BRIDGEPORT, Pa. (April 8, 2009) – In the latest Collegiate Water Polo Association Top-10 Poll the Occidental College Tigers knocked off conference foe Pomona-Pitzer by earning the No. 1 ranking among all Division III Women's Water Polo programs across the Nation. After holding onto the No. 2 spot for numerous weeks, a string of Oxy victories, coupled with a PP loss to Cal Lutheran (who moved up to the No. 2 spot) allowed the Tigers to climb the ladder. The Sagehens held the top spot for 14 consecutive weeks dating back to April 30, 2008.

Occidental opened conference play with a pair of blow-out wins over the University of La Verne and Caltech, before pulling out a fourth quarter, 8-6. victory over the University of Redlands on the road Saturday afternoon. The Tigers currently hold a 12-8 overall mark and are undefeated in SCIAC play at 3-0.

Leading the pack this spring have been Karie Nickle, Tessa Bailey-Findley and Kelly Curtain. Nickle, a sophomore from Hawaii leads the team with 51 goals and 27 assists while freshman counterpart, Bailey-Findley, is second in line with 37 goals and 24 assists as she leads the squad with 62 steals. Curtain, a senior captain, has recorded a team-high 57 drawn ejection. Senior goalie Laura Simanonok has blocked 116 shots for Oxy thus far.

The last time the Tigers were ranked No. 1 in the Nation was in 2006 when they advanced to the Collegiate III National Championship game. In 2004 Oxy was ranked first at one point during the season and back in 2000 the Tigers finished the season ranked No. 1.