UC Irvine Women’s Water Polo has been a presence on the national stage since the inaugural season in 2001. After joining the Big West Conference as a sponsored sport in 2009 the team has produced dozens of All-American and All-Academic student-athletes, won 9 regular season titles, 10 Big West Tournament titles, and made 8 NCAA tournament appearances. The most recent NCAA appearances following consecutive Big West Tournament titles in 2022 and 2023. This past summer, Tara Prentice, who was a two-time first team All-American and Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year, became the programs first Olympic athlete, competing for the United States in Paris 2024. Our student-athletes have an array of academic interests and are preparing for careers in medicine, business, engineering, public health, education, sustainability, and much more.
Gifts to the Women’s Water Polo program provide direct support to our student-athletes and their programmatic activity. Your support ensures the opportunity for these young Anteaters to pursue their academic and professional passions, represent UC Irvine in the sport that they love with pride and honor, and develop lifelong friendships and family with their fellow students.
Thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration of supporting UC Irvine Women’s Water Polo on Giving Day 2025!
Women's Water Polo History of Success
- Sophomore women’s water polo player Lauren Hett was named to the prestigious Peter J. Cutino Award Watch List, honoring the best player in the country. Women’s water polo had a school record 28 goals in a win over Concordia.
- UC Irvine has claimed nine Big West Championship crowns and made eight NCAA appearances
- The Anteaters are currently ranked No. 6 nationally with Lauren Hett picking up Big West Player of the Week honors earlier this season
- Nine 20-win seasons
- 20 consecutive winning seasons under Dan Klatt
- Klatt has been named Big West Coach of the Year nine times
- Former Anteater All-American Tara Prentice the first UC Irvine player, male or female to win FINA World Championships with Team USA helped the U.S. women punch their ticket to the 2024 Olympics with a gold medal at the Pan-American Games. She is UC Irvine’s first women’s water polo Olympian.
- 42 All-Americans
| Rank | State | Gifts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CA | 35 |
| 2 | MT | 1 |
| 2 | WA | 1 |
