CAL CUP
SPIEKER AQUATICS COMPLEX
SATURDAY, JAN. 26
No. 13 UC Davis vs. No. 3 UCLA, 8:30 a.m.
No. 11 Long Beach State vs. No. 2 Stanford, 9:45 a.m.
No. 17 Fresno State vs. No. 4 Cal, 11 a.m.
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 2 Stanford, 1 p.m. (Exhibition)
No. 13 UC Davis vs. No. 4 Cal, 2:15 p.m.
No. 17 Fresno State vs. No. 11 Long Beach State, 3:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, JAN. 27
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 4 Cal, 8:30 a.m. (Exhibition)
No. 17 Fresno State vs. No. 2 Stanford, 9:45 a.m.
No. 14 San Jose State vs. No. 11 Long Beach State, 11 a.m.
No. 17 Fresno State vs. No. 3 UCLA, 1 p.m.
No. 14 San Jose State vs. No. 2 Stanford, 2:15 p.m.
No. 11 Long Beach State vs. No. 4 Cal, 3:30 p.m.


The No. 4 Cal women's water polo team opens the 2019 season this weekend by hosting the Cal Cup at Spieker Aquatics Complex, featuring seven teams, all of which are ranked in this week's CWPA Top 25. The Bears return three All-Americans from last year's squad that went 20-6 and advance to the semifinals of the NCAA Championships - junior attacker Emma Wright, senior goalie Madison Tagg and sophomore center Kitty Lynn Joustra. Sophomore attacker Elli Protopapas joined Joustra on the MPSF All-Newcomer Team.


 
NO. 4 AGAIN
For the seventh consecutive season, Cal was ranked No. 4 in the preseason Collegiate Water Polo Association top-25. The Bears have started the season ranked in the top-5 every year since 2009. Cal finished last season ranked No. 3 nationally after advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Championships. The Bears were also picked to finish fourth in the preseason Mountain Pacific Sports Federation poll.

END OF AN ERA
Last year marked the departure of one of the most accomplished senior classes in program history, as four of the six seniors who graduated were All-Americans. That included Cal's all-time leading scorer Dora Antal, who became just the third player in NCAA women's water polo history to be honored as a four-time First Team All-American. Anna Illes, another four-time All-American, left the Bears ranked No. 7 on the team's all-time scoring list while Carla Carrega and Kindred Paul were two-time All-Americans. Antal and Illes were also Olympians for their native Hungary.

THE ALL-AMERICANS
Despite the loss of four All-Americans from last year's team, the Bears still feature three returning All-Americans. Junior Emma Wright, who led Cal in scoring last year with 47 goals, is a two-time ACWPC Honorable Mention All-American. Senior Madison Tagg excelled last year in her first season as a full-time starter to also earn honorable mention - she begins this year ranked eighth on Cal's all-time list with 291 career saves. Sophomore Kitty Lynn Joustra also was named an ACWPC Honorable Mention All-American after emerging as one of the top centers in the country.

NEW-LOOK STAFF
Head Coach Coralie Simmons welcomed two new assistant coaches during the offseason, as Molly Barnes and Lazar Andric joined the staff. Barnes served as the head coach at Cal State Northridge for eight seasons while Andric is a former All-American goalie at Cal who has been a member of the Bears' men's water polo staff for the past two years.

ABOUT NO. 17 FRESNO STATE
• FSU notched a signature win over No. 13 Indiana last weekend
• Sophomores Emily Nicholson and Callie Woodruff were All-GCC picks last year
• Bulldogs were picked to finish fourth in the GCC Preseason Poll
• CAL ALL-TIME VS. FRESNO STATE: 1-0

ABOUT NO. 13 UC DAVIS
• FR Noelle Wijnbelt leads the Aggies with eight goals in three games
• JR Kathleen Schlafe was an All-Big West Honorable Mention last season
• Head Coach Jamey Wright is in his 36th season at UC Davis
• CAL ALL-TIME VS. UC DAVIS: 40-2

ABOUT NO. 11 LONG BEACH STATE
• Long Beach St. opens the 2019 season at the Cal Cup
• 49ers finished last season ranked No. 12 nationally
• SR Tori Morrisey was an All-Big West First Team pick last season
• CAL ALL-TIME VS. LONG BEACH STATE: 19-7