SAN DIEGO –No. 24-ranked San Diego state water polo opens the home portion of its 2024 Golden Coast Conference schedule this week with games against Azusa Pacific on Friday and No. 20 Pacific on Saturday at Aztec Aquaplex on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
This Week
Friday, March 22
No. 23 San Diego State vs. Azusa Pacific – 4 p.m. PT
Saturday, March 23
No. 23 San Diego State vs. No. 20 Pacific – 1 p.m. PT
Storylines
- San Diego State stands at 11-11, overall and 0-1 in Golden Coast Conference (GCC) play after falling 15-7 in its league opener at Fresno State last weekend. The Aztecs 11 victories after 22 games are the program's most since the 2017 squad was 13-9 after its first 22 games. The 2017 team was also the last one to win the GCC regular season title.
-Sophomore attacker Claudia Valdes earned inclusion on the 2024 John R. Cutino Award Watch List last week. The Cutino Award recognizes the best collegiate water polo player in the nation and Valdes is the first Aztec to receive recognition from the Award since Holly Hertzell was one of four finalists for honor in 2004.
-In the 30 seasons of Aztec water polo, SDSU has a 589-401 record (.596).
-In its 11th season as a member of the Golden Coast Conference, San Diego State has an overall record of 53-12 in league contests, four regular season titles and one conference tournament title.
-The Aztecs hold a dominant 11-1 record against Azusa Pacific, with its lone loss, 10-9, coming at the Aquaplex on March 8, 2019. San Diego State is 3-1 at home, 5-0 at Azusa Pacific and 3-0 at neutral sites against the Cougars. Winner of its last for against APU, the last meeting in San Diego came in the 2022 season and resulted in a 14-13 overtime victory for the Aztecs.
-This will be the 42nd meeting between the Aztecs and Tigers with SDSU holding a 34-7 advantage in the all-time series. Pacific has won the last three meetings, which includes a 14-8 win in its last trip to the Aquaplex. After winning the first 32 games, the Aztecs have come up on the losing end of seven of the last nine matchups.
-Sophomore Claudia Valdes leads the Aztecs in shots (89), goals (54), points (77), shot percentage (.607), steals (27) and blocks (12), and is second in assists (23). Among Golden Coast Conference performers, the sophomore attacker ranks No. 2 in blocks, No. 3 in goals and points, No. 4 in steals, and No. 9 in assists, and nationally is No. 6 in blocks and No. 9 in points.
-Junior Rose Kanemy leads the team with 32 assists and has scored 15 times for a total of 47 points. She also has 12 steals and six blocks. Kanemy has 10 multi-assists games this year, including a game high four vs. Biola. Among GCC players she ranks 4th in assists and nationally she is No. 10 in the category.
-Freshman Mimi Stoupas has a team-best 36 exclusions drawn and ranks No. 2 in goals with 24 on 41 shots (.585 shot percentage). She has eight steals and eight multi-goal games including three hat tricks.
-Sophomore Sydney Gish has scored 21 goals and assisted on 11 more for a total of 32 points on the season. On 41 shots she has a .512 shot percentage. Her 23 ejections drawn are second on the team and 13 steals rank fourth.
-Goalie Tiaare Ahovelo has spent most of the time in the cage for the Aztecs. In 431:45, Ahovelo has seen 180 goals go in the net, made 133 saves (.425 save percentage), has five assists and seven steals and has a 5-8 record.
No. 24 Water Polo hosts Azusa Pacific & Pacific
