SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Santa Clara University women's water polo team is receiving votes in the preseason Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 20. The Broncos are preparing for their season-opener Saturday, Jan. 29 at No. 7 San Jose State.

All four opponents in the team's opening weekend at the SJSU Invite are ranked in the CWPA Top 20: No. 7 SJSU, No. 18 Pacific, No. 3 California and No. 17 UC Davis.

On the season, Santa Clara's 2011 schedule is loaded with games against the national top 20, including possible matchups with No. 5 Hawaii, No. 6 LMU and No. 13 Indiana.

The 2011 Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) preseason poll was also released this week, with Santa Clara projected fourth in the nine-team league.

2011 Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 20 (Jan. 12)
Team (Final 2010 Poll) Points
1. Stanford (2) 98
2. USC (1) 97
3. California (3) 87
4. UCLA (5) 86
5. Hawaii (6) 78
6. Loyola Marymount (4) 77
7. San Jose State (8) 66
8. Michigan (7) 65
9. Arizona State (11) 61
10. San Diego State (T9) 56
11. UC Irvine (T9) 54
12. UC Santa Barbara (15) 39
13. Indiana (12) 38
14. Hartwick College (16) 33
15. Cal Sate Northridge (13) 32
16. Princeton (17) 26
17. UC Davis (19) 23
18. University of the Pacific (14) 19
19. UC San Diego (18) 12
20. Cal State Bakersfield (NR) 4
RV Santa Clara (NR) 2
RV Marist College (20) 2
RV Long Beach State (NR) 1
RV Iona College (NR) 1
RV Cal Baptist (NR) 1
RV Colorado State (NR) 1

2011 WWPA Women's Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Loyola Marymount – 63 points (7 first place votes)
2. UC San Diego – 57 points (2)
3. Cal State East Bay – 44 points
4. Cal State Bakersfield – 42 points
5. Santa Clara – 41 points
6. Colorado State – 32 points
7. Sonoma State – 21 points
8. Cal State San Bernardino – 14 points
9. Cal State Monterey Bay – 10 points