Polopalooza returns to Aquatics Center for season opening weekend

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

No. 7 Fresno State vs No. 15 Michigan
Friday, January 16 • 6:30 p.m. PT • Aquatics Center • Fresno, Calif.
Watch: OverNght ($)
Live Stats: The FOSH
Twitter: @FresnoStateWP
Series History: Michigan leads, 5-2

No. 7 Fresno State vs No. 10 Indiana
Saturday, January 17 • 11 a.m. PT • Aquatics Center • Fresno, Calif.
Watch: OverNght ($)
Live Stats: The FOSH
Twitter: @FresnoStateWP
Series History: Series tied 2-2

No. 7 Fresno State vs No. 8 UC Irvine
Saturday, January 17 • 5 p.m. PT • Aquatics Center • Fresno, Calif.
Watch: OverNght ($)
Live Stats: The FOSH
Twitter: @FresnoStateWP
Series History: UCI leads, 4-1

No. 7 Fresno State vs No. 12 San Jose State
Sunday, January 18 • 11 a.m. PT • Aquatics Center • Fresno, Calif.
Watch: OverNght ($)
Live Stats: The FOSH
Twitter: @FresnoStateWP
Series History: FS leads, 5-3

TICKETS

Single Day Pass
Single Day Pass: $15
Single Day Pass (children/seniors/military): $10
Fresno State Students: FREE

Tournament Pass
Adult: $30
Children/seniors/military: $20
Fresno State Students: FREE

Ticket sales will occur at the entrance to the Aquatics Center on event day. Ticket sales are by walk-up only. There will be no online sales for tickets. There are no advance ticket sales. Cash and credit card will be accepted.

Seating is general admission.

FESTIVAL FEELS

Fresno State will host the third annual Polopalooza this weekend.
The 2026 edition of the event includes seven teams, all inside the Top 15 of the preseason national team rankings.
There will be 12 games played over the three days, beginning Friday evening
All games will have a live stream on OverNght (subscription required)
All games will have live scoring available on The FOSH
Fresno State has added the "FanZone" to Polopalooza. This area features on-site activities such as live music, food trucks, vendor booths, face painting, yard games, and more.
Fans are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit and enjoy the festivity area between games.
More information on the Polopalooza on-site activities can be found here.

BULLDOG BONES

Fresno State was again picked as the Golden Coast Conference preseason favorite.
Fresno State was ranked No. 7 in the CWPA national preseason team rankings, coming in as the highest ranked GCC program for the second year in a row.
Fresno State has spent 76 consecutive weeks in the CWPA Top 10, including a spot at No. 3 for three weeks in the 2024 season.
Fresno State will open its season against Michigan for the third straight year.
Fresno State returns All-American Hailey Andress who enters her senior season with 191 career goals. Andress is a three-time All-American, and is just 26 goals shy of the program's all-time scoring record which was set by Brooke Ochoa just last spring.
The Bulldogs are coached by head coach Natalie Benson, who enters her 9th season at the helm.
Fresno State has advanced to the GCC Championship Game for the last five seasons, winning four of the last five opportunities
Fresno State added seven newcomers for 2026, including five true freshmen and one transfer
The Bulldogs return All-GCC players in Andress, Ida Tully-Giles, Ashley Williams and Marit van der Kolk
Fresno State has won its last two meetings with Michigan, the 2023 and 2024 season openers
Fresno State has won its last two meetings with Indiana with the last time coming in an overtime win in 2022
Fresno State defeated UC Irvine for the first time in series history in 2024
Fresno State has won five-straight in the series with San Jose State

'Dogs repeat as preseason favorites
The Fresno State water polo team was selected as the preseason favorites in the Golden Coast Conference for 2026, announced by the conference office on Friday morning and voted on by the league's head coaches.

The Bulldogs have won four of the last five Golden Coast Conference tournament titles (2021-24), falling last season to host LMU. This season, Fresno State plays host of the championship tournament that is set for April 10-12 at the Aquatics Center.

Last one for Hailey Houdini
For the last three years, Hailey Andress has seen her game progress. The California native enters her senior season as a three-time All-American and three-time GCC all-conference selection. She is in the record books for almost every statistical category, and is nearing the program's all-time scoring record.

Andress finds herself in the Top 5 for career goals (191), hat tricks (34), assists (70) and steals (86). She also owns the single season record for goals (74) and the single game goal record (7).

Year 9 for the head coach
Natalie Benson was hired as the program's head coach for its inaugural season in 2017. Benson enters her ninth year leading the 'Dogs in the pool and has compiled a 114-79 overall record, including four GCC Championship titles since the first year of competition in 2018.

In the rankings
Under Benson's direction, Fresno State has been ranked in the Top 10 nationally for 76 consecutive weeks, dating back to the 2021 season. The Bulldogs were ranked seventh nationally to open the 2026 season, their highest ranking since March of 2025.

International 'Dogs
Of the 25 players on the Bulldogs' roster, 10 are international student-athletes. The Bulldogs have athletes on the roster from New Zealand, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia and Israel (in addition to the United States).

About the GCC
The 2026 campaign will be the 13th season for the Golden Coast Conference and will feature seven institutions competing within the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Following the 2016 season, the women's division earned an automatic bid to the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championships, with the winner of the annual league tournament representing the GCC. In 2025, LMU knocked off four-time GCC champion Fresno State, who won the tournament in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. It was the Lions' third tournament title.

Heading into the 2026 campaign, Concordia left the GCC to joing the Western Water Polo Association. The league's seven members in 2026 are Azusa Pacific, California Baptist, Fresno State, Loyola Marymount, Pacific, San Diego State, and Santa Clara. This is the last season for the Lancers in the GCC, who will join the Big West in 2026-27. In that 2026-27 season, the GCC will consist of nine teams with Saint Mary's College, San Jose State and UC Davis joining the league.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Hailey Andress

Brooke Ochoa

Ida Tully-Giles

Marit van der Kolk

Ashley Williams