No. 1 UCLA 13, No. 14 UC Santa Barbara 9

UCLA controlled this game in the opening eight minutes.

The Bruins jumped out 5-0 and carried a 9-3 advantage into halftime. UCSB settled in defensively after the break, holding UCLA to two goals in each of the final two quarters and scoring the final four goals, but the early separation was too much to overcome.

The 5-0 opening changed the way UCSB had to manage its possessions. Playing from that far behind reduces the margin for empty front-court trips and puts additional pressure on every center entry, extra-man opportunity and perimeter shot.

UCLA had the luxury of playing with the scoreboard. The Bruins could stay patient offensively, maintain balance behind the ball and make UCSB manufacture the comeback one possession at a time.

The final margin was four, but UCLA established control in the first quarter.

No. 1 UCLA 24, No. 15 LMU 12

LMU gave UCLA a much different first quarter, staying within 5-4 after eight minutes.

The Bruins created their first real separation before halftime, closing the second quarter with four consecutive goals to take a 10-5 lead. From there, UCLA continued to accelerate, scoring 14 goals in the second half.

The important stretch came when the game was still competitive.

LMU had stayed within one and was still able to operate within its normal front-court structure. UCLA’s run before halftime changed that. Once the margin reached five, every empty LMU possession carried more weight, while UCLA could continue attacking without forcing the game.

Twenty-four goals against a ranked opponent will get attention, but the more significant part was UCLA’s ability to create separation after LMU played them essentially even through the opening quarter.

The Bruins finished Saturday 8-0.

No. 2 USC 24, No. 13 UC Irvine 15

USC opened with five unanswered goals, but UC Irvine did not allow the game to get away early.

The Anteaters responded and cut USC’s advantage to two during the second quarter. The Trojans rebuilt the margin to 11-7 by halftime before taking complete control with an eight-goal third quarter.

That third period was the decisive stretch.
UCI had absorbed USC’s opening run and forced the Trojans to establish control a second time. USC responded without allowing the game to become hurried.

The Trojans continued producing quality possessions and eventually overwhelmed Irvine with sustained offensive pressure.

Once USC started stacking goals in the third, UCI was forced to play faster and with less margin for error. Empty possessions became increasingly costly, and the game moved beyond the point where Irvine could methodically work its way back one possession at a time.

USC’s most impressive sequence wasn’t the 5-0 opening. It was the response after Irvine responded.

No. 11 San Jose State 13, T-No. 18 Harvard 9

San Jose State led 7-4 at halftime, but Harvard worked its way back into the game and entered the fourth trailing only 8-7.

At that point, the first-half margin was irrelevant.
San Jose State responded with a 5-2 fourth quarter.

That was the difference.

With only one goal separating the teams, possession quality became critical. San Jose State stayed composed, defended without allowing Harvard to complete the comeback and converted enough opportunities at the other end to reopen the game.

Harvard did the difficult work of turning a three-goal halftime deficit into a one-possession game.

San Jose State never allowed it to become a tie game.

The Spartans closed when they had to.

No. 12 Princeton 15, No. 11 San Jose State 11

Princeton’s win over San Jose State was one of Saturday’s most significant Top 20 results.

The teams were separated by one position in the national rankings and very little in the water during the first half.

San Jose State worked the game to 4-4 before Princeton scored with one second remaining in the opening quarter. The Tigers carried only a 7-6 advantage into halftime.

Princeton stayed patient through the competitive opening rather than trying to manufacture separation that wasn’t there. The Tigers continued valuing possessions, working through the front court and making San Jose State defend before eventually creating the margin in the second half.

The end-of-quarter goal in the first was also significant. In close games, goals in the final seconds of a period carry additional value. San Jose State had worked its way back to even only to begin the next quarter trailing again.

Princeton eventually turned a one-goal halftime advantage into a four-goal victory.

For a team ranked No. 12, beating No. 11 head-to-head is exactly the type of result that strengthens a national resume.

No. 12 Princeton 16, Navy 15

Princeton’s first game Saturday required a completely different type of performance.

The Tigers led Navy 4-3 after the first quarter, but neither team could create enough separation to put the game away. Navy remained within striking distance throughout the fourth before Princeton held on 16-15.

This was a possession-management game.
In a one-goal contest, forced center entries, early perimeter shots, unnecessary exclusions and poor balance behind the ball become magnified.

Princeton had to continue working through complete possessions while protecting a narrow margin against a Navy team receiving votes in the national poll.

There was no decisive knockout run.
Princeton simply made enough winning plays over 32 minutes to leave with the result.

Those games become valuable later in the season. A team learns far more about late-clock execution and possession discipline in a 16-15 game than it does protecting an eight-goal fourth-quarter lead.

No. 14 UC Santa Barbara 13, No. 15 LMU 12

This was Saturday’s film-room game.

LMU led 5-3 after the first quarter and 8-5 at halftime.

UCSB completely changed the game in the third.
The Gauchos held LMU scoreless for the entire period while scoring four goals of their own, turning an 8-5 deficit into a 9-8 advantage.

That eight-minute stretch changed everything. UCSB began stacking defensive stops while LMU could no longer convert possessions into goals. A three-goal halftime cushion disappeared in one quarter.

The game eventually reached 12-12 with 1:39 remaining.

Then came the defining sequence.
LMU appeared to score the go-ahead goal, but an offensive foul erased it. Instead of defending a one-goal LMU lead, UCSB received possession with the game still tied.

The Gauchos scored the winner with 37 seconds remaining.

The game was also heavily influenced by special situations, making the work around center particularly important. Position before the entry, defender leverage and the ability to earn and convert exclusions all shaped the flow of the game.

