Jan. 13, 2017
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State enters the 2017 season ranked No. 15 in the preseason Collegiate Water Polo Association Top-25 Poll, the CWPA announced on Friday. The Aztecs are the reigning Golden Coast regular-season and tournament champions.
SDSU, which finished No. 14 in the final CWPA poll of 2016, will look to continue its dominance of the GCC. In the league's three years of existence, the Aztecs have gone undefeated in conference play en route to three consecutive regular-season crowns. Last year, San Diego State added to its trophy case when it won the GCC Championship and earned the league's first automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where it finished in eighth place.
In 2017, the Aztecs return three of their four All-Americans from last season in Ioli Benekou, Alyssa Diacono and Caroline Israels. Benekou is a two-time All-American who produced 48 goals, 17 assists and 37 steals as junior last year. Diacono, a two-time All-American herself, posted 35 goals and drew 101 ejections in 2016. Lastly, Israels picked up her second All-America award after leading SDSU with 63 goals to go with 25 assists and 56 steals.
No. 15 San Diego State will jump in the pool for the first time on Saturday, Jan. 21, when it plays host to the Aztec Alumni at 11 a.m. PT at Aztec Aquaplex. Admission for the exhibition, along with every home game, is free.