Women's Water Polo 4/10/2026 9:00:00 AM

No. 10 Women's Water Polo Set for 2026 CWPA Title Defense

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - No. 10 women's water polo begins its title defense this weekend as the 2026 CWPA Playoffs are set to begin on Friday.

The Crimson will play its first game of the playoffs on Saturday after securing a first-round bye with a win over Brown last weekend. First sprint is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and will stream live on BallerTV. Harvard's first-round opponent has yet to be determined; the Crimson will face the winner of Bucknell and Brown, who play on Friday.

WHAT TO KNOW

Harvard secured the first-round bye and No. 1 seed for the first time in program history after its second consecutive regular season championship.
Despite winning its first regular season championship last season, Harvard entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed.
Recording a program-best 26 wins in 2025, Harvard defeated 16 ranked opponents and entered the CWPA Championship needing to get past both nationally ranked Michigan and Princeton.
Harvard opened the 2025 playoffs with a win over Mercyhurst.
Trailing in each contest, the then-No. 11 Crimson rallied to secure back-to-back overtime victories in the semifinal and championship games to claim the league crown.
This season, Harvard needs to win just two games to defend its title.
Harvard defeated Princeton and fell to Michigan in the regular season to finish conference play with a 5-1 record.
Harvard defeated Brown in its final regular season game with a 15-7 win at Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatic Center.
Sophomore Sofia Del Villar led the way for the Crimson with seven points, netting four goals and three assists.
Junior Maya O'Dea matched Del Villar with four goals of her own.
Heidi Heffelfinger tallied six points on three goals and three assists.
Emma Gilbert and Maya O'Dea earned first-team All-CWPA honors, headlining six Crimson players named to the all-conference teams.
Joining the junior duo were Orli Cooper, Niki Piovan, and Heidi Heffelfinger on the second team, while Ella Schneider earned an honorable mention.
Ted Minnis was also named CWPA Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season and the fourth time in his career.
One of the most dependable Crimson players on both sides of the pool this season, Emma Gilbert netted 38 goals and added 29 assists during the regular season. She also recorded a team-high 12 blocks and 30 steals in her junior campaign.
2024 CWPA Rookie of the Year Maya O'Dea added another impressive accolade to her career, tallying a team-high 65 goals along with 57 assists. The only Crimson player to surpass 100 points this season, O'Dea earned CWPA Player of the Week honors on March 2.
Minnis earned Coach of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career, helping lead the Crimson to its second consecutive regular-season title. Harvard posted its best start in program history through 20 games with a 19-1 record. Climbing as high as No. 8 in the national polls, the Crimson recorded eight ranked wins during the regular season.
Cutino Award Watch List recipient Orli Cooper earned her second consecutive second-team honor after backstopping the Crimson to a 24-3 overall record. She made 186 saves on the year and was named CWPA Defensive Player of the Week five times.
Last season's CWPA Rookie of the Year, Niki Piovan, also landed on the second team after another strong campaign. She finished second in scoring with 52 goals and was named CWPA Player of the Week twice.
Senior Heidi Heffelfinger rounds out the Crimson selections on the second team with the first All-CWPA honor of her career. She totaled 39 goals and 44 assists this season, nearly doubling her assist total from her junior year.
Ella Schneider earned an honorable mention following a career season. With 24 goals and 34 assists, the senior surpassed her previous season high by 14 points.