Women's Water Polo

No. 8 LMU, No. 12 Fresno State Renew Rivalry for GCC Championship Crown

Title game live on Overnght at 1 pm.

FRESNO, Calif -- For the third consecutive season — and the fourth time in the last five years — the Golden Coast Conference Championship will be decided by the two programs that have defined the league’s modern era. Top-seeded and eighth-ranked LMU meets No. 2 seed and 12th-ranked Fresno State at 1 p.m. today in Fresno for the 2026 GCC title game, with the conference’s automatic NCAA Tournament berth on the line. The match will stream live on Overnght.com.

LMU enters as the reigning tournament champion after dethroning Fresno State in last year’s final and has captured three straight regular-season conference crowns. Fresno State, meanwhile, is back in the championship game for a record sixth straight season and seeks to reclaim the title after winning four consecutive tournament championships from 2021-24. Between them, the Lions and Bulldogs have turned the GCC final into an annual showcase of elite veteran leadership, international talent, and rising freshman stars.

The Lions (22-4) advanced with a 12-6 semifinal win over Pacific, while Fresno State earned its place on home deck with a semifinal victory Saturday over 16th-ranked San Diego State, 16-15. LMU already owns a regular-season win over the Bulldogs this season, defeating Fresno State 12-9 in Los Angeles on Feb. 28.

Interesting Facts & Storylines
  • Championship trilogy: This is the third straight GCC title game meeting between LMU and Fresno State.
  • Recent dominance: It is the fourth meeting in the last five GCC championship games between the two programs.
  • Split recent finals: LMU won in 2025, while Fresno State won the previous two head-to-head finals.
  • Fresno State standard: The Bulldogs are making a record sixth straight GCC championship game appearance.
  • LMU milestone: The Lions are making their eighth overall GCC title game appearance, also a conference best.
  • Bulldog dynasty run: Fresno State won four straight GCC tournament crowns from 2021-24.
  • Lion resurgence: LMU owns GCC tournament titles in 2014, 2015, and 2025 and looks for No. 4 today.
  • Regular-season power shift: Fresno State won three straight GCC regular-season titles (2021-23), but LMU has answered with three straight of its own (2024-26).
  • Star power: Fresno State senior Hailey Andress and LMU graduate student Anna Tarantino were first-team All-GCC selections.
  • Freshman impact: Fresno State freshmen Katelyn Mobley and Riaan Bryant earned first-team honors. LMU freshmen Madison Searle and Emison Styris, along with senior Sophia DeMattia, landed on the second team.
  • New Zealand connection: Two of the league’s brightest freshmen hail from Auckland — Fresno State’s Bryant and LMU’s Styris.
Championship Sunday begins from the Fresno State Aquatic Center at 11 a.m. with the third place game between 16th-ranked San Diego State and 21st-ranked Pacific.