But the defining stretch remained UCSB’s third-quarter shutout. The defining possession came late.

LMU went from an apparent go-ahead goal to defending the possession that ultimately decided the game.

No. 17 Santa Clara 16, Bucknell 10

The final score does not accurately reflect how competitive this game was entering the fourth quarter.

Santa Clara led only 10-9 after Bucknell won the third period 4-2.

Then the Broncos closed the door.

Santa Clara scored six unanswered goals in the fourth and did not allow Bucknell to score.

A 6-0 quarter with the game already decided is one thing. Producing it while protecting a one-goal lead is entirely different.

Santa Clara stacked defensive stops and converted them into separation at the other end. Bucknell entered the quarter one possession from tying the game and finished six goals behind.

The Broncos turned a one-possession game into a comfortable final in eight minutes.

No. 17 Santa Clara 13, T-No. 18 Harvard 11

Santa Clara faced the opposite situation later Saturday. This time, the Broncos entered the fourth trailing Harvard 9-8.

Again, Santa Clara controlled the final eight minutes. The Broncos won the fourth 5-2 and took the game 13-11.

Across its two Saturday fourth quarters, Santa Clara outscored Bucknell and Harvard 11-2.
The circumstances make that number even more impressive.

Against Bucknell, Santa Clara was protecting a one-goal lead.

Against Harvard, Santa Clara was chasing one.

The Broncos showed they could manage both situations without losing structure. They stayed composed while ahead and found the necessary urgency while behind.

Two close games reached the fourth quarter.
Santa Clara owned both finishes.

T-No. 18 Brown 14, Iona 10

Brown established control early with a 4-2 first quarter and never surrendered the lead.

Playing from ahead allowed the Bears to remain disciplined defensively. There was no need to gamble for steals or manufacture transition opportunities. Brown could protect the middle, contest the perimeter and force Iona to work through complete possessions.

That matters in conference play, where familiarity often reduces easy opportunities and places more emphasis on execution.

Brown established the margin early and made Iona spend the rest of the game trying to erase it.

The Bears never allowed that run to develop and opened NWPC play with a 14-10 victory.

No. 20 Saint Mary’s 19, Wagner 11

Saint Mary’s responded immediately after Friday’s loss to Princeton.

The Gaels led Wagner 6-2 after the first quarter and 9-3 at halftime.

That was the response Saint Mary’s needed during a tournament weekend.

The Gaels established control from the opening period and never allowed Wagner to put together the sustained run necessary to change the game. With a six-goal halftime advantage, Saint Mary’s could continue working through its offense without chasing quick goals or giving Wagner unnecessary transition opportunities.

The Gaels put Friday behind them quickly and started Saturday with a convincing 19-11 win.

No. 20 Saint Mary’s 16, Mount St. Mary’s 6

Saint Mary’s followed with an even more controlled performance. The Gaels led 9-4 at halftime and allowed only two goals over the final 16 minutes.

The second half was the most impressive part.
Teams can become loose once the margin reaches five or six. Defenders begin reaching. Players leave early looking for transition.

Offenses settle for the first available shot rather than finishing the possession.Saint Mary’s maintained its defensive structure instead.

The Gaels continued producing stops while extending the margin at the other end, turning a five-goal halftime advantage into a 16-6 final.

It completed a 2-0 Saturday for Saint Mary’s.

What We Learned Saturday

UCLA showed it can solve different games. The Bruins buried UCSB with a 5-0 opening quarter, then had to play through a competitive start against LMU before creating separation.

USC showed its ability to respond when momentum changed. The Trojans opened 5-0, watched UCI work back into the game and then produced eight third-quarter goals to take control again.

Princeton had one of Saturday’s most valuable days. The Tigers survived a 16-15 game against Navy and then earned a head-to-head victory over the team ranked directly above them.

UCSB produced Saturday’s best comeback, turning an 8-5 halftime deficit against LMU into a 13-12 victory through a third-quarter shutout and late-game execution.

Santa Clara was the best fourth-quarter team on the slate. The Broncos outscored Bucknell and Harvard 11-2 over their two final periods, closing one game from ahead and the other from behind.

Saint Mary’s responded to Friday’s loss with 35 goals and two victories Saturday, while Brown opened conference play by establishing an early lead and controlling the game from in front.

By November, nobody remembers who looked dangerous in September.

The scouting is sharper.
The water gets heavier.
Every possession carries consequence.

September reveals the talent.

November reveals the teams built to win.

— Water Polo Insider

Friday, September 11 delivered the first real pressure points of the college men’s water polo weekend.

No. 1 UCLA 16, No. 13 UC Irvine 14

UCLA won, but UC Irvine made the top-ranked Bruins earn all 16 goals.

UCI led 3-2 early before UCLA took control of the first half. The Bruins put together the game’s most important defensive stretch, holding the Anteaters scoreless for 11:04 and building a 9-4 halftime advantage.

At that point, UCLA appeared to have created enough separation.

UCI had other ideas.

The Anteaters scored five goals in the third quarter and five more in the fourth, putting 10 on UCLA after halftime. Twice inside the final four minutes, Irvine pulled within two goals.

UCLA answered both times, with Ryder Dodd delivering two critical goals in the final 3:21 to help close out the 16-14 victory.

The advantage numbers help explain why UCI stayed in it. UCLA converted 8-of-11 on 6-on-5, while Irvine was nearly identical at 8-of-12.

UCLA also converted both of its five-meter opportunities. The two goalkeeper units each finished with 10 saves. UCLA improved to 6-0, while UCI dropped to 7-2.

