Big West Conference Forms for 2009 NCAA Women's Season

IRVINE, Calif. -- The Big West Conference officially welcomed women's water polo for the 2008-09 season as the 18th sport to the league's sports lineup in a September 2 press release. Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara and Pacific comprise the six schools competing for the inaugural championship.

The regular season conference schedule consists of five games (3 home, 2 away or 2 home, 3 away) with sites alternating annually as determined by the Conference Office. Regular season conference play will take place over a four-week period beginning on Saturday, March 28 and extending through Saturday, April 18.

All six teams will then participate in the 2009 Big West Women's Water Polo Tournament with Pacific serving as host. The three-day event runs from Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26. Tournament format includes the top two seeds receiving a bye and the bottom four seeds playing the opening round on Friday. The two semifinal matches take place on Saturday, while the tournament concludes on Sunday with a championship match, third place match and fifth place match.

Tournament seedings are based on the final regular season standings.

The following is the rotation of Big West Women's Water Polo Tournament sites:

2009 – Pacific
2010 – Long Beach State
2011 – UC Santa Barbara
2012 – UC Davis
2013 – UC Irvine
2014 – Cal State Northridge

Water polo is one of 10 women's sports the Big West Conference sponsors, with the others consisting of cross country, soccer, volleyball, swimming and diving, basketball, softball, golf, tennis, and track and field. The eight men's sports include cross country, soccer, swimming and diving, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, and track and field.