History. Made.@UCSBWaterPolo is the top team in the @CWPAWaterPolo rankings for the first time in program history.
Read more: https://t.co/iladdkEpyA pic.twitter.com/P3YGIZV1DP
— UCSB Athletics (@UCSBgauchos) September 25, 2019
As expected, the 13-0 UCSB men’s water polo team climbed into the No. 1 spot in the latest Collegiate Water Polo Association national rankings.
It marks the first time since the 2004 men’s soccer team that a UCSB team has been ranked No. 1 in the country.
In addition, the Gauchos are the first team from outside the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation to achieve the top ranking in men’s water polo since Pacific in 2013. The poll and NCAA championships have been dominated by the “Big Four” of USC, UCLA, Stanford and Cal.
Coach Wolf Wigo’s team has achieved several milestones this season: twice beating the top-ranked team (USC and Stanford), defeating No. 4 Cal (first time in 15 years), No. 5 Long Beach State and No. 7 Pepperdine and setting a record for the longest winning streak in program history. The previous record of 12 straight was held by the 1979 team that won the national title.
During their record run, the Gauchos have won the UC San Diego Triton Invitational and the Inland Empire Classic.
At the Inland Empire tournament, the Gauchos toppled then-No. 1 USC for the first time since 1990, 13-9.
Just five days later, UCSB won at then-No. 1 Stanford, upending the Cardinal 15-10 for only the 11th time in program history.
Santa Barbara was nearly unanimously voted as the top team in collegiate water polo in this week’s poll, earning 99 points to top second-ranked UCLA by 5 points.
The Gauchos will put their No. 1 ranking on the line this weekend in the MPSF Invitational at UCLA. The tournament brings together the top 16 teams in the country.
UCSB opens Friday against San Jose State.