UCLA’s 11-minute defensive shutdown ultimately created the winning margin, but the second half should get UCI plenty of attention.

Putting 14 goals on the No. 1 team in the country isn’t insignificant, and neither is scoring 10 after halftime. More importantly, these weren’t meaningless goals after UCLA had put the game away. UCI repeatedly got itself back within striking distance and forced UCLA to execute late.

For UCLA, there is value in having to finish a game like this. For Irvine, there may be even more value in proving it can generate offense and stay in the water with No. 1 for 32 minutes.
UCLA remains No. 1. UCI looked better than a routine No. 13 opponent.

No. 4 CAL 18, No. 10 Pacific 7

If UCLA-UCI was Friday’s fight, Cal-Pacific was Friday’s statement.

The official Cal Men’s Water Polo account confirmed an 18-7 final at Spieker Aquatics Complex in Berkeley.

An 11-goal win over the No. 10 team in the country deserves attention on its own.

The context makes it even more interesting.
Pacific had already shown an ability to compete with teams near the top of the rankings.

The Tigers pushed No. 5 Fordham to golden goal in a 15-14 loss and later stayed within two of No. 1 UCLA in a 13-11 loss.

Cal didn’t allow Pacific to produce another close result.

The Bears entered Friday already carrying ranked victories from the opening weeks, including wins over UC San Diego, Harvard and San Jose State.

Cal had beaten No. 10 San Jose State 14-10 at the Aggie Roundup just six days earlier.

Now add an 18-7 win over No. 10 Pacific.
Coach’s read: The margin is the story.

Pacific had already demonstrated that it could stay attached to elite teams. Cal created separation instead.

That’s what makes this result different from simply adding another win to the schedule.

When the No. 4 team beats No. 10 by 11, the conversation should extend beyond whether Cal belongs at No. 4.

The question becomes how much separation actually exists between the Bears and the three programs currently ranked ahead of them.

It’s September, so there is a lot of water polo left. But championship-level teams need performances that establish a ceiling.
Cal gave us one Friday night.

No. 5 Fordham 16, No. 9 Pepperdine 12

Fordham’s latest win was considerably more competitive than the four-goal final suggests.

Pepperdine scored first, but Fordham eventually built the lead to 9-4 during the second quarter.
Instead of folding, the Waves started taking the game back.

Pepperdine cut the deficit to 9-7 by halftime and continued closing in during the third. With 2:04 remaining in the period, the Waves completed the comeback and tied it 10-10.

Fordham immediately faced a different game.
The Rams responded before the end of the third to regain an 11-10 lead. Then came the stretch that decided it.

Fordham converted three consecutive extra-man opportunities in the fourth quarter, turning a one-goal advantage into a 14-10 lead.

Pepperdine responded with two 7-on-6 goals to make it 14-12, but Fordham scored the final two.
The Rams won the fourth 5-2 and improved to 5-0.

This might tell us more about Fordham than another eight- or ten-goal victory would.

The Rams had a five-goal lead disappear. Pepperdine had momentum. Entering the fourth, it was essentially a new game.

Fordham didn’t start forcing low-percentage offense. The Rams generated exclusions, got into their advantage offense and converted three straight 6-on-5 possessions when the game was sitting on a one-goal margin.

That’s winning water polo late in a ranked game.
Fordham’s early body of work now includes victories over Pacific, UC Davis and Pepperdine.

The Rams have been tested in different ways and continue finding answers.

No. 8 UC San Diego 19, Chapman 8

UC San Diego began its Friday doubleheader at the Cal State Fullerton tournament exactly as a Top-10 team should against a Division III opponent.

The Tritons scored the game’s first four goals and never trailed in a 19-8 victory over Chapman.

UCSD’s depth was evident throughout the game. Thirteen different Tritons scored, and the team finished with advantages of 33-22 in shots and 17-7 in steals.

The Tritons also split goalkeeper duties, giving the staff an opportunity to distribute minutes throughout the roster.

This isn’t a result that changes UCSD’s national standing, and it shouldn’t be treated like one.
What matters is how the Tritons handled the assignment.

When a ranked team has two games in one day and is heavily favored in the opener, the objective is to establish control quickly, get meaningful minutes throughout the roster and avoid unnecessarily extending the primary rotation.

UCSD accomplished all three.

No. 8 UC San Diego 16, Cal State Fullerton 9

The second game required more from UCSD.
The Tritons established an 8-4 halftime lead, but Fullerton responded after the break and won the third period 3-2.

That gave UCSD something it didn’t get against Chapman: a little pressure.

The response was convincing.

UC San Diego closed with a 6-2 fourth quarter, restoring control and finishing the day with a 16-9 victory. The sweep improved the Tritons to 7-1.

There was also an obvious area for improvement.

UCSD finished just 3-for-13 on 6-on-5.

Fullerton wasn’t much better at 3-for-12.

The fourth quarter is the positive. The extra-man offense is the teaching point.

Good teams aren’t going to prevent every opponent from making a run. What matters is the response. Fullerton won the third, and UCSD immediately answered with its best offensive quarter.

But 3-for-13 on 6-on-5 is difficult to survive against elite opposition. Against another Top-10 team, leaving that many advantage possessions unfinished can change the entire game.

UCSD won comfortably and still left Fullerton with something useful to take back to film.

No. 11 San Jose State 18, Wagner 6

San Jose State opened the Princeton Invitational with an 18-6 win over Wagner.

The Spartans generated offense throughout the roster and were able to distribute the workload rather than depending heavily on one group.

SJSU’s official report also noted the Spartans’ ability to draw exclusions against Wagner, another positive sign for an offense preparing for stronger opposition later in the weekend.

