NORTON, Mass. – For the first time since 2019 and the fourth time in the program's history, the Macalester College water polo team won the CWPA Division III championship with a 14-9 triumph over Carthage College in the finals on Sunday at Wheaton College's Balfour Natatorium. The Scots (15-5) tallied six goals in the final quarter to break an 8-8 tie and defeat the Firebirds (8-15), who made the finals as the No. 4 seed.

Both teams will play in the 2026 USA Water Polo Division III National Championship, which includes the finalists from the CWPA and the SCIAC conference tournaments. This year's national championship will take place at the SCIAC champion's pool April 25-26.

After the first quarter the teams were tied, 3-3, setting the tone for the match. Seniors Kendall Strauss (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock) and Lorelei Bell (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy) and sophomore Anna Gaisser (Seattle, Wash./Ingraham) scored the goals for Macalester. Carthage tallied back-to-back goals to open the second quarter with a 5-3 edge before the Scots reeled off three straight goals by first year Reese Winegar (Hoffman Estates, Ill./William Fremd), Bell and Gaisser to take a narrow 6-5 lead at the half.

The teams exchanged goals in the third quarter, with senior Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) and Winegar answering goals by Kamille Graham and Mak Werner. Grace Steinberg tied the match for Carthage with a goal just 14 seconds before the end of the quarter, leaving both teams knotted at 8-8 with one quarter remaining to determine the conference champion.

With the title on the line, the Scots turned to their seniors. Bell scored goals sandwiched around a goal by Yamila Areizaga in the first minute of the fourth quarter. Palmer-Sammons found the net a minute later, followed by a goal from senior Alana Nadolski (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) to make the score 12-9 with 4:34 left to play. Palmer-Sammons notched her third goal of the match a minute later, and Nadolski closed out the scoring and the championship with her second goal of the quarter with under a minute to play.

The Scots now have won CWPA championships in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2026, all under head coach Scott Reed.

Macalester's defense also stood tall in the fourth quarter in which the Scots out-scored Carthage, 6-1. Senior goalkeeper Jayden Kratt (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn) capped off a solid tournament with 11 saves for the match.

Palmer-Sammons, who had six goals and five assists for 11 points in the three tournament games, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Kratt, who made 37 saves in the three wins, joined Palmer-Sammons on the All-Tournament first team. Winegar, who scored five goals this weekend, was chosen the Rookie of the Tournament and made the All-Tournament second team.

Macalester will play in the USA Water Polo Division III National Championship April 25-26 against the runner-up of the SCIAC Tournament, which will be played next week.

MAC – 3 3 2 6 - 14
CC – 3 2 3 1 - 9
Macalester goals: Bell 4, Palmer-Sammons 3, Gaisser 2, Nadolski 2, Winegar 2, Strauss

2026 CWPA Tournament - Balfour Natatorium, Wheaton College, Norton, Mass.
(Times are Central Daylight Time)
Friday, April 10
Game 1 - No. 8 PSU-Behrend 13, No. 9 Wheaton 4
Game 2 - No. 2 Macalester 11, No. 7 Connecticut College 6
Game 3 - No. 6 Grove City 16, No. 3 Washington & Jefferson 13
Game 4 - No. 4 Carthage 12, No. 5 Austin 10
Game 5 - No. 1 Augustana 18, No. 8 PSU-Behrend 8

Saturday, April 11
Game 6 - No. 3 Washington & Jefferson 12, No. 7 Connecticut College 11 (OT)
Game 7 - No. 5 Austin 23, No. 9 Wheaton 5
Game 8 - No. 2 Macalester 10, No. 6 Grove City 4
Game 9 - No. 4 Carthage 12, No. 1 Augustana 10
Game 10 - No. 7 Connecticut College 13, No. 9 Wheaton 4
Game 11 - No. 5 Austin 23, No. 8 PSU-Behrend 8

Sunday, April 12
Seventh Place - No. 7 Connecticut College 16, No. 8 PSU-Behrend 7 (Seventh place)
Fifth Place - No. 5 Austin 14, No. 3 Washington & Jefferson 7 (Fifth place)
Third Place - No. 1 Augustana 21, No. 6 Grove City 5 (Third place)
Championship - No. 2 Macalester 14, No. 4 Carthage 9 (Championship)