Jan. 22, 2015
The San José State University women's water polo team takes its unbeaten record to Santa Barbara for the UCSB Winter Invite, Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24.
The Spartans (4-0) and ranked seventh in the first Collegiate Water Polo Association national coaches' poll of the season are facing three teams, Cal State Northridge (#11), Long Beach State (#12) and Michigan (#17), at the UCSB Winter Invite. San Jose State opens its weekend taking on Cal Baptist (0-2) in a January 23 match at 3:00 p.m.
San José State brings a high-scoring offense to the tournament like it did a year ago when the Spartans scored 52 times in four games coming away with a 3-1 record. Junior Rae Lekness already has 16 goals and senior Victoria Smith is off to her best start as a Spartan in the scoring column with 10. Sophomore Clara Espar Llaquet, the 2014 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation scoring leader, has nine goals in four matches. Twelve San Jose State players already have a goal to their credit.
Spartan head coach Johnny Bega liberally used his bench during the LouStrong Memorial tournament last week and that also covered his goalkeepers. Starter Katelynn Thompson averaged six saves a match. Freshmen Tayler Peters, Jessica Harris and Sara Northam played at least a half in one of the San Jose State contests in the LouStrong Memorial.
Notes: Lekness moved into ninth place on the San Jose State career scoring list with 146 goals at the conclusion of the LouStrong Memorial. Smith and Espar Llaquet each reached 100 career goals in the 17-4 win over Cal State East Bay on January 16. Seventeen of the 24 Spartans were recognized at halftime of January 21 San Jose State-Boise State women's basketball team for achieving at least a 3.00 or better 2014 fall semester grade-point average.
Collegiate Water Polo Association Weekly Coaches' Poll
January 21, 2015
| Rank, Team | Points |
| 1. Stanford | 99 |
| 2. UCLA | 96 |
| 3. USC | 90 |
| 4. California | 86 |
| 5. Arizona State | 80 |
| 6. UC Irvine | 76 |
| 7. San José State | 70 |
| 8. Hawai'i | 63 |
| 9. Indiana | 55 |
| 10. Princeton | 54 |
| 11. Cal State Northridge | 50 |
| 12. Long Beach State | 47 |
| 13. UC San Diego | 40 |
| 14. UC Santa Barbara | 34 |
| 15. San Diego State | 30 |
| 16. Loyola Marymount | 22 |
| 17. Michigan | 21 |
| 18. UC Davis | 19 |
| 19. Pacific | 9 |
| 20, tie. Havard | 5 |
| Hartwick | 5 |