No. 3 UCLA Heads to Triton Invitational

The Bruins open up the Triton Invitation against Cal State Fullerton on Friday, Jan. 30 at 9:20 a.m. PT.

No. 3 UCLA Heads to Triton Invitational

January 29, 2026 | Women's Water Polo

2026 WWP Stats (PDF)

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LOS ANGELES – No. 3 UCLA (2-0, 0-0 MPSF) heads to La Jolla, Calif., to compete in the Triton Invitational on the campus of UC San Diego this weekend (Jan. 30 through Feb. 1) at Canyonview Aquatic Center. The Bruins are seeded second in the field of 16 and will be in bracket B with No. 6 Arizona State (5-0), No. 18 Michigan (0-5), and Cal State Fullerton. The Bruins will open with the Titans (5-1) on Friday, Jan. 30 at 9:20 a.m. PT at Triton Pool. Defeat CS Fullerton and UCLA will face the winner of ASU/Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 10:40 a.m. PT at Canyonview Pool in the quarterfinals. The semifinals will be the last game at 5:50 p.m. PT at Triton Pool. The championship game will be on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 1:30 p.m. PT at Triton Pool. There is no live stream for this weekend and UCSD can only provide live stats for their own matches. You can follow us on Instagram and on X (formerly known as Twitter) for scoring updates.

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Friday, Jan. 30 (Triton Invitational – Canyonview Aquatics Center – La Jolla, Calif.)
9:20 AM PT – No. 3 UCLA vs. Cal State Fullerton

Saturday, Jan. 31 (Triton Invitational – Canyonview Aquatics Center – La Jolla, Calif.)
10:40 AM PT – No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 6 Arizona State/No. 18 Michigan (Quarterfinals)
5:50 PM PT – No. 3 UCLA vs. TBD (Semifinals)

Sunday, Feb. 1 (Triton Invitational – Canyonview Aquatics Center – La Jolla, Calif.)
1:30 PM PT – No. 3 UCLA vs. TBD (Finals)

SERIES HISTORY
This is just the second meeting between UCLA and Cal State Fullerton with the Bruins leading the series 1-0. UCLA won the only meeting in the series in the opening game of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational, 18-6, over the Titans on Feb. 23, 2024.

From game recap (2/23/24): No. 1 UCLA (11-0, 1-0 MPSF) used a strong offensive first half and a strong defensive effort in the second half to remain undefeated on the year with an 18-6 win over Cal State Fullerton (4-5) in the opening game of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational at the Anteater Aquatics Complex on Friday morning. This marked the first meeting between the two teams (the Titans are in their second year of program existence). The Bruins had 10 players score in the contest, paced by a season- and career-high four goals from freshman Becca Melanson, who also added two assists for a game-high six points. Junior Molly Renner tied her career high with the first hat trick of the season. Junior Nicole Struss, sophomore Carly McMurray, and freshman Dania Innis all tied their season and career highs with two goals against the Titans. Freshman Lauren Steele got the start in the cage and played the first quarter, recording one save and one assist while allowing two goals (one penalty and one power play). Senior Sydney Chiang played the final three quarters and after a rocky start giving up four goals in the second quarter (one power play and three from two meters), she and the Bruins' defense rallied to pitch a shutout in the second half with Chiang making five stops and recording one steal.

This is the 38th meeting between UCLA and Arizona State with the Bruins leading the series 35-2. The Bruins won the only meeting last year, winning 12-8 in league play in Tempe, Ariz., on Feb. 9, 2025.