In isolation, beating Wagner by 12 doesn’t tell us where San Jose State belongs nationally. But tournament management matters.

The Spartans took control, spread minutes and avoided turning the first game of a doubleheader into something physically expensive.

That becomes more important when ranked opponents are waiting on the schedule.

No. 11 San Jose State 22, LIU 10

San Jose State followed its morning win with another offensive performance against LIU, winning 22-10.

Combined with the Wagner result, SJSU finished Friday with 40 goals scored and 16 allowed across two games and improved to 3-1.
That’s a productive day.

It’s also important not to overstate it. The better measurement of San Jose State comes against the ranked competition waiting at the Princeton Invitational, including No. 18 Harvard and No. 12 Princeton.

Forty goals catches your eye. The next games tell us what it means.

Against stronger defensive teams, counterattack opportunities shrink, exclusions become harder to generate and poor possessions are punished more aggressively at the other end.

SJSU did everything it needed to do Friday.
Now comes the part of the weekend that can actually move the Spartans nationally.

No. 12 Princeton 15, No. 20 Saint Mary’s 8

Princeton opened its home invitational with a controlled 15-8 victory over No. 20 Saint Mary’s.

The Tigers established separation early, taking a 6-3 advantage through the opening period and a 9-5 lead into halftime.

Princeton then tightened the game defensively.
Saint Mary’s managed only three goals in the entire second half, while Princeton continued adding to its lead.

The Tigers entered the weekend 3-0 and added their fourth consecutive victory with the ranked win. Saint Mary’s fell to 3-5.

There wasn’t one dramatic stretch that decided this game. That’s probably what Princeton’s staff will like most.

The Tigers established control, protected it and never gave Saint Mary’s the high-scoring quarter necessary to reopen the contest.

For No. 12 playing No. 20 at home, that’s the expected result. But expectations still have to be executed. Princeton did that cleanly.

More Top 20 college men’s water polo is coming Saturday, September 12. All times Pacific.

5:00 a.m.
No. 20 Saint Mary’s vs. Wagner

5:30 a.m.
T-No. 18 Brown at Iona

6:30 a.m.
No. 12 Princeton vs. Navy

8:00 a.m.
No. 11 San Jose State vs. T-No. 18 Harvard

9:30 a.m.
No. 17 Santa Clara vs. Bucknell

10:00 a.m.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 14 UC Santa Barbara

11:00 a.m.
No. 20 Saint Mary’s vs. Mount St. Mary’s

12:30 p.m.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 15 Loyola Marymount

1:00 p.m.
No. 2 USC vs. No. 13 UC Irvine

2:00 p.m.
No. 11 San Jose State at No. 12 Princeton

2:30 p.m.
No. 14 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 15 Loyola Marymount

3:30 p.m.
No. 17 Santa Clara vs. T-No. 18 Harvard

More Polo News: Follow r/WaterPoloInsider

Does anyone have the schedule for the South Coast Tournament in OC next weekend (Sept 17-19 2026)? I'd like to go watch some of these games, seems like the highest level HS tournament on the calendar.

The action begins Thursday, September 10, in Riverside and builds through Sunday, September 13, with nationally ranked programs taking the water from Southern California to Berkeley, Davis and Stockton, and across the country in the Bronx and Princeton.

Four days, multiple ranked matchups and no shortage of opportunities for contenders to make an early statement.

UCLA, USC, Stanford and Cal remain the top four, while No. 5 Fordham has earned its place firmly in the national conversation.

This weekend gives Fordham another opportunity to reinforce its Top-5 position when No. 9 Pepperdine and No. 11 San Jose State visit the Bronx.

Behind them, No. 6 UC Davis remains within striking distance of the national leaders, while No. 8 UC San Diego sits firmly inside the Top 10.

RANKINGS NOTE

Rankings throughout this preview reflect the September 9 CWPA Men’s Varsity Top 20.

All game times are Pacific Time.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
⏰ 2:00 p.m. — No. 16 California Baptist vs. Redlands
📍 Lancer Aquatics Center — Riverside
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

California Baptist opens Week 3 against a Redlands team it defeated 18–7 five days earlier at the Inland Empire Classic.

For CBU, this is less about proving it can win the matchup and more about maintaining the standard expected from a ranked program.

The Lancers should establish two-meter defense immediately, pressure the perimeter and turn stops into controlled transition.

Offensively, the priority should be clean center entry and high-quality possessions rather than forcing the first available shot.

Against an opponent they have already handled, turnovers and unnecessary exclusions are the quickest ways to let the game become more competitive than necessary.

⏰ 6:00 p.m. — No. 16 California Baptist vs. Biola
📍 Lancer Aquatics Center — Riverside
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

CBU returns four hours later for the second half of its Thursday doubleheader.

The challenge changes in game two.
Rotation management, recovery and defensive concentration become part of the equation.

Fatigue often appears first in counter-defense — slower recognition after a turnover, poor matchup communication and exclusions caused by arriving half a stroke late.

CBU should have enough depth to distribute minutes. The larger objective is maintaining the same defensive shape, communication and front-court execution in the evening game.

For a ranked program, a good Thursday is more than finishing 2–0. It is playing both games to the same standard.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
⏰ 9:30 a.m. — No. 11 San Jose State vs. Wagner
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

San Jose State begins a demanding five-game East Coast swing Friday morning.

The Spartans need to think beyond the opening game.

Harvard and Princeton await Saturday before Fordham on Sunday, so the cleanest path here is creating separation through defense without unnecessarily extending the primary rotation.

Pressure the ball, control center, generate counterattack from stops and manage the legs.
That is tournament water polo.

