BRIDGEPORT, Pa. -- The top teams in the nation remain the same as Stanford University and Occidental College held onto their No. 1 preseason national rankings for the 13th week in a row to top the Women's Varsity Top 20 and Division III Top 10 polls released today by the Collegiate Water Polo Association. In the CWPA polls, defending conference champion the University of Michigan continues at No. 1 in the league's Division I poll, while Carthage College remains on top in the Division III rankings.
Voted on by a panel of coaches and administrators from around the country during the preseason and each week of the season based on the cumulative results of each team, the Varsity Top 20, Division III Top 10 and Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 10 polls are released on Wednesday during the season until the week following the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship.
Women's Varsity Top 20
Stanford University remains a unanimous selection at No. 1 in the nation as the Cardinal garnered 100 points to remain unchallenged in the April 20 Women's Varsity Top 20 Poll.
Ranked No. 1 in the preseason (98 points), and the first two polls of the regular season (99 points), the Cardinal clinched a unanimous spot on top of the poll 10 weeks ago and remain the consensus pick as the top program in the nation.
The Top 10 positions in the poll remain consistent with the April 13 balloting, as the University of California, University of California-Los Angeles, University of Southern California, University of Hawaii, University of Michigan, San Jose State University, Loyola Marymount University, San Diego State University and University of California-Irvine hang on at No. 2-10, respectively.
Hartwick College's jump to No. 11 marks the first change in the poll as the Hawks picked up 48 points to edge out Arizona State University as the Sun Devils drop back to No. 12. Indiana University holds at No. 13 for another week, with the University of California-Santa Barbara sliding up to No. 14.
California State University-Northridge drops to No. 15 to complete the Top 15, while Long Beach State University moves up three places to No. 16 to start the final five spots in the rankings.
University of the Pacific, University of California-Davis, the University of Maryland and Princeton University round out the Top 20.
2011 Varsity Top 20 (Week 13 - April 20) |
Rank | Team | April 13 Poll | Points |
| 1 | Stanford University
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | University of California
| 2 | 95 |
| 3 | University of California, Los Angeles
| 3 | 90 |
4
| University of Southern California
| 4
| 84 |
5
| University of Hawaii
| 5 | 79 |
| 6 | University of Michigan
| 6 | 76 |
7
| San Jose State University
| 7
| 70 |
8
| Loyola Marymount University
| 8
| 63 |
9
| San Diego State University
| 9 | 57 |
10
| University of California, Irvine
| 10 | 56 |
| 11 | Hartwick College
| 12 | 48 |
12
| Arizona State University
| 11
| 47 |
13
| Indiana University
| 13 | 41 |
| 14 | University of California, Santa Barbara
| 16 | 31 |
| 15 | California State University, Northridge
| 14 | 30 |
| 16 | Long Beach State University
| 19 | 21 |
17
| University of the Pacific
| 17 (T)
| 19 |
18
| University of California, Davis
| 15
| 16 |
19
| University of Maryland
| RV
| 13 |
20
| Princeton University
| 17 (T)
| 11 |
| RV | California Baptist University
| RV | 3 |
| RV | Iona College
| RV | 3 |
| RV | University of California, San Diego
| 20 | 2 |
Women's Varsity Division III Top 10
Occidental College retains its position as the No. 1 small college team in the nation in the April 20 Women's Varsity Division III Poll.
Occidental, which has held the No. 1 ranking since the preseason poll, continues to remain in front of the pack as the Tigers' margin expanded to five points over new runner-up Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges.
The remainder of the poll saw dramatic shifts in team's spots as the University of Redlands dropped to No. 3, Pomona-Pitzer Colleges rose to No. 4, while Whittier College and California Lutheran University moved to No. 5 and 6, respectively.
In the final four spots, Chapman University claimed sole possession of No. 7 as Carthage College slips back to No. 8, while the University of La Verne and Grove City College exchanged the No. 9 and 10 positions.
2011 Division III Poll (Week 13 - April 20) |
| Rank | Team | April 13 Poll | Points |
| 1 | Occidental College
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges
| 3 | 95 |
3
| University of Redlands
| 2
| 89 |
4
| Pomona-Pitzer College
| 6
| 85 |
5
| Whittiter College
| 4
| 80 |
| 6 | California Lutheran University
| 5
| 76 |
7
| Chapman University
| 7 (T) | 69 |
8
| Carthage College
| 7 (T)
| 64 |
9
| University of La Verne
| 10
| 63 |
10
| Grove City College
| 9 | 56 |
| RV | Wheaton College | RV | 6 |
| RV | Washington & Jefferson College
| RV | 6 |
Women's Varsity CWPA Division I Top 10
The University of Michigan continues to stand on top of the league poll as the three-time defending CWPA Eastern Champions are a unanimous selection once again for the top position in the April 20 Women's Varsity CWPA Division I Poll.
Behind the Wolverines, the remainder of the Top 10 mirrors the 2011 CWPA Eastern Championship seedings as Hartwick College, Indiana University, the University of Maryland, Princeton University, Harvard University, Brown University, George Washington University, Mercyhurst College and Bucknell University account for No. 2-10, respectively.
2011 CWPA Division I Poll (Week 13 - April 20) |
| Rank | Team | April 13 Poll | Points |
1
| University of Michigan
| 1 | 100 |
2
| Hartwick College
| 2
| 95 |
3
| Indiana University
| 3
| 90 |
| 4 | University of Maryland
| 5 | 85 |
| 5 | Princeton University
| 4 | 80 |
| 6 | Harvard University
| 6 | 75 |
7
| Brown University
| 9 | 70 |
8
| George Washington University
| 7
| 65 |
9
| Mercyhurst College
| 8
| 60 |
10
| Bucknell University
| 10
| 55 |
Women's Varsity CWPA Division III Top 5
Carthage College continues at No. 1 in the April 13 CWPA Division III Top Five Poll.
The Lady Reds, who defeated Grove City College two weeks ago by a 10-7 score, avenged an 8-7 loss to the Wolverines in last year's CWPA Division III Eastern Championship.
Carthage's No. 1 ranking from last week marked the first time since Washington & Jefferson College rated at No. 1 in the March 3, 2010 poll that a team other than Grove City holds the top spot in the CWPA Division III poll.
The remainder of the poll remains unchanged as well as Wheaton College stays at No. 3, with W&J and Chatham University rounding out the Top Five.
2011 CWPA Division III Poll (Week 13 - April 20) |
| Rank | Team | April 13 Poll | Points |
| 1 | Carthage College
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | Grove City College | 2 | 95 |
| 3 | Wheaton College
| 3 | 90 |
| 4 | Washington & Jefferson College
| 4 | 85 |
| 5 | Chatham University
| 5 | 80 |