From game recap (2/9/25): No. 3 UCLA (7-1, 1-0 MPSF) opened MPSF play with a 12-8 come-from-behind victory at No. 11 Arizona State (9-3, 0-1 MPSF) on Sunday afternoon at ASU's Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. UCLA improved to 35-2 against the Sun Devils in the series history. Only five Bruins scored in the contest, paced by a career-high four goals from freshman Jojo Walters, who also added two assists for a game-high six points. Redshirt junior Emma Lineback scored a season-high four goals and added an assist for five total points. Junior Genoa Rossi became the Bruins' third player to record a multi-goal game as she added a pair of goals. Sophomore Joey Niz made her first career start in goal, going the distance while recording six saves and a steal, allowing the eight goals. Sophomore Lauren Steele did not start for the first time in her career and made a late-game appearance in the field for a 7-on-6 opportunity.

This is the 31st meeting between UCLA and Michigan with the Bruins leading the series 30-0. The Bruins won the last meeting, 7-6, on FEb. 13, 2022 in the semifinals of the Triton Invitational.

From game recap (2/13/22): No. 3 UCLA (14-0) had to rally from a halftime deficit for the second-straight game, this time defeating No. 5 Michigan (7-4), 7-6, to advance to the finals of the Triton Invitational on Sunday afternoon. The Bruins improved to 30-0 all-time against the Wolverines. The Bruins were led by freshman Molly Renner, who scored two goals, including the eventual game-winner with 1:00 left in the fourth quarter on a power play. Senior Katrina Drake paced the UCLA offense with three points (one goal and two assists). She also drew two exclusions and had one steal. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Georgia Phillips got the start in the cage and went the distance, registering nine saves while allowing six goals. She also registered one steal.

RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
A total of six All-Americans will be suiting up for UCLA in 2026. The Bruins return all five of their All-Americans from the 2025 season, including First-Team selection, senior utility Anna Pearson (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran HS). Junior goalkeeper Lauren Steele (Old Greenwich, Conn./Orange Lutheran HS) and RS-senior attacker Emma Lineback (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach HS) both earned Second-Team All-American honors last year and are joined by Honorable Mention picks, senior center Bia Mantellato (São Paulo, Brazil/Newport Harbor HS) and senior utility Genoa Rossi (Laguna Beach, Calif./Mater Dei HS). The Bruins also retain the services of 2023 Third-Team All-American, senior attacker Taylor Smith (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor HS).

RETURNING ALL-MPSF PLAYERS
The list of returning all-league players is basically the same as the All-Americans list with one addition. Three Bruins earned Delfina All-MPSF First-Team accolades last year, and that included Anna Pearson, Emma Lineback, and Lauren Steele. Two Bruins landed on the Delfina All-MPSF Honorable Mention team, which included Genoa Rossi and Bia Mantellato. Sophomore attacker Tali Stryker (Lafayette, Calif./Miramonte HS) was the lone Bruin on the MPSF All-Newcomer Team a year ago. Taylor Smith was also named Second-Team All-MPSF in 2024.

EXPERIENCE BETWEEN THE POSTS
UCLA returns three goalkeepers who have all seen action in the cage for the Bruins. That list is headlined by two-time All-American, Lauren Steele. Also in that group is senior Izzy Rosensitto (Newport Beach, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic HS), and junior Joey Niz (Los Alamitos, Calif./Los Alamitos HS).

INFLUX OF YOUTH
Six true freshmen have arrived in Westwood and look to make an immediate impact in 2026. The class is bolstered by three redshirts from last year, putting the total number of freshmen to nine on this year's roster. The six true freshmen include Presley Jones (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach HS), Ally Larsen (Orinda, Calif./Miramonte HS), Katherine O'Dea (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS), Jailynn Robinson (Dallas, Texas/Orange Lutheran HS), Alison Sagara (Orinda, Calif./Miramonte HS), and Sienna Steiner (Sarasota, Fla./Venice HS). The three redshirt freshmen are Ryan Chalupnik (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor HS), Aubrey Graham (Mountain View, Calif./Mountain View HS), and Ana Pieper (Orinda, Calif./Campolindo HS).

