California State University, Fresno Women's Water Polo
California State University, Fresno fields a women's water polo team in the Golden Coast Conference (NCAA Division I). In 2024–25 the roster carried 27 players, above the median of 23, with 1 head coach and 2 assistants. Team expenses were $1,133,638, well above the median of $635k — $41,986 per roster spot, upper half of Division I women's water polo programs. Under the Division I roster cap of 24 in force from 2025-26, that is 3 over — cuts or attrition are likely, though players already on the roster may stay (12 of 36 Division I programs carried more than the cap). The team's multi-year Academic Progress Rate is 986, about the median of 992, with 97% of players retained year to year. The school gave $4,460,456 in athletic aid across its women's teams, about $16,279 per roster spot.
Among Division I women's water polo programs
Where this program sits against its 36 peers (percentile; the tick is the median).
Team budgets across the division
Roster sizes (cap 24)
The program
- Roster27 2024–25 season
- Division I roster cap24 3 over last season
- Coaching staff1 head, 2 assistant
- Team expenses$1,133,638 for the year
- Operating expenses$174,082 game-day and travel
- Spend per roster spot$41,986 division median $30,406
- Academic Progress Rate986 multi-year; 974 latest
- Players retained97% year to year
- Eligible96% of player-terms
- Athletic aid, women's teams$4,460,456 school-wide
- Aid per roster spot$16,279 across women's teams
- Recruiting spend, women's$207,443 school-wide
Coaching staff
| Name | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Natalie Benson head coach | Head Coach | On file · sign in |
| Reilly Gallagher | Assistant Coach | On file · sign in |
| Cecilia Leonard | Assistant Coach | On file · sign in |
Recruiting timing
- Coaches may first contact youJune 15 after sophomore year
- Your own emailsAny time the rule limits what coaches send back
- High-school water polo players18,023 2024-25
- Division I roster spots810 36 programs
- Odds of a spot1 in 22 4.5% of high-school players hold a Division I roster spot
General NCAA rule for Division I; the women's water polo recruiting guide has the date for each grad year, the eligibility checklist and what to put in a first email.
About the school
What an athlete asks first — each panel opens the full picture.Campus
Full picture →- Setting
- City
- Type
- Public · Research university
- Affiliation
- None
Getting in
Full picture →- Test scores
- Scores not considered
- Graduate in 6 yrs
- 55%
Women's Water Polo
Full picture →- Team expenses
- $1,133,638 $41,987 per roster spot · upper half of Division I
- Coaches
- 1 head · 2 assistant
- Athletic aid, women's teams
- $4,460,456
- Recruiting spend, women's
- $207,443
Cost
Full picture →- Tuition & fees
- $6,980 in-state · $18,860 out
Campus safety
Full picture →- In residence halls
- 1 burglaries · 4 sex offences over 2022–2024
- Residence-hall fires
- 5 over 2022–2024
Majors
Full picture →Research California State University, Fresno
School pages built around what an athlete needs to know — the program's money and roster room, admissions fit, what a family really pays, majors, campus life and safety.
Women's Water Polo programs within 150 miles
| School | Miles | Roster | Budget | APR | Admitted | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno Pacific University Division II · Western Water Polo Association Women | 6 | 22 | $325k | — | 58% | |
| University of California, Merced Division II · Western Water Polo Association Women | 54 | 17 | $193k | — | 39% | |
| California State University, Monterey Bay Division II · Western Water Polo Association Women | 114 | 25 | $333k | — | 95% | |
| University of the Pacific Division I · Golden Coast Conference | 118 | 25 | $803k | 995 | 95% | |
| San Jose State University Division I · Golden Coast Conference | 123 | 21 | $491k | 981 | 80% | |
| Santa Clara University Division I · Golden Coast Conference | 126 | 22 | $409k | 1000 | 44% | |
| Stanford University Division I · Mountain Pacific Sports Federation - Women's Water Polo | 140 | 23 | $1.7M | 1000 | 4% | |
| Saint Mary's College of California Division I · Golden Coast Conference | 148 | — | — | — | 89% |
Other women's water polo programs in the Golden Coast Conference
| School | Roster | Budget | Per player | APR | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyola Marymount University 1 over cap | 25 | $1.3M | $50,213 | 986 | vs | |
| California State University, Fresno 3 over cap | 27 | $1.1M | $41,986 | 986 | vs | |
| University of the Pacific 1 over cap | 25 | $803k | $32,120 | 995 | vs | |
| San Diego State University room for 1 | 23 | $748k | $32,500 | 982 | vs | |
| University of California, Davis 3 over cap | 27 | $738k | $27,348 | 995 | vs | |
| San Jose State University room for 3 | 21 | $491k | $23,394 | 981 | vs | |
| Azusa Pacific University | 16 | $481k | $30,035 | — | vs | |
| Santa Clara University room for 2 | 22 | $409k | $18,602 | 1000 | vs | |
| Saint Mary's College of California | — | — | — | — | vs |
Every Golden Coast Conference women's water polo program · Women's Water Polo budgets ranked