FRESNO, Calif. — The No. 5 University of Hawai'i women's water polo team begins the 2025 season on Saturday, Jan. 18 with a doubleheader at the Fresno State Polopalooza at the Fresno State Aquatics Center in Fresno Calif.

The Rainbow Wahine kick off the campaign against 18th-ranked San Jose State at 7:30 a.m. HT, followed by a contest with No. 2 Stanford at 12:50 p.m. HT. The Rainbow Wahine will conclude the Polopalooza with an exhibition match against No. 4 California on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 8:20 a.m. HT.

The 'Bows will make the trip to Central California for the third straight season and went 2-0 in Fresno in 2023 and again last year with wins over Michigan and Stanford. This year's Polopalooza runs from Friday to Sunday (Jan. 17-19) and features a seven-team pool featuring Hawaii, Cal, Michigan, San Jose State, Stanford, UC San Diego and host Fresno State.
 

GAMES 1 & 2: NO. 5 HAWAI'I RAINBOW WAHINE (0-0) vs. NO. 18 SAN JOSE STATE (0-0)  |  NO. 2 STANFORD (0-0)
Date | Time				Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025 San Jose State: 9:30 a.m. PT / 7:30 a.m HT  |  Stanford: 2:50 p.m. PT / 12:50 p.m. HT
Location				Fresno, Calif. — Fresno State Aquatics Center
Live Stream				Overnght
Live Stats				Hawai'i vs. San Jose State  •  Hawai'i vs. Stanford
Tournament Central				GoBulldogs.com/polopalooza25
Game Notes				Hawai'i

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDSOverall: Hawai'i leads vs. San Jose State 27-12
Last meeting: Hawai'i 12, San Jose State 5 (Jan. 14, 2023; Honolulu, O'ahu)

Overall: Stanford leads vs. Hawai'i 36-1
Last meeting: Hawai'i 9, Stanford 7 (Jan. 20, 2024; Fresno, Calif.)

COACH JAMES ROBINSON'S FIRST YEAR AT THE HELMAfter two seasons as UH's top assistant, James Robinson makes his debut as Rainbow Wahine head coach this weekend. Robinson was selected to succeed Maureen Cole, who retired at the conclusion of UH's historic 2024 season, and is the fourth head coach to lead the 'Bows since the program was established in 1998. Joining Robinson on his inaugural coaching staff are associate head coach Candice Vorbeck and assistant coach Rebekka Williams.

• 2024 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches Women's Assistant/Associate Coach of the Year
• In his second season as UH associate head coach, he helped Coach Mo lead the Rainbow Wahine to a 23-4 season and the highest ranking in program history
• The season was highlighted by two wins over teams ranked No. 1 in the country (Stanford and USC) and a perfect run through the Big West regular-season schedule and conference tournament
• The Rainbow Wahine made the program's first appearance in the Women's National Collegiate Water Polo Championship since 2021 and advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2013
• UH spent 11 weeks at No. 2 in the national rankings this season and finished at No. 3 in the ACWPC and Collegiate Water Polo Association polls, the highest final placement in program history
• UH is 44-10 overall and 13-1 in Big West play during Robinson's tenure with the Rainbow Wahine coaching staff
• Robinson is a graduate of UCLA and was a member of three national championship teams with the Bruins (2014, '15 and '17)
• Played professionally with the Hunter Hurricanes in Australia and began his coaching career in 2018, working at both the club and high school levels in New Zealand.

TOP RAINBOW RETURNEESThe Rainbow Wahine return 15 letterwinners from the 2024 team that captured the Big West championship and advanced to the national semifinals. Two of the returnees received All-America recognition last season and three earned conference honors. Among the leading returnees are:

Bernadette Doyle (Senior, attacker)

• ACWPC All-America Second Team
• All-Big West First Team
• Big West Championship Most Valuable Player
• Women's National Collegiate Water Polo Championship All-Tournament First Team
• Ranked first in the Big West in steals (49) and steals per game (2.0)
• Tied for second on the team with 87 points (46 goals, 41 assists)

Daisy Logtens (Sophomore, goalkeeper)

• ACWPC All-America Third Team
• All-Big West First Team
• Big West All-Freshman Team
• Led the Big West in save percentage (.599) and goals against average (7.42)

Jordan Wedderburn (Senior, utility)

• Ranked third on the team in shot percentage (.475) and fifth on the team in goals (38)
• Also tallied 13 steals and six assists
• Recorded five hat tricks, the last coming against Princeton in the NCAA semifinals 

Agatha Weston (Sophomore, utility)

• Big West All-Freshman Team
• Scored 19 goals and recorded 14 assists and came up with 29 steals

OLYMPIC EXPERIENCEJunior utility Camille Radosavljevic and freshman attacker Ema Vernoux are entering their first season as UH teammates, but it won't be their first time playing together. After spending the past several years as teammates with France's national team, Radosavljevic and Vernoux helped make history in late July, representing the country in its long-awaited Olympic debut. Vernoux would go on to make even more history for France, scoring the nation's first ever goal in an Olympic women's water polo match.

Radosavljevic played for UH in the 2022 and '23 seasons, remained in France for the 2024 season to prepare for the Olympics and returns to the 'Bows roster this season. She ahd nine goals and eight assists in 2023. Vernoux comes to UH from a prominent water polo family in France and helped the national team secure its best-ever finishes at the World Aquatics Championships.

NEW ADDITIONSIn addition to French attacker Ema Vernoux, the 'Bows added four more newcomers to Coach Robinson's inaugural recruiting class.

Nalani Yim (Freshman, goalkeeper)

• 2024 graduate of Santa Barbara Senior High School in Santa Barbara, Calif.
• Earned first team All-CIF Division I and All-League honors as a senior
• Holds school record for most saves in a season (268)

Silvanne Slot (Freshman, attacker)

• A 2023 graduate of Summa College in Eindhoven, Netherlands
• Helped ZV De Zaan Water Polo Club capture the 2024 Netherlands Women's Championship
• Helped the Netherlands earn bronze at the World Aquatics Women's U20 Water Polo Championships in 2023 in Portugal

Gabrielle Doyle (Freshman, attacker)

• Graduated from Rangitoto College in Auckland, New Zealand
• Member of the New Zealand Senior National Team that competed in the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha. Also competed with the U20 Women's National Team that competed in the Junior World Championships in Portugal in 2023, and the U18 Women's National Team that competed in the World Aquatics U18 Championships in Serbia in 2022 and in China in 2024
• National swimming age-group champion in the 200 medley and 50 freestyle in 2022
• Younger sister of UH senior attacker Bernadette Doyle

Tea Brandon (Freshman, attacker)

• A 2024 graduate of Kamehameha Schools—Kapalama in Honolulu, O'ahu
• Led Kamehameha to water polo state championships in 2023 and 2024
• Scored three goals, including the game-winning goal, in the 2024 state championship game against Punahou
• Earned 2024 HHSAA All-State tournament team honors

BIG WEST PRESEASON POLL AND HONORSThe defending Big West champion Rainbow Wahine placed second in the Big West Women's Water Polo Preseason Coaches' Poll, finishing just behind UC Irvine in the voting of the conference's eight coaches. UH went 23-4 overall last season and finished 7-0 in Big West play to capture the regular-season championship. The 'Bows then swept through the Big West Championship to earn the conference's automatic bid to the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship. UH ended the season in the national semifinals and finished at No. 3 in the ACWPC and Collegiate Water Polo Association polls, the highest final ranking in program history.

Senior attacker Bernadette Doyle and sophomore goalkeeper Daisy Logtens were among the seven players voted to the preseason all-conference team.