Fresno State Women's Water Polo back in NCAA Tournament for fourth straight year
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- After a fourth consecutive Golden Coast Conference title, Fresno State Water Polo is back in the NCAA Tournament as an automatic qualifier.
The NCAA Women's Water Polo committee announced the seedings Monday night for the 2024 National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship.
The Bulldogs will compete against the host school in No. 3 Cal (17-6) in the quarterfinal round on Friday, May 10. That matchup is scheduled for 6pm PT from the Spieker Aquatics Center in Berkeley.
All season, Head Coach Natalie Benson has been asking her team one question - what's next?
"That's what they signed up for, is to come in and try and change what water polo looks like," Benson said. "It's not just the big four, or the big two anymore. There's no guarantees. You're going to have to prepare for us, you're going to have to be ready for us."
Since the tournament began in 2001 just three programs (UCLA, USC, Stanford) have won a national title.
Benson says she believes this is the best Bulldog team she's assembled so far.
"Maybe we ruin your tournament," Benson said. "Maybe we beat you."
Fresno State (21-7) received an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship as the GCC tournament champions, along with five other conference winners. The remaining three teams were selected at-large without geographical restrictions.
Cal was an at-large bid, falling to UCLA in the MPSF championship game. It was the first time since 2011 that the Golden Bears made it to the MPSF title game.
The Bulldogs are familiar with Cal, having faced off twice already this season. Fresno State would fall in both matches.
In just its seventh year of competition, Fresno State has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons as an automatic qualifier.
Despite their impressive run, the Bulldogs are still looking for their first-ever trip to the NCAA semifinal round.
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