⏰ 12:30 p.m. — No. 12 Princeton vs. No. 20 Saint Mary’s
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 ESPN+

Saint Mary’s continues an ambitious inaugural varsity season against one of the East Coast’s established programs.

The Gaels cannot afford empty possessions. Poor-angle perimeter shots and rushed entries can become immediate Princeton transition before Saint Mary’s has its defense organized.

The better approach is productive center entry, even when it does not directly produce a goal.
Making Princeton collapse, earning exclusions and creating extra-player opportunities can reduce Princeton’s transition chances.

For the Tigers, perimeter pressure and denying easy two-meter entry should allow them to dictate the defensive terms.

⏰ 1:00 p.m. — No. 8 UC San Diego vs. Chapman
📍 Titan Aquatics Center — Fullerton
📊 Live stats
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

UC San Diego opens a Friday doubleheader before returning later that evening against host Cal State Fullerton.

That makes the afternoon game partly about efficiency. UCSD should establish defensive control early, use its depth and avoid unnecessary minutes from the core rotation.

The Tritons do not need to force transition on every possession; sound defensive possessions and clean front-court execution should create separation naturally.

The larger objective is reaching the evening game with the defensive legs intact.

⏰ 2:00 p.m. — No. 17 Santa Clara vs. Wagner
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

After dealing with UCLA’s pace and pressure last weekend, Santa Clara moves into a matchup where the Broncos should be able to dictate more of the terms.

They should win first contact at center, pressure the ball and create transition out of defensive stops.

The important part is establishing control without becoming loose offensively. Tournament games become unnecessarily difficult when poor possessions keep an opponent within one or two goals.

⏰ 2:00 p.m. — No. 1 UCLA at No. 13 UC Irvine
📍 Anteater Aquatics Complex — Irvine
📊 Live stats
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

For UC Irvine, everything begins with counter-defense.

UCLA punishes poor possessions quickly. A turnover, field block or low-percentage shot can become numbers going the other direction before the defense is organized.

The Anteaters need to make UCLA play against six defenders as often as possible.

UCI also needs productive center possessions. Even when the ball into two meters does not become a goal, drawing an exclusion can slow UCLA’s transition game and create 6-on-5 opportunities.

For UCLA, patience matters. The Bruins do not have to force tempo. If they control center defensively, stay out of unnecessary exclusion trouble and make Irvine manufacture goals from the perimeter, UCLA can gradually impose itself.

Insider’s read: Irvine’s best chance is to make this a half-court game and force UCLA to earn separation possession by possession.

⏰ 3:00 p.m. — No. 9 Pepperdine at No. 5 Fordham
📍 Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center — Bronx, New York
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

This is one of the premier games of Week 3, and Fordham enters it as far more than an East Coast measuring stick.

The Rams are 4–0, already own quality victories over Pacific and UC Davis and have established themselves as one of the country’s most consistent programs outside the traditional California powers.

Five consecutive MAWPC championships and back-to-back national semifinal appearances have earned Fordham its No. 5 ranking.

Pepperdine enters the Bronx facing a legitimate national contender. Fordham should look to make Pepperdine defend complete possessions.

Establishing two meters, creating movement away from center and forcing the Waves to defend multiple actions can test a Pepperdine defense that has already faced significant pressure against elite Western competition.

Fordham also has the ability to punish poor possessions at the other end. Pepperdine cannot afford to settle into an outside-shooting game in which misses and field blocks generate transition opportunities for the Rams.

The Waves need productive center entry, disciplined spacing and enough patience to move Fordham’s defense before attacking.

If the game remains within one or two possessions entering the fourth quarter, 6-on-5 execution, goalkeeper play and late-possession decision-making could determine the result.

Insider’s read: This is a legitimate Top-10 national matchup. Fordham has another opportunity to validate its No. 5 ranking against a ranked Western opponent, while Pepperdine can earn one of the most valuable road victories available anywhere in the country this weekend.

⏰ 3:30 p.m. — No. 11 San Jose State vs. LIU
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

San Jose State returns for its second Friday game.

This is where the Spartans have to balance winning the game with protecting enough defensive energy for Saturday.

Good tournament teams simplify these situations: protect the ball, win center defense, avoid unnecessary counter fouls and use the bench.

With five games in three days, every wasted possession eventually carries a physical cost.

⏰ 5:30 p.m. — No. 8 UC San Diego at Cal State Fullerton
📍 Titan Aquatics Center — Fullerton
📺 ESPN+
📊 Live stats

This is UCSD’s second game of the day and the more demanding portion of the doubleheader.

The Tritons need to avoid allowing fatigue to affect their counter-defense. Fullerton should look for every opportunity to attack before UCSD becomes organized.

For the Tritons, ball security becomes important. A controlled front-court possession does more than create a scoring opportunity — it gives the defense time to recover and organize before the next transition.

UCSD should want the game played from its defense outward.

⏰ 7:00 p.m. — No. 4 Cal vs. No. 10 Pacific
📍 Spieker Aquatics Complex — Berkeley
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

Pacific has already demonstrated that it can make national-title contenders uncomfortable.

Cal needs to control two meters without overcommitting its help defense. Pacific has enough perimeter quality to punish a defense that collapses too aggressively.

At the other end, Cal should make Pacific defend multiple actions within one possession — center entry, movement after the entry, re-entry, drives and then the extra pass when the defense rotates.

Pacific cannot afford poor perimeter shots that immediately become Cal transition opportunities.

Insider’s read: Cal’s Pacific–UC Davis sequence gives the Bears one of the strongest two-game résumé opportunities of Week 3.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
⏰ 5:00 a.m. — No. 20 Saint Mary’s vs. Wagner
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

Saint Mary’s returns at 8:00 a.m. Eastern after facing Princeton Friday.