TRANSFER PORTAL
The Bruins' 2026 roster has been bolstered by three transfers from inside the MPSF. Janna Tauscher (Sunset Beach, Calif./Mater Dei HS), the redshirt senior center from California has one year remaining, as does the senior defender from Arizona State, Zoë Frangieh (Los Gatos, Calif./Los Gatos HS). Also with one year remaining is senior attacker Fanni Muzsnay (Budapest, Hungary/Szabo Lorinc Bilingual HS), who transferred in from USC.

MORE BRUINS LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT
UCLA also returns nine players from its 2025 roster that all made significant contributions last season. That group includes sophomores Jenna Human (El Cajon, Calif./Santana HS) and Jojo Walters (Dallas, Texas/Southlake Carroll HS), redshirt sophomores Dania Innis (Orinda, Calif./Miramonte HS), Alexsa Gimenez (Commerce, Calif./Downey HS), juniors Becca Melanson (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny HS), Olivia Ouellette (Los Alamitos, Calif./Los Alamitos HS), and Elektra Urbatsch (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day School), and seniors Lily Gess (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) and Carly McMurray (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic HS), The Bruins will redshirt junior Natasha Kieckhafer (San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic HS) and sophomore Maile Turner (Danville, Calif./Monte Vista HS), who are both recovering from undisclosed injuries.

COACHING CHANGES
With two-time reigning MPSF Coach of the Year, Adam Wright, stepping away from day-to-day operations as UCLA's head women's water polo coach in 2026, two current Bruins coaches have been elevated to the post of interim Co-Head Coach. Jason Falitz, who has been the Associate Head Coach on the men's side since 2017 and at that same post with the women's team since the 2022 season, will serve as one of the Co-Head Coaches. Matt Kubeck, who just completed his second season as an Assistant Coach with the Bruins' men's squad will also serve as a Co-Head Coach with the women in 2026. The duo is currently 2-0 at UCLA. Additionally, UCLA has completed its coaching staff with Stanford standout Ryann Neushul to the post of Assistant Coach. She will travel with the Bruins this weekend for the Triton Invitational. Neushul is a four-time NCAA Champion, a four-time All-American, a two-time World Champion, and the 2025 Peter J. Cutino Award winner.

RECAPPING 2025
Overall Record: 20-6 (.769) | MPSF Record: 5-1 (.833) | Final Ranking: 3rd | NCAA Finish: T-3rd | MPSF Tournament Finish: 2nd

The UCLA Bruins finished the season with the No. 1 seed heading into the MPSF Championship Tournament for the second straight year. But the Bruins were unable to successfully defend their MPSF and NCAA Tournament titles from a 26-0 season in 2024, falling in overtime, 11-9, to No. 1 Stanford at home in the MPSF final. Seeded second for the NCAA Championship, the Bruins fell to No. 3 USC, 15-13, in the semifinals.

UCLA IN THE CWPA POLL
The Bruins held steady at No. 3 in the 2026 CWPA National Women's Varsity Top 25 Poll (92 points), released on Jan. 28.

2026 Women's Varsity Top 25 (Week 2/January 28)
Rank	Team	Week 1 Poll	Points
1	Stanford	1	99
2	USC	2	96
3	UCLA	3	92
4	California	4	88
5	Hawai'i	5	83
6	Arizona State	11	76
7	Long Beach State	6	75
8	Indiana	7 (T)	73
9	LMU	7 (T)	70
10	Fresno State	9	66
11	UC Irvine	10	57
12	UC San Diego	13 (T)	55
13	Harvard	13 (T)	50
14	UC Davis	16	48
15 (T)	Princeton	15	45
15 (T)	San Jose State	12	45
17	Pacific	19	32
18	Michigan	17	31
19 (T)	UC Santa Barbara	18	24
19 (T)	San Diego State	21	24
21	Brown	22	20
22	Marist	23	18
23	California Baptist University	RV	15
24	Wagner	20	8
25 (T)	Pomona-Pitzer	24	4
25 (T)	CSUN	RV	4
RV	Villanova	RV	1
RV	La Salle	RV	1
RV	Iona	NR	1