Men's Water Polo Preseason Top 10 Poll:
courtesty of the Community College Water Polo Poll & Newsletter *

Others: Citrus, 24 points; Solano, 23 points; Ventura, 17 points; Orange Coast, 14 points; Saddleback, 7 points; San Diego Mesa, 6 points; L.A. Valley & Modesto, 5 points; Cerritos, 1 point.

GOLDEN WEST SELECTED AS THE PRESEASON FAVORITE

The Golden West Rustlers have been selected by the California Community College water polo coaches as the preseason favorite to repeat as state champions this season. The Rustlers, who won nine straight titles from 1989 through 1997, were edged out of the title during the next three seasons before reclaiming the title in 2001. It's actually no surprise since the Green Machine has been ranked as the preseason favorite from 1990 through 1998 and as the No. 2 team in the preseason poll from 1999 through 2001.
If the pollsters are right this season, it will be state tournament host Long Beach City College which will give the Rustlers their best challenge. Long Beach finished third at last year's state tournament but move up a notch to fill the No. 2 slot in this year's preseason poll.

Riverside, which finished second at the state tournament a year ago, gets enough votes to land in the No. 3 position to start out the 2002 season. The Tigers edged out West Valley in the balloting. West Valley was the preseason favorite in each of the past three seasons, going on to win state titles in 1998 and 1999.
There was a big gap in the points following the first four teams. Mt. San Antonio is the next closest challenger, taking on the No. 5 position to start the season. Grossmont slips into the No. 6 position followed by six anxious teams which are only separated by five points.

Cuesta sits in the No. 7 position, followed immediately by Merced. The Blue Devils placed fourth at last year's state tournament and are an early pick to make it back to the big event. Diablo Valley is only one point back of the Blue Devils and Fullerton rounds out the Top 10, just one point behind DVC.

We should see lots of changes during the first few weeks of the season. Citrus and Solano are right on the border of making it into the Top 10. Ventura appears to be ready and confident heading into the first week of the season. Orange Coast might have been overlooked in the preseason balloting, but the Bucs will hop up into the Top 10 soon enough.

Saddleback, which features a new coach in Mike Evans, received a couple of votes and, as an afterthought, a few coaches voted for San Diego Mesa. The Olympians were a powerhouse two seasons ago and could easily return to that form this season.

* Information supplied by Jerry Hannula of the Community College Water Polo Poll & Newsletter. For subscription information, please call (949) 582-4490 or write to: jhannula@saddleback.edu