TEMPE, Ariz.- Sun Devil Water Polo announced its 2021-22 competition schedule on Friday which is highlighted by an early matchup of last year's NCAA Tournament first round opponent, Michigan Wolverines, as well as the addition of more road contests. Last year, the Sun Devils hosted 15 games at home to open the season and compiled an 11-4 record before their first road game in April.
Coming off of a program-best third place finish in the NCAA Championship Tournament, Head Coach Todd Clapper is "Looking forward to a great schedule full of top-ranked teams. We are playing tournaments again, which will be a great way for us to see some teams that we didn't get to play last year." After hosting the ASU Invitational at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in 2021, the Sun Devils will participate in five tournaments this time around.
For the fourth straight season the Sun Devils will open the regular season at home, and will be hosting a Round Robin tournament with University of California Irvine, Fresno State, Michigan, and Cal from Jan. 21-23.
The first road series of the season comes a little earlier than it did last season, with a Stanford Tournament in California taking place on Feb. 5-6. ASU had a top-five upset against the Cardinal at home last season and will return to Stanford's home pool for the first time since 2020.
On Feb. 12-13 the Sun Devils will host a home tournament with Salem University, California State, Eastbay, and Ottawa University of Arizona in town. In the last meeting against OUAZ, the Sun Devils had a +17 margin of victory against the Spirit. Times are still TBD.
The team hits the road for the Barbara Kalbus Invitational Tournament Feb. 25-27 in Irvine, California. The Sun Devils competed in the Barbara Kalbus Invitational Tournament in 2020 just days before COVID halted the season, but are not in completely uncharted territory, having played in Irvine 16 of the last 17 seasons.
To open up March competitions, the Sun Devils will face San Jose State University and Stanford in San Jose, California on March 5-6 for Mountain Pacific Sport Federation conference play.
The ASU Invitational will take place on March 11-13 where Marist, Harvard, and Azusa Pacific come to town. The Sun Devils have not faced the Crimson since 2013 coming away with a win in their only meeting.
Arizona State will continue conference play after the invitational with a busy slate of MPSF opponents.
The California Golden bears will return to Tempe on March 18 for a quick Friday competition. ASU defeated Cal in the first round of the MPSF Conference Championship Tournament last season, which later secured them as the fourth NCAA Tournament At-large bid.
On April 2, ASU travels to Los Angeles, California to face UCLA.
Defending NCAA Champs, USC, will be in town on April 9th.
Indiana Hoosiers will be in town on April 16 to close out the regular season before MPSF tournament play starts.
After hosting the MPSF Conference Championship Tournament at Mona Plummer last season, USC will take on hosting duties in 2021-22 with the games scheduled to take place Apr. 22-24.
SUN DEVIL 2021-22 WATER POLO SCHEDULE*
Friday, Jan. 21: vs UCI/Fresno State/Michigan/Cal, TBA
Saturday, Jan. 22: vs UCI/Fresno State/Michigan/Cal, TBA
Sunday, Jan. 23: vs UCI/Fresno State/Michigan/Cal, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 5: at Stanford Tournament, TBA
Sunday, Feb. 6: at Stanford Tournament, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 12: vs Salem/CSU Eastbay/OUAZ, TBA
Sunday, Feb. 13: vs Salem/CSU Eastbay/OUAZ, TBA
Friday, Feb. 25: at Barbara Kalbus Invitational, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 26: at Barbara Kalbus Invitational, TBA
Sunday, Feb. 27: at Barbara Kalbus Invitational, TBA
Saturday, March 5: at SJSU/Stanford, TBA
Sunday, March 6: at SJSU/Stanford, TBA
Friday, March 11: vs Azusa Pacific/Harvard/Marist, TBA
Saturday, March 12: vs Azusa Pacific/Harvard/Marist, TBA
Sunday, March 13: vs Azusa Pacific/Harvard/Marist, TBA
Friday, March 18: vs.Cal, TBA
Saturday, April 2: at UCLA, TBA
Saturday, April 9: vs. USC, TBA
Saturday, April 16: vs. Indiana, TBA
April 22-24 MPSF Championships @USC
May 6-8 NCAA Championships @Michigan
*Schedule is subject to change
Coming off of a program-best third place finish in the NCAA Championship Tournament, Head Coach Todd Clapper is "Looking forward to a great schedule full of top-ranked teams. We are playing tournaments again, which will be a great way for us to see some teams that we didn't get to play last year." After hosting the ASU Invitational at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in 2021, the Sun Devils will participate in five tournaments this time around.
