TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State will begin the 2017 season as the nation's No. 5 team as the Sun Devils collected 81 points to rank near the top of the 2017 Preseason Women's Varsity National Top 25, announced by the Collegiate Water Polo Association on Friday.
Stanford claimed the top spot with 98 points followed by USC in second with 97 points, UCLA third with 93 points, Cal fourth with 86 points. Hawaii (79 points), Michigan (78 points), UC Irvine (76 points), UC Santa Barbara (65 points) and UC San Diego (63 points) round out the top 10.
"We are going to be strong," said head coach Todd Clapper. "We are strong at every position and we have depth, so I think it is going to be a really good year. I think this year will be one of the strongest years in the NCAA with so many people coming back from either playing in or preparing for the Olympics. All of those players are back so we feel like it will be a very strong year."
The Sun Devils have scheduled meetings with ten teams that are either ranked or receiving votes on Friday's preseason poll, including a March 11 meeting with preseason No. 1, Stanford. The Sun Devils will end the month of January with home matches against No. 15 San Diego State and No. 20 Wagner at the 2017 ASU Tournament at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center Jan. 28-29.
"We are focused on taking care of ourselves," added Clapper. "We are focused on competing right now every day in practice. I like the group that we have. I think we are very talented and very hard working."
The Sun Devils, who split a four game exhibition series against New York Athletic Club this past weekend, will be back in action on Jan. 28 when they host No. 15 San Diego State in the first of five-water polo matches at the Mona Plummer Aquatics Center. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2017 Sun Devil season by following @ASUWaterPolo on Twitter.
Stanford claimed the top spot with 98 points followed by USC in second with 97 points, UCLA third with 93 points, Cal fourth with 86 points. Hawaii (79 points), Michigan (78 points), UC Irvine (76 points), UC Santa Barbara (65 points) and UC San Diego (63 points) round out the top 10.
"We are going to be strong," said head coach Todd Clapper. "We are strong at every position and we have depth, so I think it is going to be a really good year. I think this year will be one of the strongest years in the NCAA with so many people coming back from either playing in or preparing for the Olympics. All of those players are back so we feel like it will be a very strong year."
The Sun Devils have scheduled meetings with ten teams that are either ranked or receiving votes on Friday's preseason poll, including a March 11 meeting with preseason No. 1, Stanford. The Sun Devils will end the month of January with home matches against No. 15 San Diego State and No. 20 Wagner at the 2017 ASU Tournament at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center Jan. 28-29.
"We are focused on taking care of ourselves," added Clapper. "We are focused on competing right now every day in practice. I like the group that we have. I think we are very talented and very hard working."
The Sun Devils, who split a four game exhibition series against New York Athletic Club this past weekend, will be back in action on Jan. 28 when they host No. 15 San Diego State in the first of five-water polo matches at the Mona Plummer Aquatics Center. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2017 Sun Devil season by following @ASUWaterPolo on Twitter.
2017 Women's Preseason Poll: https://t.co/Gkg1tnUpvJ
— USA Water Polo (@USAWP) January 13, 2017
1 @Stanfordh2opolo
2 @USCWaterPolo
3 @UCLAWaterPolo
4 @CalWWPolo
5 @ASUWaterPolo