University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Women's Water Polo Places Five on All-America List
May 21, 2026 | Women's Water Polo
BRIDGEPORT, Pa. โ Five members of the UCLA women's water polo team collected All-America accolades for 2026, the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) announced Thursday. UCLA was the nation's only program with three first-team representatives.
Anna Pearson, Taylor Smith and Lauren Steele earned the first-team selections. Bia Mantellato made the third team, while Emma Lineback received honorable mention.
Pearson, a senior utility from Irvine, Calif, was tabbed a first-teamer for the third time since garnering honorable mention her freshman year. A senior attacker from Newport Beach, Calif., Smith picked up her initial first-team nod after leading the Bruins with 73 goals. She made the third team in 2024. Junior Steele, a native of Old Greenwich, Conn., logged 222 saves to help take the goalkeeper spot. She also made the first team in 2024 before drawing second-team recognition in 2025.
Like Pearson, Mantellato completed her career as a four-time All-American. The senior from São Paulo, Brazil was named to the first team at Hawai'i in 2024, the second team with the Rainbow Wahine in 2023 and received honorable mention in 2025. Rounding out the list was Lineback, a redshirt senior attacker from Laguna Beach, Calif. who previously got honorable mention in 2023 and made the second team in 2025.
Anna Pearson, Taylor Smith and Lauren Steele earned the first-team selections. Bia Mantellato made the third team, while Emma Lineback received honorable mention.
Pearson, a senior utility from Irvine, Calif, was tabbed a first-teamer for the third time since garnering honorable mention her freshman year. A senior attacker from Newport Beach, Calif., Smith picked up her initial first-team nod after leading the Bruins with 73 goals. She made the third team in 2024. Junior Steele, a native of Old Greenwich, Conn., logged 222 saves to help take the goalkeeper spot. She also made the first team in 2024 before drawing second-team recognition in 2025.
Like Pearson, Mantellato completed her career as a four-time All-American. The senior from São Paulo, Brazil was named to the first team at Hawai'i in 2024, the second team with the Rainbow Wahine in 2023 and received honorable mention in 2025. Rounding out the list was Lineback, a redshirt senior attacker from Laguna Beach, Calif. who previously got honorable mention in 2023 and made the second team in 2025.
Players Mentioned
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CTR
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UTL
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ATK
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