USC Women’s Water Polo Wins Program’s Eighth National Championship

Sunday, April 26

La Jolla, Calif.

6:00 p.m.

USC

25-3

California

16-8

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
California	2	4	2	1	9
Southern California	3	4	2	1	10

Photo by: Nicole Hourigan

USC Women’s Water Polo Wins Program’s Eighth National Championship

April 26, 2026 | Women's Water Polo

Box Score Highlights

LA JOLLA, Calif. - The USC women's water polo team claimed the NCAA Championship in a one-goal battle on Sunday, holding off the No. 4 seed California for a 10-9 win to secure the program's eighth national title.

#3 USC 10, #4 California 9
USC came out composed and efficient to open the game. Sinia Plotz got the Trojans on the board first, finishing a clean look off a pass from Morgan Netherton. After California answered, USC regained control with a well-placed cross from Rachel Gazzaniga to Ava Knepper for the go-ahead score. Late in the quarter, Ava Stryker capitalized on a 6-on-5 opportunity, attacking early off an assist from Meghan McAninch to give USC a 3-2 lead to end the opening frame.

The Trojans created a separation in the second quarter behind their offense. Emily Ausmus converted on the power play off a feed from Stryker, and Netherton followed with a low, skip shot finish to extend the lead. Stryker added another on a power play, this time off an assist from Ausmus, before Ausmus struck again in the final seconds, finishing off a pass from Maggie Johnson to send USC into halftime up 7-6.

Out of the break, USC stayed in control. Johnson set up Plotz for her second goal of the day, bouncing it off the goalkeeper, and McAninch followed with another skip shot on a 6-on-5 chance, assisted by Stryker, to push the Trojans ahead 9-7. California continued to respond, trimming the deficit to one heading into the fourth.

In the final frame, USC delivered the decisive moment early. Gazzaniga showed patience on a power play before finishing a look off a pass from Netherton to make it 10-8. California answered with a penalty goal to cut it to one, but the Trojans held firm the rest of the way with key stops including a man down defensive stand.

Notables

Anna Reed recorded a career-high 14 saves and added three steals in goal.
Emily Ausmus was named the tournament MVP after totaling 15 goals, six assists, and 21 points across the NCAA Tournament.
Ausmus, Reed, and Ava Stryker were named to the NCAA All-Tournament First Team. Rachel Gazzaniga was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Second Team.
USC held California, which entered averaging over 14 goals per game, to just nine.
California was limited to scoring single digits for just the fourth time this season.
Sinia Plotz went a perfect 2-for-2 from the field with two steals.
The Trojans held the Bears to 3-for-13 on their power-play conversions.
Abbi Magee, one of Cal's primary scoring threats, was held goalless after entering as a consistent multi-goal scorer.
Julia Bonaguidi has had multiple high-scoring games this season, but was limited to zero goals against USC.
USC captured its 139th overall national title and 116th NCAA team championship, including 39th and 29th titles by women's teams, respectively.