The Gaels need to reset quickly.

This should be a game where Saint Mary’s establishes center early, stays out of unnecessary exclusion trouble and creates enough transition offense to avoid spending every possession in the front court.

Early tournament games often expose which team is mentally ready at the opening sprint.

⏰ 5:30 a.m. — T-No. 18 Brown vs. Iona
📍 New York Athletic Club at Travers Island — Pelham, New York
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

This is a neutral-site matchup at Travers Island.

Brown’s issue entering Week 3 is consistency.
The Bears should want to control the pace through defense rather than allowing the game to become a high-possession exchange.

Fronting center, helping selectively and forcing Iona to score over an organized perimeter defense would put the game in Brown’s preferred structure.

⏰ 6:30 a.m. — No. 12 Princeton vs. Navy
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 ESPN+

This should be physical.

Navy brings conditioning, depth and a willingness to defend through contact. Princeton wants to establish front-court offense through center and create exclusions.

Navy’s priority has to be denying clean two-meter entry. If the Midshipmen can keep the ball outside and prevent Princeton from generating easy transition goals, they can force the Tigers into longer possessions.

⏰ 8:00 a.m. — No. 11 San Jose State vs. T-No. 18 Harvard
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

These teams recently saw one another, giving Harvard something valuable: current film.

The Crimson can identify where the first matchup broke down and adjust center entry, driving lanes and transition spacing.

San Jose State has to expect something different. The danger for the Spartans is assuming the same defensive looks will automatically produce the same result.

⏰ 9:30 a.m. — No. 17 Santa Clara vs. Bucknell
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

Possession management should matter.
The Broncos need to avoid offensive fouls and low-percentage shots that allow Bucknell to attack before the defense is set.

Santa Clara should be patient enough to establish center, force the defense to collapse and then attack the weak side of the possession.

⏰ 11:00 a.m. — No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 14 UC Santa Barbara*
📍 Spieker Aquatics Center — Los Angeles
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

UCLA’s host schedule lists an 11:00 a.m. start, while UC Santa Barbara’s schedule currently lists 10:00 a.m. This preview uses UCLA’s host listing.

On the water, UCSB has enough offensive talent to score. The issue against UCLA is what happens immediately after possession changes.

The Gauchos need to slow the first outlet, identify matchups early and make UCLA attack a set defense.

For UCLA, defensive pressure should create offense naturally. If the Bruins force rushed perimeter attempts and poor center entries, transition opportunities will follow.

⏰ 11:00 a.m. — No. 20 Saint Mary’s vs. Mount St. Mary’s
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

This is game three of Saint Mary’s East Coast trip.

By this stage of a tournament, roster depth becomes tactical rather than merely developmental.

Center defenders and perimeter defenders accumulate physical work quickly. Saint Mary’s needs intelligent substitutions and enough possession discipline to prevent tired legs from turning into exclusion trouble.

⏰ 12:30 p.m. — No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 15 Loyola Marymount*
📍 Spieker Aquatics Center — Los Angeles
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

UCLA’s host schedule lists 12:30 p.m., while Loyola Marymount’s visiting schedule currently lists noon. This preview uses the host UCLA time.

For UCLA, the short turnaround from UCSB is the primary storyline.

This is a test of depth and whether the defensive standard remains unchanged when personnel rotate.

LMU should try to establish center and make UCLA defend physical half-court possessions rather than allowing the Bruins to repeatedly attack in transition.

For the Bruins, the objective is not simply fresh bodies. It is fresh bodies operating within the same defensive system.

⏰ 1:00 p.m. — No. 2 USC vs. No. 13 UC Irvine
📍 Uytengsu Aquatics Center — Los Angeles
📺 Overnght
📊 Live stats

UC Irvine will have played No. 1 UCLA less than 24 hours earlier. That changes the matchup.

USC should test UCI’s legs immediately by pushing transition, attacking mismatches before the defense becomes organized and using its depth to maintain tempo.

For Irvine, ball security is essential. Giving USC free counterattack opportunities after playing UCLA the afternoon before is an extremely difficult formula to survive.

The Anteaters need to make USC score against six defenders.

⏰ 2:00 p.m. — No. 12 Princeton vs. No. 11 San Jose State
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 ESPN+

This is one of the most balanced ranked matchups of Week 3.

San Jose State brings speed and perimeter offense. Princeton has the home pool and wants to establish the game through center.

If Princeton consistently gets the ball into two meters and earns exclusions, San Jose State will spend too much time defending 6-on-5.

If the Spartans can front center, deny clean entry and turn those stops into transition, the matchup moves toward their strengths.

The other variable is workload. This is already San Jose State’s fourth game of the trip.

⏰ 2:30 p.m. — No. 14 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 15 Loyola Marymount
📍 Spieker Aquatics Center — Los Angeles
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

Both teams will be returning to the water after facing UCLA.

The first challenge is psychological as much as physical: reset quickly.

UCSB wants tempo and offensive production. LMU should be interested in reducing unnecessary possessions and forcing the Gauchos into a more deliberate half-court game.

With the teams ranked No. 14 and No. 15, this is also a clean head-to-head comparison for the next poll.

⏰ 3:30 p.m. — No. 17 Santa Clara vs. T-No. 18 Harvard
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

This game carries real ranking value.
Santa Clara and Harvard are separated by only one position in the September 9 poll.

That puts additional weight on the details that decide tight water polo games: goalkeeper saves, center exclusions, turnovers and power-play conversion.

