The women's water polo season is back

The GIST: Strap on that trendy swim cap and sharpen those elbows — women’s water polo hits the pool deck tomorrow. While the men compete in the fall, the gals’ season spans January ’til May, so catch up with our handy primer, then let’s dive in.

The contender: Without a doubt, Stanford is this season’s squad to (egg)beat. Tied with the USC Trojans as the preseason Nos. 1, the Cardinal’s hunting a natty threepeat — and the program’s NCAA-leading 10th title.

The dark horses: Don’t sleep on Hawaii (tied for No. 5 with UC Irvine) or No. 8 Princeton. California schools dominate the sport, but this pair — the only non-Cali schools in the Top 10 — has the best shot at breaking up the Golden State monopoly on national championships.

What to watch: The season starts with a banger called Polo-Palooza. Hosted by No. 9 Fresno State, the two-day tournament features eight ranked squads: the aforementioned Stanford, Hawaii, UC Irvine, plus No. 4 Cal, No. 11 UC Davis, No. 13 Michigan, and No. 18 San Jose State. Check out the schedule and streaming options here — floaties not included.