MEN'S CLUB WATER POLO
For more information, please feel free to reach out to our officers:
President LUKE CHILDS | l1childs@ucsd.edu
Treasurer Anthony Lee | anl174@ucsd.edu
Vice President Zachary Taylor-Hunt | ztaylorhunt@ucsd.edu
Instagram 
| @ucsdmcwp
Founded in 2001, the UC San Diego Men’s Club Water Polo Team has seen an incredible journey from a small group of enthusiasts meeting at odd hours to a powerhouse in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA). We compete fiercely in the Southwest Division, winning our region for the past 5 years in a row.
From our humble beginnings, we've grown into a nationally ranked team, demonstrating that the journey to a national championship wasn't just a dream but an attainable goal. In 2022 we won our first national title, and in 2023, we did it again! This accomplishment is a testament to our determination, hard work, and incredible talent that drives this team forward.
As we continue to build on our successes, we welcome new talent to join our ranks. If you're passionate about water polo and want to be a part of our three-peat-aspiring A-team, the shockingly very competitive B-team, or the all-fun no-stress C-team, reach out to our captains for information about practice times and how to sign up. Join us as we continue to make history in the pool!
NEWS AND RESULTS
Stay tuned for updates for the upcoming year!
2/21/26 - Atlantis Invitational
This was an outstanding tournament for the UCSD program, with the A team capturing first place and the B team competing hard in several challenging matchups. UCSD B opened the tournament against SDSU, who ultimately finished third. Despite facing one of the strongest teams in the region, the B team was not intimidated and kept the score close through the first half. SDSU began to pull away in the third quarter, but UCSD demonstrated that its offense can compete at a high level. In their next game against UC Davis, the B team showcased an explosive offense, scoring 22 goals and maintaining the lead throughout the game. While the defensive effort could have been stronger, it was a well-earned win. The early 8:00 a.m. matchup against UCI presented a challenge, as the B team began the game with only seven players, allowing UCI to build an early six-goal lead. Once the full roster arrived by halftime, UCSD B matched UCI goal-for-goal in the third and fourth quarters, proving that they can compete with some of the best teams as long as their full roster is there. The B team concluded the tournament with a forfeit scrimmage against UCSB B due to limited roster availability.
The A team began the weekend with a commanding 26–6 victory over UC Riverside. They followed that performance with another decisive win over San Jose State, relying on disciplined defense and a strong counterattack to control the game. The most competitive matchup of the tournament came against SDSU. It was a highly physical contest, and SDSU’s conditioning allowed them to take a one-goal lead at the end of the first quarter. The A team responded with composure, tying the game by halftime. Despite having only three substitutes, the team maintained its intensity, trading goals in the third quarter and taking a narrow lead into the fourth. Strong defensive execution allowed UCSD to protect the one-goal advantage and secure a hard-fought victory.
In the championship match against UC Berkeley, who had just played the UCSD Alumni team, the A team capitalized on its energy advantage and controlled the game from the outset. After a dominant first half, UC Berkeley was unable to recover, and UCSD secured a 16–4 win to claim the Atlantis Invitational title.
11/7/25 - MCWP Nationals
This year's national water polo tournament marked an important moment for the Triton program, as they competed for a fourth straight national title. They started with a game against Villanova University. The Tritons had a slow start and allowed the Wildcats to stay close in the game in the first quarter, but UCSD eventually started to get warm and put away their shots, allowing them to get their first win of the tournament.
Going into their next game against the University of Colorado, the Tritons were overconfident and missed many free shot opportunities that they should have put away, allowing Colorado to stay in the game. Thankfully, the Triton defense was great and shut down their offense from scoring the whole second half, leading to an 8-3 Triton victory.
The semi-final match was against the University of Alabama, and they came out strong, scoring the first two goals. The Tritons responded with two goals of their own following that, leaving the first quarter tied. Going into the second quarter, UCSD got back their composure and shut the Crimson Tide down with their defense, which allowed us to counter them off of their bad offensive opportunities. The Tritons eventually came away with the game, but Alabama never lost its intensity.
