STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific men's water polo team is back-to-back regular season champions after claiming the title of 2022 Golden Coast Conference Co-Champions.

The Tigers have also secured the #1 seed for the 2022 GCC Conference Tournament November 18-20, ensuring the team a bye into the semifinals.

"We are glad to have won the regular season championship and secured the number one seed," said Head Coach James Graham. "This marks the end of a successful regular season, but all that was to put us in position for this weekend. We are ready."

The Tigers share the regular season title with Long Beach State, the same as 2021. The Beach also claims the #2 seed in the conference tournament.

"We're really happy with the result of the regular season and being champions, but we still have work to do, said senior co-captain Jeremie Cote. "We're now focused on winning the conference tournament and the greater goal of getting to the NCAA tournament."

The #7 Tigers earn the top seed thanks to their 15-12 win in the head-to-head match-up with the #6 Beach on October 8.

"There are a couple of games this season we'd like to get back, but we're satisfied with our seed going into the tournament," said sophomore co-captain Reuel D'Souza. "We all know the job isn't finished, and we look forward to the challenge ahead."

The 2022 GCC Men's Water Polo Championships take place at UC Santa Barbara's campus pool November 18-20.

Pacific (19-6, 4-1) and Long Beach State (20-8, 4-1) finished atop the GCC standings at one and two, respectively. 

Rounding out the seeding is #8 UC Santa Barbara (13-12, 3-2), #10 UC Irvine (14-12, 2-3), #11 Pepperdine (13-13, 2-3) and #15 San Jose State (10-15, 0-5). UC Irvine and Pepperdine tied for fourth in the final standings, and the Anteaters earned the fourth seed thanks to a 12-10 win over the Waves on November 5.

Thanks to their first-round bye, the Tigers play in the semifinals at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, in semifinal game #1, taking on the winner of UC Irvine and Pepperdine from Friday's game.

The championship game is at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20, with the winner earning the automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Men's Water Polo Championships. 

2022 GCC Men's Water Polo Championships Seedings + Bracket

Tickets to the 2022 GCC Men's Tournament are on sale here >>.