Wide open waters await in Irvine
A new era of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) culminates this weekend in Irvine with an automatic bid to nationals on the line.
Good luck predicting who'll earn that ticket.
The preseason favorite and defending champion stumbled to the bottom of the East Region. A first-year conference member stormed back to claim the top seed in the West. And the East Region champion, originally picked to finish sixth, enters the tournament riding an eight-game winning streak.
The WWPA has seen three different champions in the last five years.
So, expect the unexpected when the first ball drops on Friday morning.
2026 WWPA Women's Championship
Tournament Central
April 10-12, 2026
William Woolett Jr. Aquatics Center | Irvine, Calif.
Hosted by Concordia University Irvine
WWPA Network
All contests during the 2026 WWPA Women's Championship will be streamed live for free on thewwpa.com.
2026 WWPA All-Conference Teams
Twenty-eight student-athletes were honored for their regular-season performances via a conference-wide vote by the WWPA's seven head coaches. For the entire team, click here.
The Field
#1 West - Concordia (18-9, 7-1 WWPA)
The WWPA's newest member started the conference schedule with a home loss to two-time champion Biola, but rattled off seven straight WWPA wins, including a sudden-victory thriller against the Eagles, to capture its first West Region title, a No. 1 seed, and a quarterfinal bye for the WWPA Championship. The Golden Eagles led the conference with six All-WWPA selections, including WWPA Newcomer of the Year Mia Hueston and First Team goalkeeper Jaden Soto. CUI beat four NCAA Division I teams, including then-No. 19 UC Santa Barbara. The Golden Eagles enter the tournament riding a seven-game winning streak and have won nine of their last 10 matches. Their 18 wins are the most in their NCAA Division II era. They'll take on the winner of Cal State Monterey Bay and Gannon.
#1 East - Salem (13-6, 4-0 WWPA)
The Tigers, who won back-to-back WWPA titles in 2021 and 2022, earned their first top seed since 2022 with a perfect conference record in the East Region. Salem's current eight-game winning streak is the longest of the season for any WWPA team, and they've outscored their opponents 86-23 over their last five games. WWPA Player of the Year Courtney Repinz led the entire conference in points (98) and points per game (4.9) while finishing second in assists (43), steals (40) and goals per game (2.8). Head coach Jeff Passwater earned WWPA Coach of the Year in his fourth season at the helm, and freshman Matipa Karimanzondo was named to three different All-WWPA squads (Honorable Mention, All-Defensive, All-Freshman). The Tigers open the tournament against No. 4 West Fresno Pacific on Friday, April 10 at 1pm.
#2 West - Biola (9-17, 6-2 WWPA)
The Eagles have appeared in the last three WWPA Championship Finals and finished runner-up to eventual champion McKendree a year ago. Biola started its conference season with six straight victories and entered the final week in position to win its fourth straight season title, but a pair of untimely losses to CSUMB and CUI moved BU to the No. 2 seed. All-WWPA First Team selection Gwendolyn Pidd led the WWPA with 61 total goals and her 73 points were fifth-most. Destiny Moreno (Second Team, All-Defensive) and Fernanda Luna (Honorable Mention, All-Freshman) provide stability for the Eagles. They'll face a rematch of the 2025 title game against No. 3 East McKendree on Friday, April 10 at 3pm.
#2 East - Gannon (9-10, 1-3 WWPA)
The Golden Knights earned their highest seed in program history after dealing a vital blow to McKendree at the Salem Invitational on the final weekend of conference play. Gannon has been led by freshman sensation Maria Martinez, who earned Second Team and All-Freshman honors earlier this week. Martinez's 60 goals were second-most and her 82 points were third-most in the conference. GU has won four of its last six heading into the postseason. The Golden Knights will be looking to advance to their first semifinal since 2021 when they take on No. 4 West Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday, April 10 at 11am.
#3 West - Cal State Monterey Bay (12-15, 5-3 WWPA)
The Otters provided plenty of drama throughout the WWPA season, dealing Biola a critical blow on the final week of the conference season, in addition to beating the Eagles in a non-conference match on opening day. CSUMB won three WWPA matches in a row the final two weeks of the regular season and came within a game of becoming Co-West Region champions. All-WWPA First Team selection Olivia Gutierrez, a freshman, finished second in points (94) and assists (51), and led the WWPA in sprint wins (92) and sprint win percentage (.876). The Otters take on No. 2 East Gannon on Friday, April 10 at 11am.
