look to replace Kapana, but has some stiff competition from redshirt freshman Georgia Phillips and true freshman Quinn Winter (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach HS).
ย
UCLA also lost All-American attacker Lizette Rozeboom (25 goals) to graduation.
But the Bruins' depth will get a big boost by a large and talented freshman class littered with experience on four USA Water Polo National Team levels, as well as Junior Olympics gold medalists and CIF champions. All 10 student-athletes are from California andย includes center Layne Anzaldo (Corona del Mar, Calif./Corona del Mar HS), defender Brooke Banta (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor HS), attacker Brooke Dotenย (Davis, Calif./Davis Senior HS), utility Brooke Gruneisenย (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Wilson HS), utility Abbi Hill (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos HS), attacker Fiona Kuesis (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos HS), attacker Kate McCarthy (San Anselmo, Calif./Sir Francis Drake HS), attacker Hannah Palmer (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran HS), center Rachel Spadt (Fullerton, Calif./Brea Olinda HS,ย and goalkeeper Winter.
Coaching Changes
During the offseason, UCLA women's water polo hired James Robinson as an assistant coach to replace Kodi Hill.
Wright on Deck
Adam Wright is in his third season as UCLA's head men's water polo coach in 2019 with an overall record of 47-15 (.758) and an MPSF mark of 6-5 (.545).ย On July 20, 2017, UCLA Director of Athletics, Dan Guerrero, announced that Wrightย will guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams.
ย
Recapping 2019
Overall Record: 24-7 |ย Final Ranking: 3rd | NCAA Finish: T-3rd |ย MPSFย Tournament Finish: 3rd
UCLA advanced to the semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament in head coach Adam Wright's second season at the helm of the program. The Bruins' 13-7 win over No. 6 Michigan at Stanford secured their ninth consecutive appearance in the national semifinals. Junior Maddie Musselman secured ACWPCย first team All-America acclaim for the third time in her career. Junior Bronte Halligan picked up second team acclaim while seniorsย Carlee Kapanaย and Lizette Rozeboom as well as freshman (now sophomore) Val Ayala were named honorable mention All-America selections. For the second straight season, a total of 12 Bruins claimed ACWPC All-Academic honors.
UCLA In The CWPA Poll
The Bruins begin the season ranked tied for second in the 2020 Preseason CWPAย National Women's Varsity Top 25 Poll (95 points), released on Jan. 15.
ย
ย 2020 WOMEN'S VARSITY TOP 25 (PRESEASON - Jan. 15) |
|||
| ย Rank | ย Team | ย 2019 Final Poll | ย Points |
| ย 1 | ย USC | ย 2 | ย 98 |
| ย 2 | ย UCLA | ย 3 | ย 95 |
| ย 2 | ย Stanford | ย 1 | ย 95 |
| ย 4 | ย California | ย 4 | ย 88 |
| ย 5 | ย UC Irvine | ย 7 | ย 81 |
| ย 6 | ย Hawai'i | ย 5 | ย 80 |
| ย 7 | ย Michigan | ย 6 | ย 74 |
| ย 8 | ย Arizona State | ย 10 | ย 70 |
| ย 9 | ย Pacific | ย 8 | ย 67 |
| ย 10 | ย UC Davis | ย 11 | ย 64 |
| ย 11 | ย UC Santa Barbara | ย 9 | ย 63 |
| ย 12 | ย Loyola Marymount | ย 12 | ย 51 |
| ย 13 | ย UC San Diego | ย 14 | ย 49 |
| ย 14 | ย Fresno State | ย 16 | ย 46 |
| ย 15 (T) | ย Princeton | ย 15 | ย 41 |
| ย 15 (T) | ย Long Beach State | ย 13 | ย 41 |
| ย 17 | ย Harvard | ย 20 (T) | ย 38 |
| ย 18 | ย San Jose State | ย 20 (T) | ย 31 |
| ย 19 | ย San Diego State | ย 18 | ย 28 |
| ย 20 | ย Bucknell | ย 17 | ย 24 |
| ย 21 | ย Wagner | ย 19 | ย 22 |
| ย 22 | ย CSUN | ย 22 (T) | ย 13 |
| ย 23 (T) | ย Indiana | ย RV | ย 12 |
| ย 23 (T) | ย Marist | ย 24 | ย 12 |
| ย 25 | ย Azusa Pacific | ย 22 (T) | ย 9 |
| ย RV | ย Cal Baptist | ย 25 | ย 8 |
| ย RV | ย Cal State East Bay | ย NR | ย 1 |
Players Mentioned
CTR
/ Women's Water Polo
DEF
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
CTR
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
CTR
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
CTR
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water PoloNo. 4 UCLA vs. No. 3 Hawai'i Highlights
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Highlights - UCLA W. Water Polo vs. Princeton (March 13, 2025)
Friday, March 14
UCLA vs. Princeton
Thursday, March 13
No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 15 Indiana
Sunday, March 09