For the fourth straight season the Sun Devils will open the regular season at home, and will be hosting a Round Robin tournament with University of California Irvine, Fresno State, Michigan, and Cal from Jan. 21-23.
The first road series of the season comes a little earlier than it did last season, with a Stanford Tournament in California taking place on Feb. 5-6. ASU had a top-five upset against the Cardinal at home last season and will return to Stanford's home pool for the first time since 2020.
On Feb. 12-13 the Sun Devils will host a home tournament with Salem University, California State, Eastbay, and Ottawa University of Arizona in town. In the last meeting against OUAZ, the Sun Devils had a +17 margin of victory against the Spirit. Times are still TBD.
The team hits the road for the Barbara Kalbus Invitational Tournament Feb. 25-27 in Irvine, California. The Sun Devils competed in the Barbara Kalbus Invitational Tournament in 2020 just days before COVID halted the season, but are not in completely uncharted territory, having played in Irvine 16 of the last 17 seasons.
To open up March competitions, the Sun Devils will face San Jose State University and Stanford in San Jose, California on March 5-6 for Mountain Pacific Sport Federation conference play.
The ASU Invitational will take place on March 11-13 where Marist, Harvard, and Azusa Pacific come to town. The Sun Devils have not faced the Crimson since 2013 coming away with a win in their only meeting.
Arizona State will continue conference play after the invitational with a busy slate of MPSF opponents.
The California Golden bears will return to Tempe on March 18 for a quick Friday competition. ASU defeated Cal in the first round of the MPSF Conference Championship Tournament last season, which later secured them as the fourth NCAA Tournament At-large bid.
On April 2, ASU travels to Los Angeles, California to face UCLA.
Defending NCAA Champs, USC, will be in town on April 9th.
Indiana Hoosiers will be in town on April 16 to close out the regular season before MPSF tournament play starts.
After hosting the MPSF Conference Championship Tournament at Mona Plummer last season, USC will take on hosting duties in 2021-22 with the games scheduled to take place Apr. 22-24.
SUN DEVIL 2021-22 WATER POLO SCHEDULE*
Friday, Jan. 21: vs UCI/Fresno State/Michigan/Cal, TBA
Saturday, Jan. 22: vs UCI/Fresno State/Michigan/Cal, TBA
Sunday, Jan. 23: vs UCI/Fresno State/Michigan/Cal, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 5: at Stanford Tournament, TBA
Sunday, Feb. 6: at Stanford Tournament, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 12: vs Salem/CSU Eastbay/OUAZ, TBA
Sunday, Feb. 13: vs Salem/CSU Eastbay/OUAZ, TBA
Friday, Feb. 25: at Barbara Kalbus Invitational, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 26: at Barbara Kalbus Invitational, TBA
Sunday, Feb. 27: at Barbara Kalbus Invitational, TBA
Saturday, March 5: at SJSU/Stanford, TBA
Sunday, March 6: at SJSU/Stanford, TBA
Friday, March 11: vs Azusa Pacific/Harvard/Marist, TBA
Saturday, March 12: vs Azusa Pacific/Harvard/Marist, TBA
Sunday, March 13: vs Azusa Pacific/Harvard/Marist, TBA
Friday, March 18: vs.Cal, TBA
Saturday, April 2: at UCLA, TBA
Saturday, April 9: vs. USC, TBA
Saturday, April 16: vs. Indiana, TBA
April 22-24 MPSF Championships @USC
May 6-8 NCAA Championships @Michigan
*Schedule is subject to change