UCSD made it back to the championship game against Cal Poly, and off the first possession, the Tritons scored the first goal. However, Cal Poly immediately responded with their own goal tying up the game. The two teams were evenly matched swimming-wise, so counter opportunities weren't there for either team. After halftime, the Tritons were down by two, but they had a 3-2 third quarter, making it a one-point game in the fourth. In the last minute of the game, UCSD had the ball coming off a timeout down by one and ran a play, leaving their player at three with a shot from six meters to tie the game. The shot was blocked, and the match ended shortly after. Despite falling short of expectations and experiencing their first national championship loss in four years, the team's effort reflected the standard of competitiveness that has defined the Triton program's success, and they are hopeful for next year.
10/25-26/25 - Water Polo Regionals Tournament at the University of Arizona
It was a fantastic tournament for UCSD. We are going to nationals for the fourth year in a row! Our first game against SDSU B was more difficult than we thought, and their strategy was clearly to injure our players so that their A team would have an easier time playing us. In response, we played composed water polo and showed who the better team was, and SDSU A did not even make it to the finals. Then, we played our semi-final match against ASU A. With our previous game as a wake-up call, we dominated the next game from the start, always maintaining at least a 4-point lead for the whole game. Then, the championship game was between us and UCI. We started off very strong, ending the first quarter with a score of 6-2. We lost the third quarter with the score now 7-4, but still maintaining our lead. The game stayed intense, but we always maintained our lead, and we eventually won the game from our great defense. Now, we are going to nationals seated as the number one seed, looking to get our fourth national championship in a row.
The B team also had an amazing tournament, ending in fifth place. Their first game was unfortunately against the second-place team, UCI, and the B team had trouble scoring against their great goalie. They didn't let that loss discourage them, and they went into the UCR game pumped and ready to win. Then, the fifth-place match was the battle of the B teams: SDSU vs UCSD. This was a very close game, but Patrick Cahill scored a goal to put UCSD B up by 1 in the last minute of the game, and they shut down the SDSU B defense and won the game.
10/23/25 - Sunset Scrimmage 4
This scrimmage was a very close contest for UCSD, as Sunset continues to improve their conditioning and performance with each matchup. The opportunity to compete against Sunset is particularly valuable, as their team brings more experience and advanced skill levels compared to other teams in the league.
The scrimmage provided an important chance to identify and address errors, refine strategies, and test team coordination in a competitive environment. These insights are especially crucial with the second most important tournament of the season, regionals, approaching. Overall, the matchup offered both a challenging test and a learning experience, helping to prepare the team for higher-stakes competition. The team demonstrated resilience and determination despite tough opposition, and the lessons learned are expected to strengthen performance in future matches. Continued focus on teamwork and strategy will be key in building on this progress as the season moves forward.
10/21/25 - Grossmont Scrimmage
This was a great scrimmage for UCSD. They lost to Grossmont during the off-season, so it was nice to get some revenge. Compared to their previous match with Grossmont, the Tritons’ conditioning improved significantly. Grossmont tired out much faster than the Tritons did since they had two strong six-man lineups that they could constantly sub to keep energized. UCSD eventually pulled away with the game thanks to their counterattacks. The front court was not the greatest, however, and it is clear that the Tritons need to improve their outside shooting. This was great competition for the team as well as great preparation for regionals this weekend.
10/18-19/25 - SDSU Water Polo Tournament
Another undefeated weekend for the UCSD A team. We started off with a fun game with UCI. Unfortunately, UCI did not have enough players to play a full game and had to forfeit, but we still had a friendly scrimmage with the players there to make up for it. Then we played SDSU A, which was our closest game of the weekend. As always, SDSU A was very physical and we had a tough time adjusting to that in the first half. In the second half, we calmed down and didn't play to their level, allowing us to maintain the lead and win. The next day, we played ASU A and University of Arizona. We were dominant in both games, and there was not much to say about them.
Unfortunately, our B team had to forfeit our first two games since we had someone previously on the A team for a past tournament move down for the B team games Saturday. This meant that the games the A team player played in were automatically forfeited, despite the B team winning both games. Sunday was great for the B team because even without the A team guy, they tied UCI, which is the second-best team in our league, and beat SDSU B.
10/16/25 - Sunset Scrimmage 3
The scrimmage against Sunset was competitive and engaging, as always. Unfortunately, not all players were able to participate, which led to fatigue setting in early and allowed Sunset to maintain control throughout much of the game. Despite this, the scrimmage served as an excellent learning experience, providing the team with the opportunity to identify areas for improvement and refine strategies.
Such matchups also offered valuable preparation for upcoming tournaments, testing both individual skills and overall team coordination under pressure. The experience reinforced the importance of endurance, communication, and adaptability on the field, setting a solid foundation for continued growth and stronger performances in future competitions.
10/9/25 - Sunset Scrimmage 2
It was a strong scrimmage performance for UCSD. Despite a significant portion of the team being unavailable due to illness, the players who participated gave a determined effort and kept the game competitive. The primary focus of these scrimmages is not on the final score, but on development and growth, and in that regard, the team gained valuable experience.
Facing Sunset provided an excellent level of competition, testing both individual skills and team coordination. The players demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to learn from each situation on the field. These scrimmages offer an important opportunity to identify strengths, address weaknesses, and build cohesion ahead of more critical matches in the season. Overall, the team showed promise and dedication, highlighting the depth and potential within the roster.
10/4–5/25 – UCSD Tournament
This tournament was a strong showing for UCSD, with the A team finishing undefeated and the B team holding their own against two of the top teams in the league. The A team’s opening match against SDSU began slowly, ending the first quarter with a 4–2 lead. Once early nerves settled, the team pulled ahead decisively. By halftime, the score had widened to 8–3, and UCSD prevented SDSU from scoring for the remainder of the game—an especially impressive feat given SDSU’s standing as one of the league’s strongest contenders. The remaining A-team matches were against B teams and resulted in comfortable wins.
The B team also delivered a strong performance, securing blowout victories in its first two games. Competition intensified on the second day, but the squad kept close, competitive matches against both ASU A and SDSU A. Conditioning proved to be the main barrier, yet the team’s tactical execution and effort were widely praised. With continued training, the B team is projected to be a top contender at regionals once again. Their resilience throughout the tournament highlighted promising depth within the program.
10/2/25 – Sunset Scrimmage 1
This scrimmage served as a valuable benchmark for the team, as Sunset Masters is likely the strongest opponent they will face all season—and one they scrimmage weekly. The group started slowly in the first quarter, as is typical, but soon settled into a cohesive rhythm and gained momentum. Superior conditioning allowed the team to pull ahead, ultimately scoring four consecutive goals. The scrimmage provided numerous learning opportunities and set a positive tone for future matchups with Sunset. The competitive pace offered clear insight into areas for continued improvement. Overall, the session reinforced the team’s trajectory toward a stronger, more unified season.
9/26-27/25 - Southwestern College Tournament
This tournament wasn't very successful for UCSD, but it was extremely important as a wake-up call before the season starts. B team went 3-1, which was really impressive since most people were not there on Friday due to class schedules. Despite that, they played very well with what they were given and won against Southwestern College with only two subs, but unfortunately lost to Mesa. More people came to the games on Saturday and that helped them win both games that day.
A team had a similar issue with a lack of players, which is expected for a preseason tournament. The first day went well, with them dominating both Crafton Hills and Miramar. Saturday did not go as well, with us losing both games. The Grossmont game was unfortunate as the Tritons only had nine players with no goalie, and by the fourth quarter, three Tritons players were rolled and they were forced to play a permanent six-on-five defense against Grossmont. This allowed them to pull ahead of the Tritons and secure the win. In the second game, UCSD faced the same issue of no goalie and a lack of bench. Despite that, the Tritons played well and almost pulled off the win, but they started to get tired in the fourth, and Mesa won.
9/24/25 - Palomar Scrimmage
This was a great game for UCSD. This was the first game where the Tritons had most of their starters from the A-team playing together. They started a bit slow despite being the better team. In the second half, the Tritons started making fewer mistakes and playing more as a team, and eventually pulled ahead of Palomar to win 17-7.
9/5/25 - Miramar Community College Scrimmage
A great way to start out the season for the Tritons with a 22-1 victory over Miramar Community College! In this pre-season game, even working with limited numbers, they were able to put up a serious fight, securing the win. This is a testimony to all the hard work the team has put in this offseason, securing this victory without even a single substitution.
4/26/25 - SDSU Tournament
This was a very fun and great tournament for us to end our spring water polo season. Our first game was against South Swell. We underestimated South Swell and played at their level, keeping the game close for a while. However, we eventually woke up and took the lead. Our second game was against SDSU. SDSU was a very physical team and they wanted to win desperately. Unfortunately, all of their shots were going in and we were having trouble defending at set. We set up into a drop in the second half and stopped their scoring, getting us the win. Day 2, our first game was against UCI. They unfortunately only had eight players, which means one sub, and they got tired quickly and we won pretty decisively. The final game against Sunset was very exciting. They had a massive center that never missed and we fell into a drop pretty quickly. By half, we were up by 1. We started to counter more in the third, giving us a three point lead but Sunset closed the gap, tying the game and forcing overtime. We then unfortunately lost in shoot-outs, but it was a great game.
4/19/25 - 4/20/25 - UCSB Tournament
This was another great tournament for UCSD with some competitive water polo. It was unfortunate that a lot of our players couldn't make it because of their schedules, including our goalies, but we still had fun. The first game was against UCSB B. We started off pretty slow after the 5 hour car ride with no time to warm up, but we eventually pulled away and secured the win. The second game was against SJSU. We were definitely better than this team, but we played down to their level and that allowed them to make it a close game. We eventually went into overtime where we won by golden goal. It was an exciting game but it should not have been that close. Because of the second game, we came out strong against Cal Poly A in our third game. We played great defense and prevented outside shots as much as possible because we did not have a goalie. The game stayed close until the fourth quarter where we got momentum and won by three. The final game was against UCSB A. They beat us at our last tournament so they were eager to do it again. We came out strong and by half we had a one point lead. Unfortunately, we did not have many subs while UCSB A had two full lines of sub and pushed the counter every possession change. We struggled with defending the counter and unfortunately lost.
4/5/25 - UCLA Tournament
This was a really fun tournament for UCSD and a great way to start the Spring quarter. Our first game was against UCLA where we had a dominant start, going up 6-0 at the end of the first. We started to slow down and our lazy defense let them get back in the game, but we still won pretty easily toward the end. Our next game was against Boston who came out strong, staying behind by only one point at the half. Despite the close score at the half, we started hitting more shots and pulled away with the victory. We started off day 2 against UC Berkeley which got off to a hot start for both teams as they each traded points for most of the game. However, Berkelely only had two subs so their squad began to fatigue and we capitalized on this to come away with a win. Our only loss on the weekend came against ECA in easily the most competitive game of the weekend. They didn’t have enough players to field a full team, so we had two of ours play for them so we could still have a game. Overall, it was a great weekend and we are looking forward to our next tournament in Santa Barbara.
2/22/25 - 2025 Atlantis Invitational
This was a very fun tournament for UCSD, despite the results. UCSD B started off with a tough game against Texas A&M. By half time, there was a one-point difference, but our team was losing steam because of our small bench, so Texas A&M widened the score gap and won the game. UCSD B then played another tough game against Cornell. They had the lead in the beginning but Cornell started playing much more physical than our team and eventually won. Despite the disappointing first day, UCSD B did not let that affect them as they were excited to play against another B team: UCSB B. Our team won the game decisively 16-2. The final game was a tough loss against UC Berkeley, but UC Berkeley is one of the top teams in men's club water polo so our B-team only losing by one was quite impressive.
The A-team did not play too well this weekend getting fourth place. Our first game was against CSULB B, which was an easy win. There was a clear skill gap between us. The game against the University of Utah also went the same, with us winning 19-6. We then played a tough game against UCSB A. It was a one-point game the whole time and some calls didn't end up going our way, and eventually, UCSB A pulled away with a win. We then played for third place against Cal Poly whom we faced in the semi-finals of the nationals. It started rough, with Cal Poly going up 8-2 by half, but we brought it back in the third quarter, making it a one-point game. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough energy to hold the lead and ended up losing. This was the first time we have lost in two years and I think it is a great wake-up call for our team to realize that we are not unbeatable. This was also our first tournament with a new coaching staff, so I have high hopes for next year when we get used to all the changes on the team.
Consistency, Camaraderie, and Comedy: Men’s Club Water Polo Team's Unique Path to Historic Three-Peat
By Shawn Cyr
Assistant Marketing Director
When Bryce Elsner transferred to UC San Diego prior to the 2022 season, he had no idea what he was walking — or swimming — into.
Seeking a close-to-home school to continue his lifelong passion for water polo — and a place where he could learn the skills to pursue a career in renewable energy — the San Diego native hit the jackpot. He soon became a key cog in a near-unprecedented winning streak and three straight national club water polo titles, finding a band of brothers he’ll have forever, and his very own “I’m going to Disney World” championship adventure.
The UCSD Men’s Club Water Polo team (of which Elsner is the starting goalie) claimed its third consecutive national championship with a 17-10 victory over California Maritime Academy in Gainesville, Florida, on Nov. 10 in front of dozens of parents and supporters who flew across the country to be a part of history. The win ties UCSD with Lindenwood University, who won three straight titles from 2014 to 2016, as the only men’s club water polo program to three-peat.
As if the quest for another ring wasn’t enough, the night before the final match provided even more motivation from the people the players know and love the most.
“All of the parents who were able to attend nationals came to the team house,” Elsner says. “They all went around and said something nice about their kids. They said they were proud of us and that we’re going to kick butt. We told them we appreciate all that they’ve done for us.”
Aidan Gleason, the water polo club president, said this gathering at the Airbnb dining room table shifted the energy from light-hearted friends simply hanging out to “20 locked-in dudes, hungry for another win.” After the parents shared how much they’d enjoyed watching the camaraderie and teamwork develop this year, Coach Hector Sanchez — who has helmed the Tritons for 10 remarkable seasons — spoke up to tell them he would be stepping aside after the game. This would be his final game with the team.
“At that point, the final match was as good as won, because all of a sudden we were 20 guys playing not only for ourselves, but also for our coach, his legacy, and the legacy of our club,” Gleason says. “Winning the championship would have been amazing no matter what, but winning it for Coach added a new dimension to it.”
Cementing their legacy
Elsner, Peter Olson, Gonzolo “Zo” Rivera, Matthew Spry, and tournament MVP Graham McClone — who scored five goals in the championship game, his final as a Triton — have all been members of those three championship squads. Anshul Devnani and Jackson Cassidy played on the first two title teams and were members of the coaching staff this year. UCSD had never won a collegiate water polo title prior to that group’s arrival.
“Some of the guys who had already graduated individually sent each of us a text before the final game, letting us know they were watching, and that they were cheering us on and reminded us of a time we played well or a good moment,” Elsner says. “It was amazing.”
And effective.
Elsner stopped all eight shots he saw and Braden Clark gave UCSD a lead it wouldn’t relinquish just 23 seconds into the first quarter. McClone (five goals), Clark (three) and Andrew Cagney (two) scored 14 of the Tritons’ 17 goals. Connor Stauffer, Filippo Sallustio, and Rivera scored solo goals.
The win caps a historic stretch of dominance that saw the Tritons go 45-0 combined in the past three seasons.
But the tournament wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Tritons. As the two-time defending champs, Elsner says they had “a big ego because we hadn’t lost.”
“Our coach was like, ‘You guys need to realize that you’re going into nationals and the whole tournament wants to beat you,’” Elsner says.
And they nearly did.
Locked in an 8-8 tie at the end of the third quarter in their quarterfinal match against the surprisingly game University of Virginia, the Tritons had to muster up all of the championship mettle they could.
“They were hungry,” Elsner says.
“Virginia had one guy that was from California who knew some of my teammates, and he was just having the game of his life,” says Elsner, who scored a goal from his keeper position earlier in the contest. “He was lighting me up.”
Ultimately, the Tritons did what championship teams do: They buckled down and pulled away in the fourth, putting the clamps on the Cavaliers in the final frame and winning 12-8. From there, things were a bit less dramatic. UCSD followed by beating Cal Poly in the semifinals and Cal Maritime in the finals to mark their place in the record books — and set up an appointment for Elsner with everyone’s favorite mouse.
Elsner’s parents and his sister, who lives in North Carolina, came to support him in Gainesville. Shortly after the whistle sounded and the celebration had halted (but likely not ended), Bryce was whisked away by his family to Orlando to celebrate with Mickey & Co. at nearby Disney World. Bryce, smiling wryly after the fact, couldn’t help but speculate if the proximity to the Happiest Place on Earth wasn’t their “secret reason” to show up and support him.
“We’re a big Disney bunch,” he says.
Flaming Speedos and hugs for everyone
But before Elsner left for the Magic Kingdom, the players huddled around the wooden championship plaque for a quick celebratory photo that would quickly go viral on Instagram. And they did it as only they could, wearing black button-up short-sleeve shirts that show a wall of flames emblazoned on the front. The truly garish fire-adorned shirts and matching Speedos were part of this year’s theme: everyone’s favorite mayor of Flavortown, Guy Fieri. Past year’s themes have included jeans-like Speedos — which they dubbed “Jeetos” — and even tuxedo Speedos. (Or is it tux-Speedos?)
“Bryce is, without a doubt, the best club water polo goalie in the nation,” Aidan Gleason says of Elson, shown here making a save at nationals. “He’s an absolute wall! He is also the single funniest person I've ever met."
“All the guys had ridiculous facial hair to match Guy Fieri’s,” says Elsner, who still sports his own thin brown mustache and brown circular glasses. “We just love doing themes because it brings us together and we all pick things we think are funny. Other teams love it too.”
And keeping things light is something Elsner — known as the comic relief on the team — is seriously good at.
“Bryce is, without a doubt, the best club water polo goalie in the nation,” Gleason says. “He’s an absolute wall! He is also the single funniest person I've ever met. His wit and humor play an integral part in our team's camaraderie. Even when Bryce isn't around, he is a frequent talking point. And when he is around, everyone is surely smiling and bonding.”
Elsner is also a member of the UCSD Esports program and says his teammates on his DOTA 2 squad would likely echo Gleason’s sentiments.
“When I could see guys are clearly down in the dumps, they missed a shot or whatever, jokes are the best way to bring everybody back,” Elsner says.
Gleason says the MCWP team has “helped provide me with my entire collegiate community” noting that his friends, housemates, and even professional contacts are current or former members of the club.
“Whenever we run into each other, it's a hug. It's always a hug,” Elsner says of his teammates. “You might not even be close with a guy, but he's gone through whatever you went through together, so it's a hug.
“They're great. I love them all.”
Elsner, who began his career at the University of Redlands as a Division III athlete before transferring to Mesa Community College and, ultimately UCSD, says the program has benefited him in multiple ways (including developing “the strongest legs on the team, for sure”). He’s now a master of time management, often juggling his schoolwork with water polo, Esports, and social responsibilities. But it’s his voice — which he utilizes to direct his teammates in the tank — and the confidence to use it that has strengthened the most.
“You have to be vocal,” he says. “It made me step up into a leadership-type role, and that transitioned over into school. I used to be timid in talking with professors, but not anymore. Now, I know what I want and I’m going to ask you for it directly. And I think that helped me get into my master’s program because you have to be assertive and differentiate yourself from the other candidates.”
The quest for four?
As to what the future holds, Elsner isn’t sure. He’s currently in the PhD program for material science and engineering and will get his Master of Science by the end of the year. Then he’ll have four more years of schooling before he starts his professional career — meaning four more years of club water polo eligibility… if he wants to use it.
UCSD will return most of its starters next season and will likely be the favorite to repeat as a four-time champion. And the Tritons — continuing to build on the legacy that Elsner, Gleason, and the others have started — should have plenty of motivation left in the tank.
“At that point, the final match was as good as won, because all of a sudden we were 20 guys playing not only for ourselves, but also for our coach, his legacy, and the legacy of our club,” Gleason says. “Winning the championship would have been amazing no matter what, but winning it for Coach added a new dimension to it."
"I'm sure they can't wait for their opportunity to prove themselves."
11/08/24 - National Tournament
This was a great tournament since we are now the back-to-back-to-back national champions! Our first game against Florida State was pretty easy since they were the last seed. There were no surprises in the game and the whole team got to play in this game. Surprisingly, our second game against the University of Virginia was the closest. They played with a lot of intensity and their shots were not missing, whereas we were missing most of our goal opportunities in the first half. The refs were also a problem, as they did not call the game how we are used to and somewhat favored Virginia. We played composed, however, and pulled ahead of Virginia after halftime and secured our spot in the semi-finals. This game was a wake-up call to us since we were not expecting such a close game so early. The semi-final game with Cal Poly went very smoothly as we started the game intensely due to our mistakes in the previous game. After the second quarter, we maintained a 4-5 point lead for the rest of the game, shutting down this offensive-sided team with our defense. For the championship game, we again won due to our defense. Cal Maritime focused mainly on offense and by shutting down their offense, we maintained a comfortable lead throughout the whole game.
10/26/24 - UofA Tournament- Regionals
This was a great tournament for UCSD with UCSD A getting first and UCSD B getting fourth in regionals. UCSD B’s first game against SDSU B went smoothly as they held the lead the entire game and won. Their second game against SDSU A was very exciting. Throughout the game, it was back and forth on which team was in the lead until, by the end of the 3rd quarter, it was a tie. However, SDSU A played a very physical game which began to wear on the Tritons who ultimately lost. Their third game was against ASU A and even though they lost their chance for second, UCSD B played hard, forcing another close game.
UCSD A’s first game against U of A started very slow with a 1-1 score at halftime. This was mostly due to a lack of warm up since the pool did not open until ten minutes before the game. By the third, the Tritons finally got it together and pulled away for a win. The ASU A game started a lot better with UCSD A pulling away in the first quarter 5-1. There were not many mistakes and the Tritons focused mainly on defense and counter attack, eventually leading to a win. Finally, the regionals championship game against SDSU A was very fun. It was close in the first quarter, with the score at 2-2. During the second quarter, the Tritons played a heavy press defense which caused a lot of turnovers which became counter-attacks that allowed them to score. They focused on the defense the rest of the game and eventually avenged their B team, claiming the number 1 ranking for nationals.
10/24/24 - Men's Water Polo Wins a Nail-Biter vs. Grossmont Community College
Having played Grossmont earlier in the season, the Tritons knew they would come seeking revenge. Goals were scored back and forth through the first half keeping it a close game, but the Tritons began to control the ball and dominate the Griffins, going up 4 points with only three minutes left. However, their lead caused some members of the team to relax a bit too much, allowing the Griffins to score two points in the last three minutes. However, with a 12-10 win over one of the better teams in their league, the Tritons are set up well with the regional tournament coming up.
10/12/24 - UCSD Takes on ASU at their Men's Water Polo Tournament
It was another dominant tournament for UCSD Water. The B-team had a great tournament going 3-1 in the tournament despite playing 2 A-teams. The first games for both days were won pretty-handedly, letting everyone play pretty evenly. The game against UofA was action-packed and stayed neck and neck to the very end. Despite being close, everyone got equal playtime, which led to the game being so close. Against SDSU A, the B team did not shy away and kept the score tied at half. However, the starters eventually got tired and had to get subbed out, leading to SDSU A gaining momentum and pulling away with the win.
For the A team, all of the games were won with very high score disparities. There is not much to say. As a team, we played better together and were a lot more conditioned than every team that we played. In UCSD A vs ASU B, one player on our team scored 15 goals to break the club record for most goals in one game as well as most career goals. The UCI and SDSU B games were very simple, easy water polo. We played calm and collected and probably could've done better and put our shots away but the other team could not capitalize on our missed opportunities. The games against SDSU A were the most challenging. They wanted to win and by the end of the first, it was 4-2 UCSD A. Eventually, we started playing more patiently and gradually pulled ahead of SDSU A. They played very physically but we did not retaliate, showing our great composure. Overall, a great tournament for both teams.
10/05/24- Men’s Water Polo SDSU Tournament
This was a great tournament for both the A and B team. On day one, the B team had two blow-out games. There is not much to be said. UCSD B played collectively as a group and dominated both NAU and GCU with their superior swim shape. Day two had a more challenging lineup for UCSD B, but they did not let that affect them. The UCI game was very close throughout the whole game. UCI would gain the lead and then UCSD B take back the lead. Eventually, it became 6-6 and in the last 45 seconds and UCSD B was able to put away a game winner and stop UCI on defense. UCSD B then played SDSU A, who is one of the more challenging teams in our league, to a 4 point game. The B Team was missing some starters but they still brought their all. It was clear that they were exhausted from their previous one point game and SDSU A was able to capitalize on that and win the game.
The A team was dominant throughout the whole tournament. Day 1, UCSD A played ASU A first and pulled away from ASU from the start. At the end of the first, UCSD A was up by 6. From then, UCSD A continued to pull away and won decisively. This was a big game since ASU A is likely to be ranked 2 in our league yet UCSD A beat them 8, showing a promising future for this season. The second game was very relaxed. It was clear that we were more experienced but we still played our starting line at the beginning of the game out of respect. Eventually, a field player and goalie switched positions and the field player let in the one goal of the game. Day 2 went about the same as day 1, there was no real worry during the games. GCU was another fun chill game while University of Arizona was more challenging. They clearly wanted to win and were very aggressive throughout the whole game. However, UCSD A stayed composed and won pretty handedly.
9/29/24 - UCSD Men's Water Polo Pre-season Tournament
Cold, foggy, morning games are difficult, but not for our men's water polo team! We played very well in our first real competitive match of the season. Bringing this group together for the first time to play was difficult, especially for a 9 AM game. We started slow but gained an early lead and maintained dominance throughout the match. With our lead, we could play every person on our roster and develop great chemistry among our team for our first game. Our second game of the tournament was significantly more intense and much more of a challenge for our guys. UCSD developed an early lead against SDSU. Gaining momentum, in the second, SDSU was able to tie the game up. SDSU played extremely physically throughout the match, but our B-team was able to maintain their composure, play smart, and get the victory against SDSU! Our first A-team game was much more difficult than we expected. Against a very physical and fast UCLA team, we were on our heels early in the game. By the end of the first UCLA was up by 4 and doubt started to creep in. However, we’ve shown a pattern of resilience early in the season that continued for this game. We came back in the game hitting several difficult shots that ultimately allowed us to tie the game heading into the third. We put them away in the 4th and were able to go 4-0 for the day!
The alumni game was the most entertaining and light-hearted game to watch. Both sides weren’t in it for the most competitive of reasons but it was very nice to watch previous players come out and play the game they love for the first time in a while. The game's highlight was when our goalie ended up taking a 5-meter shot, coming nowhere close to the goal, causing him to bolt into a dead sprint back to our goal, which was not the fastest thing we’ve seen that day. The game ended up being very close despite the light-hearted nature of the play. This pre-season tournament was a great showing for our UCSD water polo team. We still have much to work on and chemistry to build, but we couldn’t be happier with our team's early showings in these matches!
4/20/24 - UCI Tournament
Our first game was played against UCSB's A team. This was a close matchup that went back and forth for the first half of the game, with UCSD tied at the half. In the second half of the game we locked up our defense and pulled away to secure the win over a solid Santa Barbra squad.
The second game was played against UCR. This was a team that we have faced the previous years in one off-season tournament or another. The game began rough for UCSD, trading goals off some close missed opportunities. Once again, after honing in on the defense in the second half of the game, we tired out UCR and were able to pull ahead by a substantial margin.
The third game was played against South County, a masters team invited to the UCI tournament. This team was comprised of some former NCAA division 1 and 3 players. The game began rough, as we went down by a decent amount of goals after just a few possessions. After a solid drive by guard Joseph Holloway, we regained some momentum and were able to keep up with the masters team. This was not enough however, as South County were able to hold onto their substantial lead and defeat us.
The final game was played against Cal Poly. Cal Poly is a team that we go back with, always having very close games with no matter the time of year played. The first half of the game was brutal, with Poly getting a 8-2 lead on us going into the half break. After a tough pep-talk from head coach Hector Sanchez, we got back in the pool fired up and ready to get back in the game. The third quarter was dominated by us as after letting a quiet goal go through us, came back on a 6-0 run against Poly, ending the third quarter down by one. Sadly, the fourth quarter was a fiercely fought over with Cal Poly maintaining their lead and finishing the game 9-11.
Overall, the tournament was a fun experience for the team. Players who missed out on our last round of games got a lot of play time here and the team continued to bond.
2/24/24 - UCSD Tournament
A great tournament this offseason where UCSD once again went undefeated. Great numbers out for each game, with every player helping contribute to each win. Solid minutes for both A and B team members, giving everyone who attended a chance to shine. Sunset forfeited the final game of the weekend.
Michigan State was a close game at first, but we pulled ahead as the game went on thanks to the teamwork we have continued to develop over the offseason. Pretty equal for A and B team players alike.
The UCSB game was a blowout from the start. Goals came from players across the board who all contributed to an easy win. Great teamwork the whole time, worked on plays in preparation for next year.
Finally, the UCLA game was a close one at the start, we worked on a lot of different plays, and ultimately pulled ahead with the victory. Many different people scored goals once again, which is a testament to the depth our team has.