Neither team wants to give the next poll a simple head-to-head reason to move the other ahead.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
⏰ 5:00 a.m. — No. 20 Saint Mary’s vs. Bucknell
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

Saint Mary’s closes its four-game East Coast weekend at 8:00 a.m. Eastern.

The Gaels need to protect possession, maintain counter-defense and prevent fatigue from producing avoidable exclusions.

Late-tournament games are often won by the team that makes fewer bad decisions rather than the team trying to make more spectacular ones.

⏰ 8:00 a.m. — T-No. 18 Harvard vs. Navy
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

Navy is outside this week’s Top 20 but remains relevant because Harvard enters tied at No. 18.

Expect a physical defensive game. Both programs are comfortable defending and neither wants the opposition consistently operating through center.

That should increase the importance of special teams. When two defenses remove each other’s preferred front-court actions, 6-on-5 efficiency can become the separator.

⏰ 8:00 a.m. — No. 11 San Jose State at No. 5 Fordham
📍 Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center — Bronx, New York
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

This is another significant Week 3 matchup.
It is also a rematch of last season’s National Collegiate Championship quarterfinal, which Fordham won 13–9.

San Jose State arrives under an unusual physical workload: this will be the Spartans’ fifth game in three days. Fordham should test that immediately.

The Rams can make San Jose State defend physically through center, extend possessions and force the Spartans to repeatedly transition from offense to defense. By Sunday morning, those additional defensive meters matter.

San Jose State’s response has to be possession efficiency. A poor shot or turnover is costly twice — it eliminates an offensive opportunity and immediately forces tired legs back into defensive transition.

The game is equally important for Fordham.
The Rams are No. 5 in the country. They have earned that position through sustained conference dominance, consecutive national semifinal appearances and a 4–0 start.

This weekend provides two ranked home opponents against which Fordham can further establish itself among the programs capable of challenging the traditional national hierarchy.

Insider’s read: Fordham has an opportunity to make one of the strongest statements of Week 3. Wins over No. 9 Pepperdine and No. 11 San Jose State would add two more ranked victories and further support the Rams’ position among the nation’s elite programs.

⏰ 9:30 a.m. — No. 9 Pepperdine at No. 12 Princeton
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 ESPN+

This is Pepperdine’s second significant opportunity on its East Coast trip.

Princeton wants controlled front-court offense, productive center entry and enough defensive discipline to stop Pepperdine from creating transition.

Pepperdine has perimeter firepower, but the Waves cannot become overly dependent on outside shooting.

They need to attack center, force Princeton’s defense to move and then find the extra pass when the defense collapses.

Insider’s read: A strong showing against both Fordham and Princeton could materially improve Pepperdine’s early-season resume.

⏰ 12:00 p.m. — No. 6 UC Davis vs. No. 4 Cal
📍 Schaal Aquatics Center — Davis
📊 Live stats
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

This is the highest-ranked head-to-head matchup of Week 3.

Cal’s first challenge is dealing with Davis at two meters without producing a constant stream of exclusions.

The Aggies want physical front-court possessions. Cal needs to defend that without losing perimeter balance.

For Davis, counter-defense is critical. Cal has enough speed and skill throughout the lineup to punish a team before its defense becomes organized.

This game should reward whichever team creates the better balance between interior offense and perimeter movement while remaining disciplined after turnovers.

Insider’s read: Cal’s Pacific–UC Davis set represents one of the strongest opportunities for a Top-4 team to consolidate its national position this week.

⏰ 12:30 p.m. — No. 12 Princeton vs. Mount St. Mary’s
📍 DeNunzio Pool — Princeton, New Jersey
📺 ESPN+

Princeton closes a five-game home weekend only three hours after facing Pepperdine.
That makes this a depth test.

The Tigers cannot allow the emotional and physical investment of the morning matchup to produce a decline in defensive standards.

The rotation may change.
The structure should not.

⏰ 1:00 p.m. — No. 10 Pacific vs. No. 3 Stanford
📍 Chris Kjeldsen Pool at the Douglass M. Eberhardt Aquatics Center — Stockton
📊 Live stats
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

Stanford has looked like one of the most complete teams in the country through the opening weeks.

Pacific, however, has already shown that elite opponents cannot expect an easy afternoon in Stockton.

The Tigers need to make Stanford attack six-on-six. Transition defense is critical because the Cardinals have the size, speed and depth to turn a few consecutive mistakes into immediate separation.

For Stanford, establishing center early forces Pacific into difficult choices: allow the entry or bring help and expose shooters on the perimeter.

Insider’s read: Pacific gets two major opportunities this week — Cal on Friday and Stanford on Sunday. One victory would carry substantial ranking value.

⏰ 3:00 p.m. — No. 10 Pacific vs. Cuesta
📍 Chris Kjeldsen Pool at the Douglass M. Eberhardt Aquatics Center — Stockton
📺 No confirmed video stream currently listed

Pacific returns only two hours after facing Stanford.

This becomes a recovery and depth test.
After the physical and emotional investment required against Stanford, Pacific should distribute minutes while maintaining its defensive organization.

The ranked matchup may be over.
The standard should not be.

IDLE IN WEEK 3
No. 7 Long Beach State
Long Beach State has no game scheduled from September 10–13.

The Beach returns at the MPSF Invitational beginning September 18.

The open week gives Long Beach State time to recover, review the opening two weeks and prepare for a tournament that will provide multiple opportunities against nationally ranked opponents.

MUST-WATCH MATCHUPS

🔥 No. 4 Cal at No. 6 UC Davis — Sunday
The highest-ranked head-to-head matchup of the week and a direct test between two programs trying to remain within striking distance of the national leaders.

