HONOLULU- The Big West announced the 2023 water polo preseason Coaches' Poll and Coaches' Preseason Team on Friday as the University of Hawai'i continues to be a program with a target on its back.
 
After capturing the 2022 regular season championship, the Rainbow Wahine are back atop the poll with 47 points and five first-place votes out of eight. The 'Bows have only recorded three regular-season losses since 2017, and the last time they lost more than one conference match in a regular season was back in 2016. After going 6-0 in the conference play during the 2022 campaign, UH was on its way to a third straight tournament championship last season before being upset in the conference championship match to rival UC Irvine.
 
The Anteaters received two first-place votes, coming in at No. 2 in the coaches' poll, while garnishing 43 points overall. The other first-place vote went to Long Beach State, finishing with 39 points.
 
UH added another accolade to its preseason mentions as senior Alba Bonamusa Boix was named to the preseason squad. Bonamusa Boix finished last season third in goals scored for the 'Bows with 36 while tallying a .507 shot percentage. Over the course of her junior season, she accumulated 11 matches of multiple goals scored while netting four goals in three separate matches, earning a spot on the Big West Second Team.
 
The 'Bows will begin their regular season with the Rainbow Invitational on Saturday with three matches over two days, including matchups with San Jose State, Loyola Marymount, and Marist.
 
2023 Big West Women's Water Polo Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Hawai'i 47 (5)
2. UC Irvine 43 (2)
3. Long Beach State 39 (1)
4. UC Davis 28
5. UC San Diego 27
6. UC Santa Barbara 20
7. CSUN 13
8. Cal State Fullerton 7
First-place votes in parenthesis