Wheaton, Ill. - The Wheaton College water polo team is ranked No. 5 in the inaugural Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Top 5 Poll.

Comprised of Carthage, Chatham, Connecticut College, Grove City, Macalester, Penn State University-Behrend, Utica, Washington & Jefferson and Wheaton, the nine-team organization will begin play this year with a goal of competing for a Division III Championship and a berth to the self-funded Division III National Collegiate Championship in May.

The change marked the first time an NCAA conference has divided its membership based on institutional affiliation without an NCAA Division II or III championship in the sport. Women's water polo, which is an NCAA non-divisional sport, features only one championship event with five automatic qualifiers from the Collegiate Water Polo Association, Western Water Polo Association (WWPA), Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), along with three at-large selections from among the remaining eligible conference and independent teams.

2010 CWPA Division III Poll (Preseason)
1. Washington & Jefferson College
2. Grove City College
3. Carthage College
4. Macalester College
5. Wheaton College