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IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine stands less than two weeks from the open of its 2015 season which follows a return to the top of the Big West Conference and its third trip to the NCAA Tournament
The Anteaters finished last season with a 25-9 record, tying the program's highest win mark, and brought home its fifth Big West Tournament title behind five-time Coach of the Year, Dan Klatt, and Big West Player of the Year, Danielle Warde.
The 2015 slate has added a few twists and turns away from the usual scheduled path. It leaves the sanctity of the Gaucho Invite in Santa Barbara to open the season at the Stanford Invitation in Palo Alto against San Jose State, UC Davis, and defending champion, Stanford, along with a fourth, undetermined school.
Next, UCI turns its attention to the UCSD Triton Invite once again, a spot where the 'Eaters reached the title match in 2014 before falling to a tough USC squad.
The 'Eaters make one critical stop before coming home with a trip to UCLA on Fri. Feb. 13. The 7:00 p.m. primetime match will kick off the Pac-12 Network's water polo season as well.
UCI's return to Anteater Aquatics Complex begins Feb. 21 with the UC Irvine Invitational. The glitz and glam of the invite lasts until Feb. 22 between the AAC and Corona del Mar High School with full blog accompanying to follow the action.
A short trip to San Diego State is followed by a visit from USC to Anteater Aquatics Complex for a 1:00 p.m. Saturday affair before the long stretch of road matches.
The Anteaters skip town for over a month beginning with its first-ever trip to the Fluid Four Tournament at the University of Indiana. The Hoosiers kick off the weekend followed by matches with Michigan and Hartwick.
The 'Eaters return to California with trips to Loyola Marymount and UC San Diego sandwiched around Big West play at UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge.
The home slate commences in mid-April with visits from Hawai'i and UC Davis before finishing Big West play and the regular season in primetime at Long Beach State, Fri. Apr. 17.
The Big West Tournament stretches out into the Pacific at the University of Hawai'i, Apr. 24-26. The 'Eaters travelled to Hawai'i for the first time last year in a conference match winning 9-5. This will be the final stop before the NCAA Tournament in May being held in Palo Alto, Calif. at Stanford
The 'Eater roster goes through an overall with the departures of senior starters Annika Bergesen, Hillary Estrada, Hannah Croghan, Michaela Pierandozzi, and all-time leading scorer, Jessy Cardey. Cardey remains on board for 2015 as a volunteer assistant coach. The 2015 Anteaters will be led by two seniors in All-Americans Jillian Yocum and Danielle Warde.
The seniors also have a strong junior crew ready to take the reins in Cambria Shockley, Emily Carlson, Kelsey Thornton, McKenna Mitchell, Hanna Lancaster, and Nicole Schmidt. The youth will also show its stuff with 11 underclassmen sure to see time.
The Anteaters hit the pool this weekend with an exhibition against the U.S. National Team before heading out to the Stanford Invitational on Sat. Jan. 31.
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TICKET INFORMATION
UCI regular-season, single-opponent home games are free of charge for spectators.
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ANTEATER ATHLETIC FUND
UC Irvine Athletics is proud of our student-athletes and the way in which they represent UCI in local, regional, and national competition. Click HERE to join the Anteater Athletic Fund and feel the pride as part of 'Eater Nation and make a gift in support of the Women's Water Polo program.
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UCI FRONT ROW
View UC Irvine schedules, live stats and get up-to-the minute scoring updates on your mobile devices by downloading the UCI Front Row app, available free to all Anteater fans through iTunes and Google Play.
