Jan. 19, 2007

DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis women's water polo was selected as the preseason favorite to repeat as Western Water Polo Association champions, it was announced by that conference Friday. The Aggies earned seven first-place votes and 129 total points, edging Loyola Marymount, which picked up five No. 1 votes and 126 total points in the inaugural coaches' poll.

UC Davis defeated five-time defending champion LMU in last year's title game to earn its first-ever trip to the National Collegiate Water Polo Championships, held at the university's own Schaal Aquatics Center. The Aggies went 22-12 for the year, breaking the 20-win barrier for the eighth consecutive season.

"I'm optimistic about how hard this team will train and how mentally tough this team is. We have been, and we will continue to do so," said UC Davis head coach Jamey Wright. "If we can do that, I think we'll be successful. We've worked ourselves into a place where we give ourselves a really good chance to compete. I feel good about the returning players we have and the work we've done, and I think the new players are exceptional. But every season is its own organism. It has ebbs and flows that you can't predict."

The top seven scorers from the 2006 squad all return for the upcoming season, including reigning conference MVP Katherine O'Rourke, who led the team with 51 goals. Christi Raycraft and Jessica Soza, each of whom made the All-WWPA second team last year, also return for the upcoming year.

Santa Clara edged UC San Diego for the third spot on the preseason ranking, scoring 110 points to the Tritons' 105. Cal State Bakersfield led the remainder of the 12-team conference at No. 5, totalling 93 points.

The UC Davis season kicks off on Saturday, January 27, for an 11 a.m. home game against Hartwick College. Coincidentally, the Hawks were the Aggies' final opponent of the 2006 season. UC Davis defeated Hartwick in a 12-10 overtime battle for the NCAA fifth-place game last May.

The Aggies will also host a tripleheader at Schaal Aquatics Center on Sunday, January 28. UC Davis faces Sonoma State at 10 a.m. that morning, the Seawolves will take on Cal State East Bay at 1 p.m., then the Aggies finish the day against the Pioneers at 4 p.m.

2007 WWPA Coaches Poll
1. UC Davis (7)... 129
2. Loyola Marymount (5)... 126
3. Santa Clara... 110
4. UC San Diego... 105
5. Cal State Bakersfield... 93
6. Cal State San Bernardino... 79
t7. Colorado State... 68
t7. Sonoma State... 68
9. Cal State East Bay... 50
10. Cal State Monterey Bay... 40
11. UC Santa Cruz... 39
12. Chapman... 29