SAN DIEGO – Coming on the heels of its preseason No. 22 ranking in the Collegiate Water Polo Association Preseason Poll, the San Diego State water polo team has been predicted to finish in fourth place in the Golden Coast Conference (GCC) by a poll of the league's eight head coaches.
SDSU, which has reached at least the semifinal round of the GCC Tournament in each of the last eight seasons and the championship game five times in those years, totaled 30 points to slot in behind Pacific which received 40 points and is predicted to finish in third place. The poll was led by Loyola Marymount which compiled 48 points and six first place votes. Last year's league tournament champion Fresno State was picked to finish in second with 41 points and garnered two first-place votes.
Azusa Pacific was picked to finish fifth (21 points), with California Baptist in sixth (20 points), Santa Clara in seventh (15 points) and Concordia in eighth (9 points).
San Diego State is led by 2022 Division I All-American, All-GCC and GCC All-Freshman Team honoree Rose Kanemy. The sophomore was the squad's only freshman to compete in each of the team's 30 contests last year and led the Aztecs in assists (36) and shots (122) and was second in points (74) and blocks (7). She ranked No. 3 in goals (38) and her .311 shot percentage was the fourth highest on the team, among players who averaged a minimum of two shots per game played.
Among GCC performers, her 36 assists and 74 points ranked third and eighth in the league, respectively.
In seven GCC games, her 36 shots were a team-high, as were her 13 goals and two blocks, and her .361 shot percentage was the second highest on the team, among those who averaged at least three shots per game. In addition, Kanemy's 23 points ranked second on the team and her 10 assists were No. 3 on the squad.
The native of Montreal, finished with nine multi-goal games and had five hat tricks, which included a career-high five goal effort against No. 25 CSUN on March 6, 2022, at the Aquaplex. She had 13 multi-assist games with a single-contest best three against Azusa Pacific (March 25) and at Cal State Monterey Bay (March 31).
Under interim head coach Dana Ochsner, the Aztecs open the 2023 season next weekend at the UCSB Winter Invite in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 21 & 22. San Diego State jumps right into the deep end of the pool with its opening contest against No. 3 UCLA (11 a.m. PT on Jan. 21) and followed by a matchup with Cal State Fullerton later that day (3:30 p.m. PT). The action wraps on Sunday with a game against No. 15 Wagner (8 a.m. PT) followed by an 11:45 a.m. PT tilt against Division III No. 1-ranked Pomona-Pitzer.
Golden Coast Conference Water Polo
2023 Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Loyola Marymount – 48 points (6 first place votes)
2. Fresno State – 41 points (2 first place votes)
3. Pacific – 40 points
4. San Diego State – 30 points
5. Azusa Pacific – 21 points
6. California Baptist – 20 points
7. Santa Clara – 15 points
8. Concordia – 9 points