April 28, 2008
SAN DIEGO -
Complete Tournament Bracket in PDF Format
San Diego State has been selected to participate in the 2008 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship for the second consecutive year. The Aztecs received an invitation to the eight-team tournament Monday evening and will face UC Davis in the first round on Friday, May 9, beginning at 6:45 p.m. (PDT) at the Avery Aquatic Center in Stanford, Calif. SDSU was awarded the No. 4 seed, while the Aggies are seeded fifth.
"We are thrilled to be going back to the NCAA tournament for the second straight year," said Aztec head coach Carin Crawford. "It is really an honor to be selected. We have had a lot of quality wins and it is a great reward after a season of tough competition."
SDSU, ranked fourth in the latest national collegiate poll, earned an at-large berth after finishing with a program-best 29-6 overall record, which included a perfect 10-0 mark to start the season. The Aztecs recently went 3-1 at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships, placing fifth in the elite 13-team field.
SDSU and UC Davis (26-8) have met once previously this season at the UC Irvine Invitational in February. In the opening game of the tournament, the Aggies handed the Aztecs their first loss of the 2008 campaign, claiming a narrow 8-7 victory.
The winner of the San Diego State-UC Davis matchup will face the victor of the UCLA/Pomona-Pitzer game on Saturday, May 10, starting at 4 p.m. PT.
The NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship was established in 2001. UCLA has captured five tournament crowns (2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007), while Stanford (2002) and USC (2004) have claimed one title apiece.
2008 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
Avery Aquatic Center -- Stanford, Calif.
May 9-11, 2008
First Round (May 9)
1:30 p.m. #2 Stanford vs. #7 Marist3:15 p.m. #3 USC vs. #6 Michigan5:00 p.m. #1 UCLA vs. #8 Pomona-Pitzer6:45 p.m. #4 San Diego State vs. #5 UC Davis
*All times Pacific.