Hawaii's Rainbow Warriors (30-5) climbed two spots to claim No. 1, unseating UCLA (29-2), which dropped from first to third despite owning the nation's best record by winning percentage. The Bruins' fall opens the door for a wide-open title race, with Long Beach State (25-5) also sliding from second to fourth.
The poll's biggest riser is UC Irvine. The Anteaters (21-9) surged four spots from sixth to second, signaling that the selection committee and voters alike are buying what coach David Kniffin's group is selling. Stanford (26-5) also climbed two rungs to fifth, giving the top five a distinctly West Coast flavor.
Penn State made the only other significant move, jumping three spots to No. 12. Meanwhile, Loyola Marymount (20-7) quietly slipped two places to 15th despite a strong 20-win campaign — a reminder that in this poll, standing still often means falling behind.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
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