#GCCWATERPOLO — Seven games are on the slate for Week 10 in the Golden Coast Conference, and the race to the 2026 GCC Championship continues to intensify with four key league matchups.
The GCC has five teams ranked in this week’s national coaches poll, and this week's schedule includes three conference showdowns featuring those five teams.
The week begins with the first top 25 matchup on Friday with No. 23 California Baptist (12-8, 2-1) visiting No. 13 Fresno State (11-9, 2-1) at 1 p.m. No. 7 LMU (18-3, 4-0) will look to extend its 12-game winning streak when it hosts Azusa Pacific (16-8, 0-4) at 5 p.m.
Sunday features a pair of Top 25 matchups. No. 23 California Baptist travels to No. 19 Pacific (9-7, 1-2), while a battle of No. 13-ranked teams takes place in Fresno, California. After moving up six spots in last week’s poll, San Diego State (14-8, 4-1) is tied with Fresno State at No. 13. The teams will face off at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Here is a look at this week’s schedule:
Friday, March 20
#23 California Baptist at #13 Fresno State – 1:00 P.M. – GCC Game: Stats | Video
Azusa Pacific at #7 Loyola Marymount – 5:00 P.M. – GCC Game: Stats | Video
Saturday, March 21
#13 San Diego State at Fresno Pacific – 5:00 P.M.
Sunday, March 22
#23 California Baptist at #19 Pacific – 1:00 P.M. – GCC Game: Stats | Video
#13 San Diego State at #13 Fresno State – 1:00 P.M. – GCC Game: Stats | Video
Wednesday, March 25
#22 Brown at #7 Loyola Marymount – 5:00 P.M.
Biola at Azusa Pacific – 7:30 P.M.
For full coverage, check out the full schedule here >>
NOTE: Santa Clara announced on March 18 they will not participate in the remainder of the 2026 season. The GCC will be working to make decisions as a result of SCU’s announcement and its impact on the remainder of the regular season and the upcoming GCC Championships. Please check GCCWaterPolo.com for updates.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
San Diego State’s
Mimi Stoupas is the GCC Player of the Week for Mar. 19 as she helped the Aztecs to a 3-1 record at the Aztec Invite, moving them up six spots in this week’s national poll. They claimed wins over No. 14 Princeton (12-10), Bucknell (15-11), and No. 25 Pomona-Pitzer (17-13). The lone setback was to No. 12 Harvard (14-9). She finished the weekend with 10 goals, 12 drawn exclusions, and five steals.
2026 Player of the Week Honorees:
Mar. 19 – Mimi Stoupas, San Diego State
Mar. 12 – Laia Marsinach Ortega, Pacific
Mar. 5 – Emison Styris, LMU
Feb. 26 – Noa Sasover, LMU
Feb. 19 – Claudia Valdes, San Diego State
Feb. 12 – Emmie Ramirez, California Baptist
Feb. 5 – Anna Tarantino, LMU
Jan. 29 – Katelyn Mobley, Fresno State
Jan. 22 – Mimi Stoupas, San Diego State
WEEK NINE HIGHLIGHTS
LMU swept a pair of road games in Northern Calfiornia to run their winning streak to 12 games. Graduate student
Cila David led the way with six goals, an assist and a steal as the Lions defeated No. 21 Pacific (13-7) and Santa Clara (18-1) to remain unbeaten in GCC play. David's game-high four goals against Pacific doubled her previous season-high of two goals in a game, and she did that on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting day. Her five total points against the Tigers were also a season best. On Sunday at Santa Clara, David shared game-high honors with two goals against the Broncos.
Fresno State freshman Riaan Bryant led Fresno State last weekend to a split while in Southern California, defeating Azusa Pacific (19-7) in GCC play and falling No. 2 UCLA (14-8). She finished the two games with eight goals, adding an assist, two steals and a field block in the pair of games. She kickstarted her weekend with a career-best six goals off seven shots, leading the Bulldogs to a conference win over Azusa Pacific. She added one assist and two steals in the win. Her six goals tie for the most by a Bulldog this season and are the second-most in a game in program history. She followed up with a pair of goals against No. 2 UCLA, leading the 'Dogs in scoring against the Bruins.
Sophomore attacker Emmie Ramirez led California Baptist to a split last weekend, defeating Cal State Fullerton (13-11) and falling to No. 10 UC Irvine. Ramirez scored four goals at UCI on Friday night before leading CBU to a 13-11 victory over CSUF on Saturday with three goals, two assists, and two steals.
2026 GCC Stat Leaders
Visit the
GCC Stats Page for full stats on all teams.
