POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist water polo team will take on the University of Southern California in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Women's Water Polo Tournament on May 14. The 2010 NCAA Tournament will be held at the Aztec Aquaplex on the campus of San Diego State University May 14-16. This is the third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the Red Foxes and their fourth in five years.
Marist went 18-14 in the regular season, winning 14 of its last 17 games. The Red Foxes went 9-1 in the MAAC Water Polo League, earning the top-seed in the MAAC Water Polo Championship held at the McCann Center Natatorium April 24-25. Marist dominated the tournament, defeating Siena 17-4 in the semifinals and second-seeded Iona 18-5 in the title game. Senior Samantha Swartz (Harleysville, Pa.) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Performer after tallying eight goals and four assists in the Red Foxes' two games. Angie Rampton (Simi Valley, Calif.) was named to the All-Tournament Team as well. She had six goals and three assists in the tournament. Marist earned its first national ranking on April 29, entering the Collegiate Water Polo Association's top-20 poll at #20.
The Red Foxes had five players selected to the postseason All-MAAC teams. Swartz, Rampton, and Rachel Sunday (Carlisle, Pa.) were all named First-Team All-MAAC. Swartz led Marist with 54 goals in the regular season, with Rampton leading the Red Foxes with 46 assists. Sunday finished the regular season second on the team in goals with 39. Seniors Kristen Barnett (Houston, Texas) and Jessica Getchius (Simi Valley, Calif.) were named to the All-MAAC Second Team.
USC enters the NCAA Tournament with a 22-3 record after falling to UCLA in the title game of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships on Sunday 8-7. The Women of Troy's previous two losses came against top-ranked Stanford. At one point this season USC won 18 straight games, 14 of which by seven goals or more. The Women of Troy had outscored their opponents 277-110 prior to this weekend's MPSF Championships, with four players scoring at least 30 goals. Junior Joelle Bekhazi leads USC with 46 goals. This will be the first-ever meeting between the Women of Troy and the Red Foxes.
Marist will play three games in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Foxes are 1-8 all-time in the NCAAs, defeating Cal Lutheran 16-11 on the final day of the 2009 tournament for its first-ever NCAA Tournament win.