#3 East - McKendree (9-17, 1-3 WWPA)
The reigning WWPA champions find themselves in an unfamiliar position after winning three straight East Region titles (2023-25). The Bearcats were handed the No. 3 seed following a tiebreaker process with Gannon. Two-time All-WWPA First Team selection Bella Morquecho, the 2025 Newcomer of the Year, will lead the Bearcats in a '25 Final rematch against Biola in the hope that the Bearcats reach their third straight WWPA semifinal.
#4 West - Fresno Pacific (7-18, 2-6 WWPA)
The Sunbirds enter the WWPA Championship following a thrilling overtime victory against Central California rival UC Merced on the final day of the regular season. The victory, capped by Regan Azevedo's OT goal, snapped a five-game skid. All-WWPA First Team honoree Emma Cook and All-Defensive selection Maggie Cook hope to lead the 'Birds to their second straight semifinal when they take on No. 1 East Salem on Friday, April 10 at 1pm.
UC Merced (2-19, 0-8 WWPA)
The Bobcats are in the process of transitioning to full NCAA Division II status and are ineligible for postseason play. They'll play three exhibitions at the WWPA Championship to gain valuable experience for when they can compete in 2027. Claudette Asenjo (Second Team) and Makenzie Royal (All-Freshman) became the first Bobcats to earn all-conference honors in program history. They'll provide No. 1 West Concordia a tune-up on Friday, April 10 at 10am.
WWPA Offensive Player of the Week
Concordia's Anna Tyukasz capped the regular season on a high note for the Golden Eagles, registering seven goals, three assists and a .778 shooting percentage across two key wins that lifted CUI to the West Region title and a quarterfinal bye for the WWPA Championship. The sophomore from Csongrad, Hungary, netted four goals, including the game-winner in sudden victory, in the decisive contest for the top seed against Biola. The following morning, Tyukasz ended the regular season with three goals and two assists against Cal State Monterey Bay as CUI earned its inaugural West Region title in its first season as a conference member.
Nominees: Anna Tyukasz, Concordia; Destiny Moreno, Biola; Claudette Asenjo, UC Merced
Jan. 12-18, 2026: Stella Martin, Cal State Monterey Bay
Jan. 19-25, 2026: Bella Morquecho, McKendree
Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2026: Gwendolyn Pidd, Biola & Mia Hueston, Concordia
Feb. 2-8, 2026: Courtney Repinz, Salem
Feb. 9-15, 2026: Amber Lewis, Concordia
Feb. 16-22, 2026: Maria Martinez, Gannon
Feb. 23-Mar. 1, 2026: Shanelle Márquez, McKendree
Mar. 2-8, 2026: Olivia Gutierrez, Cal State Monterey Bay
Mar. 9-15, 2026: Courtney Repinz, Salem
Mar. 16-22, 2026: Gwendolyn Pidd, Biola
Mar. 23-29, 2026: Maria Martinez, Gannon
Mar. 30-Apr. 5, 2026: Anna Tyukasz, Concordia
WWPA Defensive Player of the Week
FPU goalkeeper Evalena Filippi's performance in the cage lifted the Sunbirds to a conference victory on the final day of their regular season. The sophomore from Clovis made a career-high 19 saves in the overtime victory over UC Merced, turning away 67% of the shots attempted by the Bobcats. Her previous high was 11 on Jan. 17 against NCAA Division I Santa Clara.
Nominees: Jaden Soto, Concordia; Fernanda Luna, Biola; Makenzie Royal, UC Merced; Evalena Filippi, Fresno Pacific
Jan. 12-18, 2026: Marissa White, Cal State Monterey Bay
Jan. 19-25, 2026: Marissa White, Cal State Monterey Bay
Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2026: No nominees
Feb. 2-8, 2026: Dakota Lambert, Fresno Pacific
Feb. 9-15, 2026: Tiffani Hunter, Concordia
Feb. 16-22, 2026: Fernanda Luna, Biola
Feb. 23-Mar. 1, 2026: Jaden Soto, Concordia
Mar. 2-8, 2026: Jaden Soto, Concordia
Mar. 9-15, 2026: Delaney Judkins, McKendree
Mar. 16-22, 2026: Fernanda Luna, Biola
Mar. 23-29, 2026: Kristen Hemmila, Salem
Mar. 30-Apr. 5, 2026: Evalena Filippi, Fresno Pacific
2026 WWPA Preseason Poll
1. McKendree 39 (4)
2. Concordia 36 (3)
3. Biola 33
4. Cal State Monterey Bay 19
5. Fresno Pacific 16
6. Salem 14
7. Gannon 11
*UC Merced
*UC Merced will play a WWPA conference regular season schedule, but is ineligible for WWPA/NCAA postseason official competition due to NCAA Division II transition.