Men’s water polo field looks tough as ever

The Orange Empire Conference has long been a power in men's water polo, winning 32 state titles since 1968.  Golden West College has been the premier program in the state, winning 27 of those titles. 

Golden West has won the past four state championships and has played in the state title game 13 years in a row.  The Rustlers have also won 31 straight Orange Empire Conference titles.

The big question is, can anybody knock off the Rustlers as they go for 32 straight OEC titles?  The answer may be, yes!  In early action this season, Saddleback College tested Golden West at the Golden West Invitational before falling to the Rustlers 11-9.  The Bobcats are coming off their first conference swimming title in 37 years when they posted a win at the OEC Championships in the spring.  Saddleback has started the season 4-1, with the lone loss coming against Golden West.  The Bobcats have as many as 25 athletes on the team, which is something the school hasn't seen in decades.

When looking at the rest of the field in the OEC, Orange Coast College and Riverside City College can't be overlooked.  Orange Coast has finished in second place in the conference for three straight seasons and Riverside City was the runner-up in 2016.  Orange Coast will open its season this weekend at the Mt. San Antonio College Tournament while RCC has started the season 3-4, with its only losses coming against four-year programs. 

Orange Empire Conference play is scheduled to start this week.

Release by Brad Hoiseth