There may be fewer weekends for women’s water polo fans to enjoy this season, but the Bruins still played the same number of games through the 2026 regular season.
This year’s NCAA tournament is two weeks earlier than in past seasons. The change – approved last April by the NCAA Sports Oversight Committee – shortened season’s length.
So instead of heading to San Diego on the second weekend of May, teams will head there in the final full weekend of April.
Less time with their teammates is a sad reality for the UCLA women’s water polo seniors.
“It’s really sad for me that it’s two weeks shorter because that’s a bummer to have two weeks less with all the girls I love and the sport I love,” said senior utility Genoa Rossi.
For seniors at semester system schools, the move avoids any potential conflicts with graduation, allowing students to attend their college graduations.
But UCLA interim co-head coach Jason Falitz said he views the move overall as a positive one, particularly when it comes to the season’s flow.
“You do hit this lull, usually, in the winter season where there’s not that many games, and it almost feels like you’re out of season for a minute, and then, all of a sudden, it’s like conference, NCAA,” Falitz said, “Moving that up keeps the pace of the season at a much better pace.”
The typical season begins with nonconference tournaments with multiple games then moves into a period of single- or double-game weekends for the conference season.
Then comes the MPSF tournament — happening this weekend in Northern California. That tournament was also moved up, meaning the Bruins had just two weeks between spring break and the postseason.
“We have to take every opportunity super seriously,” said redshirt senior attacker Emma Lineback. “We’ve done a really good job of that, of using every opportunity to get better and trying to not waste any reps.”
UCLA did not have a single weekend without games this season – compared to previous schedules where it had off weekends.
“The way our schedule is formatted, it’s great,” Falitz said. “We don’t have a bye weekend, so we’re not hitting any of those lulls this year. Then, with it being pushed up two weeks, that also helps us stay on track, stay in a good rhythm and be ready to keep going.”
Shortening the season also plays a role in injury risk and fatigue.
But in a positive way.
“The longer a season is, the more tired you get, the more your body endures a lot. It’s a physical sport, so having two less weeks is good,” Lineback said.
And on the academic side of things, this season will end just before week 5 midterms, as opposed to the student athletes preparing for the biggest games of the season while also focusing on school if the tournament was in week 6.
So the Bruins are heading to the MPSF tournament and, likely, the NCAA tournament a little earlier than usual.
But Rossi said no matter the move, the Bruins are still focused on what’s ahead, even if that is two weeks earlier this year.
“We still treat everything the same. We’re not thinking about any game too far in advance, so we’re focused on right now,” Rossi said. “I don’t think anything on the water polo side or the team side has changed.”
Comments are closed.