Attacker Hailey Andress looks to score against Loyola Marymount University at the Aquatics Center on March 22.

Six Bulldogs take home GCC honors

By Nolan Reynolds, Contributor • Apr 24, 2025

The Fresno State women’s water polo team won six Golden Coast Conference (GCC) player awards, tying their second-best mark all-time. The program took home eight honors in 2023 and six in 2024.

Senior utility Brooke Ochoa and junior attacker Hailey Andress took home all-GCC first team honors. Ochoa finished the season with 61 goals and 25 assists for 86 points, and set the all-time scoring record for Bulldog water polo. Andress finished the 2025 campaign with 60 goals and 23 assists for 83 points. She also set a career best in shooting percentage at .500.

This is Andress’ second straight first-team honor, and third straight year with a GCC honor. Ochoa adds her second first-team honor to the GCC player of the year award in 2023 and the all-GCC second team honor in 2024.

Senior attacker Abbey Simshauser and goalie Ida-Tully-Giles earned all-GCC second team honors. Simshauser finished her second season with the Bulldogs with 45 goals and 24 assists for 69 points. Giles finished her first season between the pipes with 90 saves and a .439 save percentage.

All-GCC honors are pic.twitter.com/eaD51KBNBE

— Fresno State WP (@FresnoStateWP) April 22, 2025

Simshauser adds to her 2024 all-GCC first team honor. She took home honors in both seasons as a Bulldog. Tully-Giles brings in her first all-GCC honor and third consecutive award for a Bulldog goaltender.

Junior attacker Ashley Williams took home all-GCC honorable mention. She finished the season with 15 goals and four assists for 19 points in her third season with the Bulldogs. Williams earns her first all-GCC honor, and the fifth consecutive all-GCC honorable mention for the Bulldogs.

Freshman center Marit van der Kolk earned GCC all-freshman team. She finished her first collegiate season with 10 goals and nine assists for 19 points. Van der Kolk also tallied nine drawn exclusions, 11 steals and had a record of 32-5 in sprints, including winning her last 12 sprints in the final six games of the season.

Van der Kolk joins Andress, Ochoa, sophomore Caitlyn Mossman and former Bulldogs Kaitlin Howarth, Cynthia Rose, Daphne Guevremont and Emily Nicholson to be named to the all-freshman team.

The Bulldogs will try to add more GCC hardware this weekend during the conference tournament, which will take place from April 25-27.

About the Contributor

Nolan Reynolds, Sports Director

Nolan Reynolds is the Assistant Sports Editor for The Collegian. Nolan started with The Collegian as a contributor in the Spring 2025 semester. Before Fresno State, Nolan was a biochemistry major at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Nolan majors in digital journalism and hopes to continue his work in the sports field.

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