LOS ANGELES – After another season of competitive conference play, the LMU Women’s Water Polo team continues to cement its success with a third consecutive Golden Coast Conference (GCC) regular season title.
Led by coaches Ikaika Aki, Sarah Kreiser and Ellie Karl, the team continues to dominate, achieving a 21-4 season record and a perfect home record of 9-0. Following a 14-7 win against California Baptist University, the Lions have earned the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Golden Coast Conference championship tournament, where they hope to achieve a second consecutive year as both regular-season and tournament champions.
Although these statistics highlight the overall achievements of the Lions, they are just one chapter of the team’s three-year story of tournament play. Following an overtime championship loss in 2024 and a bounce-back win in 2025 against Fresno State, the Lions look to continue their run throughout the conference with eyes on a spot in the NCAA tournament, as the GCC tournament champion earns an automatic bid.
“Last year we won regular season and the tournament, which was just a crazy journey. It was really a roller coaster, I think, that year. And then this year, kind of a bit of both previous years combined, we’ve had some losses, but right now we’re on a win streak. We won our regular season. So heading into the tournament, there’s a lot of potential to win again,” said associate head coach Sarah Kreiser.
As they continue their journey of tournament play, this year’s roster has gained several new faces. With nearly half the team now made up of new players, both coaches and returning athletes have dedicated time outside the pool to build strong team chemistry. Back in January, the team implemented fun new exercises to get the players out of their comfort zones, such as charades, Pictionary, and other practices to showcase their personality and how they come up with new ideas.
“I would say lthis coming semester, spring semester, our season, our week where we come back for winter break. We spent a bunch of time together practicing and then actually getting into games kind of helped me get closer with everyone because I feel like we all kind of started to get around a common goal. We want to win, and then once we started playing GCC games, I think that also helped us because our ultimate goal was to win regular season, which we did, and then ultimately when our tournament. And so I think like all of us getting around, like our goals has helped us a lot to like get closer as a group, especially because it’s a super new group,” shared Senior Sophia DeMattia.
As the team continues to make its way towards the GCC Tournament, its level of preparation is just as rigorous as its physical performance. Throughout their season, the Lions have spent several hours scouting each opponent and have used practices such as journaling to encourage players to stay on top of their mental performances. Working alongside sports psychologist Dr. Kim Hollingdale, the team has prioritized mental preparation, such as goal setting, which has been credited with a direct correlation to their performance on gameday. While some journaling practices are individual, the team has also introduced the habit of sharing their goals with other teammates and has since built a greater sense of trust and familiarity in the locker room.
“So a lot of those things are built into our routine. But I’d say the journaling and the culture building is something we’ve made definitely a priority three years ago and still has been like the backbone to our success. Ultimately, you can have all the tactical components set up for you. But if you don’t have a belief in each other and trust within the group, then success isn’t as guaranteed,” Kreiser shared.
As the Lions prepare for the championship tournament in Fresno, their focus remains clear: to continue their run as GCC champions. Throughout a season filled with both obstacles and opportunities, the Lions plan to continue the positive momentum and bring the championship back to the bluff for a 2nd time in a row. The tournament begins on April 10th, with the Lions set to face the winner of Cal Baptist vs. the University of the Pacific the very next day.
