O'FALLON, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings women's water polo team will begin their 2023 campaign on Saturday, February 11 when they take on the McKendree Bearcats on the road. 

Augustana entered the 2023 season ranked No. 10 nationally in the preseason NCAA DIII poll, but have since moved up to No. 8 in the latest rankings, their highest mark ever. The Vikings also sit No. 2 in the latest Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) top five rankings, just one point behind Austin, who they are tied with at No. 8 nationally. Augustana finished second at the CWPA Championships in 2022, falling to Austin in the title game. The second-place standing clinched them a spot at the inaugural USA Water Polo national tournament, where they finished fourth. 

The Vikings ended the 2022 season with a 9-14 overall and 6-2 mark in the CWPA.

McKendree enters Saturday with an 0-4 record in 2023, having dropped all four contests at the Hoosier Invite in Bloomington, Ind. in late January. The Bearcats faced off against four NCAA DI schools during their trip, including two nationally-ranked programs and one receiving votes. McKendree fell to No. 18 Harvard in their most recent outing by a score of 17-4. The Bearcats ended the 2022 season with a 16-7 overall record.

Augustana and McKendree met twice in 2022, with the Bearcats winning both matchups. McKendree won the season opener at home by a final of 20-9 before stealing a 10-9 victory in Rock Island in the Vikings' first-ever home game. 

Start time is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday.