ITHACA, N.Y. -- The storied Cornell men's and women's polo programs will attempt to write a new chapter when both teams kick off the 2017 USPA Collegiate national championships this coming week at Santa Barbara Polo Club. Both teams will need to win three matches to claim a national title, and the men and women will both kick off their quests against Cal Poly.

The women start a day before the men, matching up with the Mustangs on Monday, April 3 at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT), with the winner meeting Virginia on Wednesday, April 5 at 2 p.m. ET (1 a.m. PT). Two wins would put Cornell into the finals on Saturday, April 8 at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT).

The Big Red men open with Cal Poly on Tuesday, April 4 at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT) in Santa Barbara, Calif. A win over the Mustangs would give Cornell a rematch of the Northeast Regional championship game against Roger Williams on Wednesday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT). RWU earned a 15-14 victory in the northeast finals and had splut two previous meetings that season. The winner of the semifinals will compete for the USPA Collegiate national title on Saturday, April 8 at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT).

The men bring a 15-3 record into the national championships and are eyeing the program's 12 national title. Head coach David Eldredge has a 454-181-8 (.712) record in his 32 years on the sidelines for the men, including 30 straight appearances in the finals of the Northeast Regionals and 15 straight trips to nationals and the 2005 USPA collegiate national title. Cornell's runner-up effort in the regionals was good enough to garner an at-large bid to the nationals.

The women are 9-11, though eight of the 11 losses have come to regional rival Connecticut and national powers Virginia and Texas A&M. Despite a record under .500, its spot in the regional finals and strength of schedule allowed the Big Red to earn an at-large bid to the championships, its ninth straight appearance at USPA nationals. The Big Red women won their second straight and 15th national title in program history last year. Cornell has advanced to the national title game each of the last six seasons with titles in 2011, 2015 and 2016. Eldredge enters the weekend sporting a 501-142-17 (.772) record. All told, he has a 955-323-25 (.743) mark as a collegiate head coach.