LA JOLLA, Calif. – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) champion Wagner women's water polo team is set to face Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) champion Concordia University Irvine (CUI) in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship. The match is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, at 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET) at Canyonview Aquatic Center in La Jolla, California, hosted by UC San Diego.
Last Time Out
The Seahawks secured their ticket to the national stage by claiming their thirteenth overall and third consecutive MAAC title in a dramatic 14-13 triple-overtime victory over top-seeded Marist on April 12. Junior
Catherine Mentz delivered the golden goal to seal the win, capping a hard-fought tournament run that included a 12-11 semifinal upset over No. 2 Villanova.
Season Recap
Wagner concluded the regular season with a 13-12 record, peaking at No. 20 in the CWPA weekly poll. The Seahawks earned key victories over No. 20 Brown, 14-13, and LIU, 16-15.
Individually, the Seahawks were powered by a standout core. Junior
Ana Arias Pérez was named MAAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, while senior goalkeeper
Francesca Sena earned a spot on the prestigious Cutino Award Watch List and was also named to the All-MAAC Second Team. Senior captain
Magali Ogg led the team offensively, earning First Team All-MAAC honors, while
Catherine Mentz earned Third Team All-MAAC recognition.
Wagner in the NCAA Tournament
This marks Wagner's 12th NCAA appearance. The Seahawks have become the standard-bearer for the MAAC, qualifying for every national tournament since 2014 with just two exceptions (2021, 2023). Wagner holds an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 5-15 and enters this year looking to extend its opening-round winning streak to four, following victories over McKendree (2025), Biola (2024), and Salem (2022). In addition to those wins, the Seahawks have also earned victories over UC San Diego in 2017 and 2018.
Head coach Josh Hower enters his third NCAA Tournament appearance at the helm, holding a 2-2 record.
Scouting Concordia University Irvine
Ranked No. 22 nationally, Concordia (20-9) captured its historic first-ever WWPA Championship on April 12 with a gritty 4-3 defensive victory over Biola. Riding a 10-game win streak, CUI makes its historic debut at the NCAA Tournament as a high-momentum opponent.
The squad is anchored by junior goalkeeper Jaden Soto, the WWPA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, who led the conference in steals (56) and recorded 11 saves while allowing just three goals in the conference final. Offensively, CUI is powered by WWPA Newcomer of the Year Mia Hueston, who led the team with 79 points, and All-Tournament standout sophomore attacker Anna Tyukasz, who paced the team in assists.
Where To Watch
The opening-round game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Fans can find more tournament information, including links to live streams and updated brackets, on NCAA.com. Live statistics for the match will be provided by 6-8 Sports, with full results available on the Wagner Athletics website following the match.
The quarterfinals and semifinals will be streamed on NCAA.com for free, while the NCAA Championship game will be broadcast on ESPNU
What's Next
The winner of Wednesday's opening-round match will advance to face No. 1 overall seed and defending national champion Stanford in the quarterfinals on Friday, April 24, at 12 p.m. PT (3 p.m. ET).
