Bulldogs host Golden Coast Conference Championship

FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State water polo team is set to host the Golden Coast Conference Championship at the Aquatics Center this weekend, playing host for the first time since 2019. The winner of the championship earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.

As the No. 2 seed, Fresno State secured a first-round bye and will face the winner of the San Diego State vs Azusa Pacific game set to be played on Friday.

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

TICKETS

THE BRACKET
Friday, Apr. 10
No. 3 seed San Diego State vs No. 6 seed Azusa Pacific - 12 p.m. PT
No. 4 seed CBU vs No. 5 seed Pacific - 2 p.m. PT

Saturday, Apr. 11
Game 3 - Fifth Place Game: Loser of Game 1 vs Loser of Game 2 - 10 AM
Game 4 - Semifinal #1: No. 2 seed Fresno State vs Winner of Game 1 - NOON
Game 5 - Semifinal #2: No. 1 seed LMU vs Winner of Game 2 - 2 PM

Sunday, Apr. 12
Game 6 - Third Place - 11 AM
Game 7 - Championship - 1 PM

All games of the tournament will be streamed on Overnght and live stats for each game are available on The Fosh.

Bulldog Bones

Fresno State is set to host the GCC Championship for its first time since 2019
The Bulldogs have won four of the last five GCC Championships
Fresno State enters the tournament on a three-game winning streak
The Bulldogs are 5-1 in conference play on the year, falling only to LMU on the road
Fresno State is 45-11 all-time in GCC games
The Bulldogs are ranked No. 13 in the latest national polls, the second-highest ranked team behind No. 8 LMU
Fresno State had four players earn All-GCC honors this season, including three to the first team
Fresno State has seen tremendous efforts from its freshman class this season. Read more about it here
Fresno State is coached by Natalie Benson with a 128-88 overall record as the Bulldogs' head coach
Benson is in her ninth season at the helm

All-Conference Caliber
Fresno State had three players land on the All-GCC first team in Hailey Andress, Katelyn Mobley and Riaan Bryant. The Bulldogs had one earn honorable mention in Charley Stephens. The trio of Mobley, Bryant and Stephens all also landed on the All-Freshman Team. Fresno State had its most freshmen earn first team honors in program history, and the first time since 2022.

Andress became the program's second three-time first team All-GCC selection, joining Emily Nicholson.

She did it again
Fresno State freshman goalkeeper Katelyn Mobley earned her second Golden Coast Conference Player of the Week honor following the final regular season game of the season.

Mobley had 13 saves in the Bulldogs' win over No. 20 Pacific, her most in a conference game this season. She also had five steals in the regular season finale. She recorded her second conference game with double-digit saves, and played all 32 minutes against the Tigers.

Mobley has set the standard early in her career. Already one of the most productive goalkeepers in Bulldog history, Mobley is second in the conference in saves (188) and third in save percentage (.467). She is averaging a conference-best 8.5 saves per game this season.

The leader
Senior Hailey Andress became the program's all-time leading scorer earlier this season. She currently has 253 career goals. This season alone, she has added 62 goals behind 18 multi-goal performances. The senior leads the team and is fifth in the conference in scoring. She has had at least one goal in all but two games on the year.

Andress has a team-high 12 hat tricks this season, bringing her career total to 44. She has scored in 16 consecutive games.

Win the sprint
Another year of Marit van der Kolk dominating the sprint. The sophomore Bulldog has a 70-9 sprint win-loss record this season. In 2025, she had the third-best single-season sprint record with a 41-4 record.

With her 70 wins this season, she has moved up to third all-time in single season sprint win numbers. Her career total of 111 sprint wins is second all-time behind Cynthia Rosa (2020-24), who coincidentally, also wore cap number three for the Bulldogs.

Van der Kolk leads the GCC in sprint wins this season.

International 'Dogs
Of the 24 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).

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 128-88 overall record, including four GCC Championship titles since the first year of competition in 2018.

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Players Mentioned

Hailey Andress

Riaan Bryant

Katelyn Mobley

Charley Stephens

Marit van der Kolk