#GCCWATERPOLO — The final weekend of conference play in the Golden Coast Conference features two games that will determine the standings for the 2026 GCC Championship in two weeks.
No. 7 LMU clinched at least a share of the 2026 GCC regular-season title last weekend with a win over Azusa Pacific. The Lions can secure the title outright when they travel to No. 21 California Baptist (13-9, 3-2 GCC) on Friday at 2 p.m.
LMU is seeking its third consecutive regular-season title and enters the weekend on a 14-game winning streak. The Lions have also won 21 straight GCC regular-season games dating to April 1, 2023. They will face a California Baptist team that appears to be peaking, coming off its first win over Pacific since 2014 last week to move into fourth place in the standings.
League play concludes Saturday as No. 20 Pacific (9-8, 1-3 GCC) travels to No. 14 Fresno State (13-9, 4-1 GCC) for a 1 p.m. matchup. The seedings and bracket for the 2026 GCC Championship will be announced following the game. The championship will be held April 10-12 at Fresno State.
Also this weekend, No. 17 San Diego State hosts No. 23 Brown on Friday at 4 p.m., while Azusa Pacific faces No. 19 San Jose State on Saturday at 2 p.m. LMU wraps up the weekend Sunday at No. 3 UCLA.
Here is a look at this week’s schedule:
Friday, March 27
#7 LMU at #21 California Baptist – 2:00 P.M. – GCC Game: Stats | Video
#23 Brown at #17 San Diego State – 4:00 P.M.
Saturday, March 28
#21 Pacific at #14 Fresno State – 1:00 P.M. – GCC Game: Stats
Azusa Pacific at #19 San Jose State – 2:00 P.M.
Sunday, March 22
#7 LMU at #3 UCLA – 1:00 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. Their final games of the season are marked as a forfeit and will be reflected in the standings when they were scheduled to play.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Emmie Ramirez led California Baptist to a split in GCC play last weekend, scoring nine goals, an assists, three drawn exclusions and four steals. The highlight of the weekend was a five goals performance, equaling her season high, in a 13-11 road win over No. 19 Pacific. Ramirez scored two of her five goals in the clutch as the Lancers overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat the Tigers. It was the Lancers first win over Pacific since 2014, snapping a 13-game skid.
2026 Player of the Week Honorees:
Mar. 26 – Emmie Ramirez, California Baptist
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 10 HIGHLIGHTS
Charley Stephens led Fresno State in a critical GCC weekend, picking up two conference wins. Stephens totaled six goals on eight shots over the two games, including four goals in the win over CBU. She scored her four goals on five shot attempts on Friday. Stephens had two goals, one assist, a drawn exclusion, a steal and a field block in the Bulldogs' tight battle with No. 13 San Diego State on Sunday to keep them just one game out of first in the GCC.
LMU ran their winning streak to 14 games with wins over Azusa Pacific (14-6) and No. 22 Brown (12-7). Cianne Benjamin led LMU with a team-high three goals in the win over APU, clinching at least a share of their third straight regular season title. She would add a goal in the win over Brown. Sophia DeMattia had 10 assists in the two games, going for six in the win over Brown. She is tied for the top spot in the league with 60 assists.
San Diego State goalie Kyla Pranajaya helped the Aztecs to a split over the weekend, grabbing 11 saves with four steals and an assist.
2026 GCC Stat Leaders
Visit the
GCC Stats Page for full stats on all teams.
Goals
| ## |
Name |
Team |
G |
| 1. |
Mimi Stoupas |
SDSU |
70 |
| 2. |
Emmie Ramirez |
CBU |
69 |
| 3. |
Jessie Nelson |
APU |
66 |
| 4. |
Hailey Andress |
FS |
61 |
| 5. |
Bailey Hollick |
APU |
60 |
Assists
| ## |
Name |
Team |
A |
| 1. |
Sophia DeMattia |
LMU |
60 |
|
Niya Bumbaca |
CBU |
60 |
| 3. |
Claudia Valdes |
SDSU |
55 |
| 4. |
Ioanna Petiki |
SDSU |
53 |
| 5. |
Emmie Ramirez |
CBU |
49 |
Points
| ## |
Name |
Team |
Pts |
| 1. |
Emmie Ramirez |
CBU |
118 |
| 2. |
Niya Bumbaca |
CBU |
101 |
| 3. |
Claudia Valdes |
SDSU |
100 |
| 4. |
Sydney Gish |
SDSU |
85 |
| 5. |
Sophia DeMattia |
LMU |
82 |
|
Hailey Andress |
FS |
82 |
Field Blocks
| ## |
Name |
Team |
FB |
| 1. |
Anna Tarantino |
LMU |
34 |
| 2. |
Sydney Maccabe |
SCU |
17 |
|
Emison Styris |
LMU |
17 |
| 4. |
Devyn Ruffer |
CBU |
16 |
| 5. |
Lucy Bullock |
SDSU |
10 |
|
Brooke Tora Gil |
LMU |
10 |
Steals
| ## |
Name |
Team |
Stl |
| 1. |
Emmie Ramirez |
CBU |
43 |
| 2. |
Lucy Bullock |
SDSU |
41 |
| 3. |
Claudia Valdes |
SDSU |
35 |
| 4. |
Mimi Stoupas |
SDSU |
33 |
| 5. |
Sydney Gish |
SDSU |
32 |
Saves
| ## |
Name |
Team |
Svs |
| 1. |
Haley Tassell |
SCU |
194 |
| 2. |
Katelyn Mobley |
FS |
175 |
| 3. |
Daniela Herrero Miralles |
APU |
174 |
| 4. |
Madison Searle |
LMU |
135 |
| 5. |
Tyanna Schneider |
CBU |
129 |
Save Percentage
| ## |
Name |
Team |
Sv |
SvPct |
| 1. |
Tiaare Ahovelo |
SDSU |
84 |
.528 |
| 2. |
Madison Searle |
LMU |
135 |
.511 |
| 3. |
Katelyn Mobley |
FS |
175 |
.461 |
Goals Against Average
| ## |
Name |
Team |
Gms |
GAA |
| 1. |
Madison Searle |
LMU |
20 |
8.43 |
| 2. |
Tiaare Ahovelo |
SDSU |
16 |
9.00 |
| 3. |
Katelyn Mobley |
FS |
21 |
10.80 |
NATIONAL POLLS
The Collegiate Water Polo Association Varsity Top 25 after week 10 has LMU staying at the No. 7 spot. Follow the Lions is Fresno State at No. 14 and San Diego State at No. 17. Pacific sits at No. 20 followed by CBU in a tie for 21st with Wagner.
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.