NC Release | Interactive Bracket
For the third time in a row, Big West champion Hawai‘i secured its place among the nation’s elite once again, earning a berth in the 2026 National Collegiate Women’s Water Polo Championship bracket announced Monday. This marks the first time in program history that UH has earned three consecutive trips to the NC Championship.
The Rainbow Wahine will face California (14-7) in the opening round of the national tournament, set for April 24-26 in La Jolla, Calif. The matchup renews a recent postseason rivalry between the two programs on the national stage. The announcement was made via a selection show on NCAA.com.
This year’s National Collegiate field features six automatic qualifiers from conference champions along with three at-large selections. Seven teams will advance directly to the championship bracket, while the remaining two teams will meet in an Opening Round contest on April 22. The winner will move on to the quarterfinals on April 26, followed by semifinal matchups on April 27 and the NCAA Championship game on April 28 at 6 p.m. PT. All matches will take place at Canyonview Pool in San Diego. Quarterfinal and semifinal contests will stream live on NCAA.com, with the championship game televised on ESPNU and available on ESPN+.
A year ago, Hawai‘i earned an 8-7 quarterfinal victory over California at the NC Championship, using a fast start and late defensive stand to secure the win. The Rainbow Wahine built an early lead, responded to a second-half surge by the Golden Bears, and closed the match with clutch saves from Daisy Logtens, who finished with 12 stops to send UH to the semifinals.
Hawai‘i received the conference’s automatic qualifier into the NC Championship by winning The Big West Championship for the seventh time in program history after defeating second-seeded Long Beach State, 14-9, in the Championship Final. The Rainbow Wahine showcased their depth in the victory, with seven players contributing to the scoring effort. Agatha Weston led the way with four goals to earn 2026 Big West Women’s Water Polo Championship MVP honors, while Gabrielle Doyle, Alia Burlock, Ema Vernoux, and Ariadna Temprano Xambó added key scores. Roni Perlman tied a career high with five assists, while last year’s Championship MVP, Daisy Logtens, recorded nine saves in the cage.
After a tightly contested opening period, Hawai‘i broke the game open with a five-goal second quarter and maintained control the rest of the way. The Rainbow Wahine completed an undefeated run through both the Big West regular season and tournament for the third consecutive year, extending their conference winning streak to 29 matches dating back to 2024.