STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford collected 22 points and four first-place votes to top the 2018 MPSF Women's Water Polo Coaches' Poll, which was released by the conference Friday.
It's the fourth consecutive year and eighth in the last nine that the Cardinal has been the league's preseason pick.
California was tabbed second with 20 points and one first-place vote, while UCLA and USC tied for third with 17 points. The Bruins also picked up the remaining first-place vote. Arizona State and San Jose State rounded out the poll in spots five and six.
Winners of five of the last seven national championships, Stanford will again be in strong position to repeat in 2018. Despite losing three of its top four scorers, the Cardinal returns a pair of 2017 All-Americans in Makenzie Fischer and Jordan Raney along with 20-goal scorers Kat Klass, Madison Berggren and Katie Dudley.
Raney received her first senior women's national team action this summer and won gold at the FINA World Championships with current teammates Makenzie Fischer and Fischer's younger sister Aria. Aria Fischer, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist along with her sister and the youngest U.S. woman to win gold on a team sport in the Summer Olympic Games, is one of six celebrated freshmen on Stanford's roster.
Among six departed seniors, Stanford must replace a quartet of All-Americans in Maggie Steffens, Jamie Neushul, Dani Jackovich and Gabby Stone. Julia Hermann, a 2016 All-American while Stone was away training with the U.S. women's national team, will resume her place in the cage for the Cardinal.
Stanford opens its season at the LouStrong Memorial hosted by San Jose State on Jan. 20.
2018 MPSF Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank | School | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford | 22 (4) |
| 2 | California | 20 (1) |
| 3 | UCLA | 17 (1) |
| 3 | USC | 17 |
| 5 | Arizona State | 9 |
| 6 | San Jose State | 5 |