SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The third-ranked University of Hawai'i water polo team opens Big West play against No. 19 UC Santa Barbara on Friday, March 7 at 5:00 p.m. PT (3:00 p.m. HT) at the UC Santa Barbara Campus Pool. The Rainbow Wahine finish the weekend with a matchup with CSUN on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. PT (9:00 a.m. HT) at the Matador Pool in Northridge, Calif.

UH begins its Big West title defense after going undefeated in conference play a season ago. The Rainbow Wahine (10-3) enter Big West play ranked third in the Collegiate Water Polo Association and the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches polls with standout victories over then-No. 3 UCLA and No. 4 California at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational.
 

NO. 3 HAWAI'I (10-3) vs. NO. 19 UC SANTA BARBARA (13-8)  |  NO. 3 HAWAI'I (10-3) vs. CSUN (15-4)
Date | Time				Friday, March 7 Hawai'i vs. UC Santa Barbara; 5:00 p.m. PT (3:00 p.m. HT)  Sunday, March 9 Hawai'i vs. CSUN; 12:00 p.m. PT (9:00 a.m. HT)
Location				Santa Barbara, Calif. — UC Santa Barbara Campus Pool Northridge, Calif. — Matador Pool
Live Stats				theFOSH
Game Notes				Hawai'i

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDHawai'i leads UC Santa Barbara 31-8 overall (10-4 at Santa Barbara, Calif.)
Last meeting: Hawai'i 12, UC Santa Barbara 3 (April 13, 2024, Honolulu)

Hawai'i leads CSUN 21-4 overall (4-1 at Northridge, Calif.)
Last meeting: Hawai'i 12, CSUN 4 (March 23, 2024, Honolulu)

OPENING SPRINT

• UH returns after a 3-1 showing at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational, defeating No. 17 Indiana (10-6), No. 4 California (12-11) and No. 3 UCLA (8-5) and falling to No. 1 USC (7-14).
• Ema Vernoux earned Big West Player of the Week honors (Feb. 26) for the first time after scoring a team-high 14 goals in the Barbara Kalbus Invitational including the game-winning goal against No. 4 California to advance to the semifinals.
• The Rainbow Wahine hold their highest ranking of the season at No. 3 after a third-place finish at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational.
• Vernoux leads the team with 43 goals with a .558 shooting percentage. Jordan Wedderburn is next with 30 goals and a .492 shooting percentage. 
• Bernadette Doyle leads the team defensively with 23 steals followed by Gabrielle Doyle with 15.
• Last season UH went 7-0 in Big West regular-season play including 3-0 in road matchups.
• UH is on a seven-game win streak against UC Santa Barbara dating back to March 30, 2017 and a 10-game win streak against CSUN that began on April 25, 2015.
• UC Santa Barbara goalie Ava Donleavy ranks second in the Big West in saves (125) and save percentage (47.3%)
• CSUN center Dorottya Telek leads the Big West with goals (80), points (114) and field blocks (14).