Goals
| ## |
Name |
Team |
G |
| 1. |
Mimi Stoupas |
SDSU |
66 |
| 2. |
Jessie Nelson |
APU |
63 |
| 3. |
Emmie Ramirez |
CBU |
60 |
| 4. |
Bailey Hollick |
APU |
56 |
| 5. |
Hailey Andress |
FS |
55 |
Assists
| ## |
Name |
Team |
A |
| 1. |
Claudia Valdes |
SDSU |
54 |
| 2. |
Niya Bumbaca |
CBU |
52 |
| 3. |
Sophia DeMattia |
LMU |
51 |
| 4. |
Ioanna Petiki |
SDSU |
49 |
| 5. |
Emmie Ramirez |
CBU |
48 |
Points
| ## |
Name |
Team |
Pts |
| 1. |
Emmie Ramirez |
CBU |
108 |
| 2. |
Claudia Valdes |
SDSU |
98 |
| 3. |
Niya Bumbaca |
CBU |
92 |
| 4. |
Montana George |
APU |
78 |
| 5. |
Sydney Gish |
SDSU |
77 |
|
Audrey Dexter |
APU |
77 |
Field Blocks
| ## |
Name |
Team |
FB |
| 1. |
Anna Tarantino |
LMU |
26 |
| 2. |
Sydney Maccabe |
SCU |
17 |
| 3. |
Devyn Ruffer |
CBU |
15 |
| 4. |
Emison Styris |
LMU |
13 |
| 5. |
Lucy Bullock |
SDSU |
10 |
Steals
| ## |
Name |
Team |
Stl |
| 1. |
Lucy Bullock |
SDSU |
40 |
| 2. |
Emmie Ramirez |
CBU |
39 |
| 3. |
Mimi Stoupas |
SDSU |
32 |
| 4. |
Claudia Valdes |
SDSU |
31 |
| 5. |
Kori Cunningham |
APU |
29 |
Saves
| ## |
Name |
Team |
Svs |
| 1. |
Haley Tassell |
SCU |
194 |
| 2. |
Katelyn Mobley |
FS |
163 |
| 3. |
Daniela Herrero Miralles |
APU |
149 |
| 4. |
Madison Searle |
LMU |
121 |
| 5. |
Tyanna Schneider |
CBU |
119 |
Save Percentage
| ## |
Name |
Team |
Sv |
SvPct |
| 1. |
Tiaare Ahovelo |
SDSU |
81 |
.526 |
| 2. |
Madison Searle |
LMU |
121 |
.502 |
| 3. |
Katelyn Mobley |
FS |
163 |
.464 |
Goals Against Average
| ## |
Name |
Team |
Gms |
GAA |
| 1. |
Madison Searle |
LMU |
18 |
8.77 |
| 2. |
Tiaare Ahovelo |
SDSU |
15 |
9.32 |
| 3. |
Katelyn Mobley |
FS |
19 |
10.91 |
NATIONAL POLLS
The Collegiate Water Polo Association Varsity Top 25 after week nine has LMU staying at the No. 7 spot. Thanks to big wins last weekend, San Diego State rose six spots in the poll to sit in a tie at 13th with fellow GCC rival Fresno State. Pacific moved up two more spots to No. 19 and California Baptist is ranked 23rd.
Full poll >>
PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
Fresno State has been picked to win the Golden Coast Conference in the 2026 season, according to the annual Preseason Coaches’ Poll released Friday. The seven GCC head coaches gave the Bulldogs 35 points, four better than second place LMU. Fresno State has won GCC tournament titles (2021-24) and three regular season titles (2021-23). LMU won last year’s tournament and the last two regular season championships. The two teams have faced off in the GCC title game three of the last four years, including epic battles in the last two title games. Fresno State earned five first place votes to LMU’s two to claim the top spot in this year’s preseason poll. Rounding out the poll is Pacific (26 points) at third place, San Diego State (21) in fourth, California Baptist (17) in fifth, Azusa Pacific (9) in sixth, and Santa Clara (8) in seventh.
ROAD TO THE GCC CHAMPIONSHIP
The
2026 GCC Championship will run from April 10-12 at Fresno State. Tickets are on sale now. The action begins Friday, Apr. 10 with quarterfinal matches. It will continue with a pair of semifinals and consolation game on Saturday, Apr. 11. The tournament will close with the third-place game followed by the championship match-up on Sunday, Apr. 12. Every game of the 2026 GCC Championship will be streamed live thanks to a streaming rights partner Overnght Media.
Learn more >>
ABOUT THE GCC
The 2026 campaign will be the 13th season for the Golden Coast Conference and will feature seven institutions competing within the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Following the 2016 season, the women's division earned an automatic bid to the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championships, with the winner of the annual league tournament representing the GCC. In 2025, LMU knocked off four-time GCC champion Fresno State, who won the tournament in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. It was the Lions' third tournament title.
The league's seven members in 2026 are Azusa Pacific, California Baptist, Fresno State, Loyola Marymount, Pacific, San Diego State, and Santa Clara. This is the last season for the Lancers in the GCC, who will join the Big West in 2026-27. In that 2026-27 season, the GCC will consist of nine teams with Saint Mary's College, San Jose State and UC Davis joining the league.