EDISON, NJ (Jan. 19, 2026) – Two-time defending champions, Wagner College, has been selected as the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Water Polo preseason favorite, as voted on by the league's nine head coaches. Wagner’s duo of Magali Ogg and Francesca Sena earned the top preseason individual honors.
The Seahawks collected 80 points and eight first-place votes, to lead the poll. Wagner enters 2026 as the two-time defending MAAC Champions after claiming back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025. Dating back to 2003, Wagner has won a MAAC-leading 12 championships, including nine out of the last 11 trophies since 2014. Overall, the Seahawks went 21-9 last season, including a league-best mark of 11-1 in conference action, securing their fourth consecutive MAAC Regular Season Championship. Over the past four seasons, Wagner has dominated the MAAC regular season, compiling a record of 42-1, going undefeated in league play three consecutive seasons from 2022 through 2024.
Marist University, the back-to-back MAAC Championship runner-up was tabbed second in the poll, receiving 72 points and the remaining first place vote. 2025 semifinalist, Villanova was picked third with a total of 56 points, while LIU (54) and Iona University (42) rounded out the top five.
Ogg, a senior attacker for Wagner earned MAAC Preseason Player of the Year honors. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Ogg collected Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) All-American honorable mention following a standout season last year that included 61 goals. She was named to the All-MAAC First Team and MAAC All-Championship Team additionally in 2025.
Wagner’s Sena was named MAAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year for the third straight season. A native of Cosenza, Italy, Sena recorded over 160 saves last season. She has claimed a spot on the All-MAAC First Team each of her first three seasons in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and was named MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year in 2023.
The remainder of the Preseason All-MAAC Team and full Preseason Coaches’ Poll can be found below.
| 2026 Water Polo Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Wagner |
80 (8) |
| 2 |
Marist |
72 (1) |
| 3 |
Villanova |
56 |
| 4 |
LIU |
54 |
| 5 |
Iona |
42 |
| 6 |
La Salle |
40 |
| 7 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
27 |
| 8 |
Siena |
23 |
| 9 |
VMI |
11 |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Magali Ogg, Wagner |
| Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year |
| Francesca Sena, Wagner |
| Preseason All-MAAC Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Martina Bonet Saez |
Attack |
Jr. |
La Salle |
| Greta Tadday |
Center |
So. |
LIU |
| Anita Radaelli |
Utility |
Jr. |
Marist |
| Catherine Williamson |
Attack |
Jr. |
Siena |
| Riley Hull |
Attack |
So. |
Villanova |
| Magali Ogg |
Attack |
Sr. |
Wagner |
| Francesca Sena |
Goalkeeper |
Sr. |
Wagner |
The 2026 MAAC Water Polo Championship will take place April 11-12, 2026. The four-team, single-elimination championship will be hosted by Marist University in Poughkeepsie, NY. Marist has hosted the Water Polo Championship annually since 2003. For all information regarding the 2026 MAAC Water Polo Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/wp.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
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