FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State water polo head coach Natalie Benson has again been named the Golden Coast Conference Coach of the Year, marking three straight seasons with the honor. The Coach of the Year is voted upon by the league's eight coaches following the conclusion of the GCC Championship tournament.
"I am honored to receive the Golden Coast Conference Coach of the Year award," said Benson. "I would like to share this honor with my dedicated and talented team of coaching and support staff who helped our program achieve success this season. Without them, this championship season would not have been possible."
In just six years of competition, including a shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bulldogs women's water polo team has been at the top of the GCC for half of that thanks to winning a share of the regular season title in 2021, and sole possession with unbeaten records in 2022 and 2023. The Bulldogs have won 25 straight contests against conference competition.
Benson leads Fresno State into the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship this weekend as they open with No. 2 USC on Friday at 4 p.m. PT in Stockton, Calif.
It has been a quick rise to the top behind Benson's leadership. As the only head coach in Fresno State water polo history, Benson has accumulated a 79-62 overall record since year one in 2018. The Bulldogs have not had a double-digit losing season since 2019 and the team has been above .500 in each season since 2020.
In just their fifth full season of competition, the Bulldogs find themselves at the top of the GCC once again thanks to Benson and Co. The Bulldogs will head to the NCAA tournament as winners of 14 of their last 15 matchups, and are 18-8 overall on the season.
The 'Dogs are led by GCC Player of the Year Brooke Ochoa and GCC Newcomer of the Year Hailey Andress, the second straight year the team has swept the individual honors in the GCC.