IRVINE, Calif. -- UC Irvine women's water polo wrapped up their 2023 season in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Overall record: 20-7
Conference record: 7-0
Home record: 7-1
Away record: 6-1
Neutral site record: 7-5
Big West finish: 1st
Postseason: No. 1 seeded UC Irvine defeated the No. 2 seed Hawai'i in the overtime of the Big West Championship to advance to the NCAA tournament for the second straight year.
Final national ranking: 4th

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
We Are The Champions
The Anteaters won the Big West regular season title after going a perfect 7-0 in conference action, the first non-postseason championship for the program since 2017. Earning the No. 1 seed in the Big West Championship, UCI swiftly defeated No. 8 seeded Cal State Fullerton, 18-5, in the quarterfinals before taking down No. 4 seed UC San Diego 12-6 to advance to the finals for the fifth straight finale matchup against Hawai'i. The 'Eaters needed extra time but came away with the 10-9 victory to earn the program ninth championship to improve their record all-time in the Big West postseason to 29-5 (0.853).

Proven Winners
Despite a projected second place finish in league action, the 'Eaters rose above to finish in first place. Head coach Dan Klatt now has 18 straight winning seasons including one in all 15 since joining the Big West. UCI's win over Hawai'i in the Big West finale earned the program their ninth 20-win season. The Anteaters perfect conference record was just the fifth in program history and first since 2017.

In The National Ranks
UC Irvine entered the season ranked 5^th in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) national poll. Through a year of competition that saw minor changes, the Anteaters ended ranked 4^th overall, the highest national finish in program history. UCI received a third place ranking after defeating then No. 4 nationally ranked Hawai'i in the Big West finale, the second victory over the Rainbow Wahine in 2023. Third is the highest rank in program history and was first reached in January 2020.
 
Setting the Record Straight
Several new feats were accomplished by UCI in the 2023 season, setting new program standards. On season opening weekend, Elena Flynn had a standout performance with seven goals, tying the school record that was first set in 2002 and then tied again in 2022 by Tara Prentice. In the same contest, Erin Tharp wrote her name in the record book with her 17 saves in a game, good for second all-time.

The following weekend, the Anteaters created a new standard for team goals in a game, scoring 24 against Azusa Pacific on January 27th. The previous record of 23 team goals was first set in March 2014 and was tied on two other occasions (2017 and 2022).

For the first time in program history, UCI posted two consecutive 20-point efforts and had three in the four-game weekend. The last time the team had three 20-point games in a season was in 2014.

As a team, the Anteaters scored 346 goals on the year which is the second most tallied in a season. After setting a new high in goals per match in 2022, the 2023 squad set a new mark of 12.81 goals per game.

UC Irvine won 12 consecutive contests starting on March 4^th and lasting until April 30^th. The 12-game win streak is the second longest all-time, just two shy of the 14 straight wins in 2017.
 
Players of the Week
Throughout the duration of the 2023 slate, UCI earned four Big West Player of the Week honors. Flynn earned the first weekly honor of the season on Jan. 25 after tying the school record of goals in a game in the 16-9 win over No. 8 Fresno State. Nioka Thomas had the 'Eaters second weekly honor of the year on Feb. 1 after leading UCI to a 3-1 weekend. Thomas scored 15 goals and notched a hat-trick in all four contests.
 
Kennedy East earned her first weekly award of her career on April 19^th behind her four-goal performance at then No. 4 ranked Hawaii in a comeback from behind victory to remain undefeated in conference action. To close out the season, Jessica Lynch was awarded the final conference nod on April 26^th following her two goals, three assists, and field block en route to the regular season crown.

Best Of The Big West
Four Anteaters were named to All-Big West Teams. Flynn, Tharp, and Thomas all landed a spot on the All-Big West First Team while Lynch earned All-Big West Second Team nods.

Klatt was awarded his ninth Big West Coach of the Year honor for leading his Anteater squad to their second straight championship title.

UC Irvine has now had four or more honorees on the All-Big West team in all 14 seasons they've been recognized.

All-American Women
The quartet of Flynn, Lynch, Tharp, and Thomas were recognized on the national level for their athletic achievements this season.

The offensive weapons in Flynn and Thomas earned ACWPC All-American Second Team honors. Flynn was named as an honorable mention a year ago and found herself on the NCAA All-Tournament Second Team for her performance against No. 4 seeded UCLA in the first round.

Graduate students Lynch and Tharp were named as All-American Honorable Mentions, both first time recipients.

It's the tenth time UCI has earned as many as three honorees including in each of the last four seasons.

Academic Achievers
Three Anteaters were selected to the 2023 Academic All-District® Women's At-Large Team by College Sports Communicators. Student-athletes needed a cumulative GPA over 3.50, have played at least one full season at the institution, and played the minimum number of games to be honored. Graduate students competing at a school where they did not receive their undergraduate degree are eligible within their first semester and must average a 3.50 cumulative GPA in both their undergraduate and graduate studies. Tharp, senior Jensine Bugelli, and sophomore Gabby Norris were UC Irvine's At-Large recipients and await their Academic All-American status.

Bugelli and Norris, along with Delaney Keupper, Lynch, Alexandra Mould, and Mica Schiavone were honored on the 2023 Winter Quarter Dean's List. To qualify for the Dean's List, individuals need 12 or more undergraduate graded units in a quarter with a GPA of 3.500 or better.