Water Polo Heads to CWPA Championships in Ann Arbor

LEWISBURG, Pa.- Bucknell women's water polo (12-10, 2-4 CWPA) heads to the 2026 CWPA Championships hosted by Michigan this weekend. The Bison earned the fifth seed and will face the fourth-seeded and #23 Brown Bears (13-11, 3-3 CWPA) on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. Bucknell and Brown, with the same seeding, clashed last year and the Orange & Blue pull off the 7-6 upset. Bucknell will strive for the same outcome. A victory sends the Bison into a Saturday confrontation with number one seed Harvard while a loss plunges Bucknell into the loser's bracket versus the defeated party of Princeton-Saint Francis. The tournament will be streamed at CWPATV.

The Opening Sprint
What: CWPA Championships at Michigan
Where: Canham Natatorium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
When: April 10-12
Information: Tournament Central

All tickets will be sold through the CWPA. Tickets are available for purchase online and onsite during the Championship.

• $35 – Three-day pass
• $15 – Single day
• $10 – Sr./Military
• Under 12 - Free

The Inside "Herd" on the Bison

The winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, April 24-26, hosted by the University of California-San Diego at the Canyonview Aquatic Center in La Jolla, Calif.
Bucknell finished the season with a 1-1 weekend against Brown and Mercyhurst. The Bison were without goalie, Tamara Torkos, due to injury, which allowed Brown to rout Bucknell 18-3. The Orange & Blue bounced back to beat Mercyhurst, 11-6.
The CWPA conference awards were released and Olivia Hopper repeated as Second Team for the second consecutive year.
Hopper leads the team in goals (47) and points (103).
Olivia Garcia earned Honorable Mention All-CWPA, thanks to her all-around play and leading the squad in saves (10).
The Bison boast a deep and balanced attack with seven players recording over 20 goals.
Campbell Collins paces the team with 24 assists.
Tamara Torkos has supplied 210 saves and played every single minute in the cage before her injury.
Lehua Bender, a field player, filled in as the replacement goalkeeper.

Opposition Overview

Brown is 13-11 overall and 3-3 in CWPA play but enter the tournament on a five-game losing streak. The Bears rank tied for #23 in the latest CWPA Top 25 poll. Brown is 1-11 against ranked foes but 12-0 versus unranked opposition. The Bears have eight players scoring more than 20 goals, including First Team member Alexandra Love. Cleo Washer earned Second Team honors.

Up Next

Bucknell will prepare for the 2027 season if the team fails in its quest for the automatic bid.

Water Polo Heads to CWPA Championships in Ann Arbor

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Players Mentioned

Lehua Bender

Campbell Collins

Olivia Garcia

Olivia Hopper

Tamara Torkos

Bucknell University Athletics

Water Polo Heads to CWPA Championships in Ann Arbor

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Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lehua Bender

Campbell Collins

Olivia Garcia

Olivia Hopper

Tamara Torkos

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