Fresno State Athletics
Photo by: Keith Kountz/Fresno State
'Dogs picked fourth in GCC Preseason Coaches' Poll
1/17/2019 2:17:00 PM | Water Polo
LOS ANGELES – The eight Golden Coast Conference women's water polo head coaches tabbed reigning GCC champion the University of the Pacific to win the 2019 regular season title. In just its second season of competition, Fresno State was picked to finish fourth.Â
"We are excited to get year two of the program rolling," said head coach Natalie Benson, "and have a very competitive schedule ahead of us. While I'm honored that our conference peers see us moving up in the ranks, we have to prove it through our play. We have a competitive conference with solid teams throughout, and we will really place importance on the rankings at the end of the season."Â
The poll puts Pacific (48 votes, 5 first place votes), Loyola Marymount (43 votes, 2 first place votes) and San Diego State (38 votes) at the top of the conference.Â
Fresno State (29 votes) and California Baptist (27 votes) were slated to finish in the middle. Azusa Pacific (18 votes), Santa Clara (14 votes) and Concordia (7 votes) filled the last three spots to round out the preseason rankings.
The Bulldogs return 10 letterwinners, including their top two scorers and All-GCC selections in Emily Nicholson and Callie Woodruff. Madelynn Garcia will also return to the goal for the Fresno State, after emerging as the primary goalie last season. Garcia finished the 2018 season with 132 saves and a team-high 25 steals. The Bulldogs bolster their roster with eight freshman for the upcoming season.
Last season, Fresno State wrapped up the program's inaugural season with a 7-18 (3-4 GCC) record and finished sixth in the Golden Coast Conference Championships. The first-year program had two All-GCC selections, including the Co-Newcomer of the Year Nicholson, who also received AWPC All-America honors.
The Bulldogs will begin GCC play hosting Pacific in the Fresno State Aquatics Center on March 23, 2019 at 12 p.m. PT.
What's next – Fresno State will open its 2019 season at the UCSB Invitational Jan. 19-20.
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2019 GCC Preseason Coaches' Poll
RK                              Team                                                                              Votes
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"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" - The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
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"We are excited to get year two of the program rolling," said head coach Natalie Benson, "and have a very competitive schedule ahead of us. While I'm honored that our conference peers see us moving up in the ranks, we have to prove it through our play. We have a competitive conference with solid teams throughout, and we will really place importance on the rankings at the end of the season."Â
The poll puts Pacific (48 votes, 5 first place votes), Loyola Marymount (43 votes, 2 first place votes) and San Diego State (38 votes) at the top of the conference.Â
Fresno State (29 votes) and California Baptist (27 votes) were slated to finish in the middle. Azusa Pacific (18 votes), Santa Clara (14 votes) and Concordia (7 votes) filled the last three spots to round out the preseason rankings.
The Bulldogs return 10 letterwinners, including their top two scorers and All-GCC selections in Emily Nicholson and Callie Woodruff. Madelynn Garcia will also return to the goal for the Fresno State, after emerging as the primary goalie last season. Garcia finished the 2018 season with 132 saves and a team-high 25 steals. The Bulldogs bolster their roster with eight freshman for the upcoming season.
Last season, Fresno State wrapped up the program's inaugural season with a 7-18 (3-4 GCC) record and finished sixth in the Golden Coast Conference Championships. The first-year program had two All-GCC selections, including the Co-Newcomer of the Year Nicholson, who also received AWPC All-America honors.
The Bulldogs will begin GCC play hosting Pacific in the Fresno State Aquatics Center on March 23, 2019 at 12 p.m. PT.
What's next – Fresno State will open its 2019 season at the UCSB Invitational Jan. 19-20.
Â
2019 GCC Preseason Coaches' Poll
RK                              Team                                                                              Votes
| 1. | Pacific | 48 (5) |
| 2. | Loyola Marymount | 43 (2) |
| 3. | San Diego State | 38 |
| 4. | Fresno State | 29 |
| 5. | California Baptist | 27 |
| 6. | Azusa Pacific | 18 |
| 7. | Santa Clara | 14 |
| 8. | Concordia | 7 |
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" - The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
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Players Mentioned
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Monday, January 12