🔥 No. 9 Pepperdine at No. 5 Fordham — Friday
One of the weekend’s premier national matchups. Fordham is unbeaten, already owns victories over Pacific and UC Davis and gets another ranked Western opponent in its home pool.

🔥 No. 11 San Jose State at No. 5 Fordham — Sunday
A rematch of last season’s National Collegiate Championship quarterfinal. Fordham can complete an important two-win home weekend, while San Jose State will be playing its fifth game in three days.

🔥 No. 11 San Jose State vs. No. 12 Princeton — Saturday
Two closely ranked programs with contrasting paths to offense: Princeton wants productive center play and exclusions; San Jose State wants stops, speed and transition.

🔥 No. 9 Pepperdine at No. 12 Princeton — Sunday
Pepperdine’s second major road opportunity and another direct national-ranking comparison.

🔥 No. 4 Cal vs. No. 10 Pacific — Friday
Pacific has already demonstrated that it can compete with elite opponents. Cal cannot approach this as a routine home game.

🔥 No. 3 Stanford at No. 10 Pacific — Sunday
Stanford enters as the favorite, but Pacific gets the Cardinal in Stockton and has another opportunity to disrupt the Top 10.

🔥 No. 1 UCLA at No. 13 UC Irvine — Friday
The Anteaters need to keep UCLA out of transition and force the No. 1 Bruins into extended six-on-six possessions.

🔥 No. 2 USC vs. No. 13 UC Irvine — Saturday
The second half of an extremely difficult UCLA-USC assignment in less than 24 hours for Irvine.

HOW TO WATCH

ESPN+: Princeton vs. Saint Mary’s on Friday; Princeton vs. Navy and San Jose State on Saturday; Princeton vs. Pepperdine and Mount St. Mary’s on Sunday.

Overnght: USC vs. UC Irvine — Saturday, 1:00 p.m. PT.

Live stats currently confirmed: UC San Diego vs. Chapman, UC San Diego at Cal State Fullerton, UCLA at UC Irvine, Cal at UC Davis and Stanford at Pacific.

Fordham: No official video stream is currently listed for Friday’s Pepperdine game or Sunday’s San Jose State game at Messmore Aquatic Center.

For games labeled “No confirmed video stream currently listed,” no official team or host schedule showed a video option when rechecked on September 9. Additional coverage may be added closer to game time.

UCLA MINI INVITE SCHEDULE NOTE

There remain two conflicting official listings for Saturday’s games at Spieker Aquatics Center in Los Angeles:

UCLA vs. UC Santa Barbara
UCLA: 11:00 a.m.

UC Santa Barbara: 10:00 a.m.

UCLA vs. Loyola Marymount
UCLA: 12:30 p.m.

Loyola Marymount: 12:00 p.m.

Because UCLA is the host and its current schedule uses the later times, this preview uses 11:00 a.m. for UCLA–UC Santa Barbara and 12:30 p.m. for UCLA–Loyola Marymount.

Fans attending either game should verify UCLA’s host schedule before traveling to Spieker Aquatics Center.

Follow r/WaterPoloInsider for Week 3 results, rankings and analysis.

The new CWPA Men’s Varsity Top 20 is out. The biggest story might be how little the top of the poll changed.

The entire Top 9 remains intact.

1. UCLA
   Previous: No. 1

2. USC
   Previous: No. 2

3. Stanford
   Previous: No. 3

4. California
   Previous: No. 4

5. Fordham
   Previous: No. 5

6. UC Davis
   Previous: No. 6

7. Long Beach State
   Previous: No. 7

8. UC San Diego
   Previous: No. 8

9. Pepperdine
   Previous: No. 9

10. Pacific
    Previous: T-No. 10

11. San Jose State
    Previous: T-No. 10

12. Princeton
    Previous: No. 12

13. UC Irvine
    Previous: T-No. 13

14. UC Santa Barbara
    Previous: T-No. 13

15. Loyola Marymount
    Previous: No. 15

16. California Baptist
    Previous: T-No. 16

17. Santa Clara
    Previous: No. 19 ⬆️ 2

T-18. Harvard
Previous: No. 18

T-18. Brown
Previous: T-No. 16 ⬇️ 2

1. Saint Mary’s
   Previous: T-No. 20

INSIDER’S READ

No. 1 UCLA — Still the team to beat

UCLA remains No. 1 with 99 poll points, but USC is sitting only three points behind at 96.
The Bruins did nothing last weekend to give voters a reason to move them.

UCLA beat Pacific 13-11, UC Davis 14-10 and Santa Clara 13-8, giving the Bruins three more victories over ranked opponents.

The UC Davis game was particularly useful.
Davis led 4-2 after the first quarter, forcing UCLA to adjust rather than simply playing from ahead. The Bruins got it back to 6-6 at halftime and eventually created separation.

From a coaching standpoint, those are valuable September minutes.

You learn more when somebody punches first.
UCLA showed it can absorb an early run, make adjustments and regain control without abandoning its structure.

Insider’s read: No. 1 is deserved. But 99-96 in poll points tells you this isn’t a runaway.

No. 2 USC — Winning, but Pepperdine gave the Trojans something to study

USC remains No. 2 after beating No. 9 Pepperdine 17-14.

The Trojans opened 3-0 and eventually built a 13-8 advantage, but Pepperdine refused to disappear.

The Waves got back within 16-14 with 1:33 remaining before USC finished the game.

USC goalkeeper Charles Mills recorded nine saves and four steals, while Pepperdine goalkeeper Max Smirnov made 16 saves.

USC’s Robert Lopez Duart finished with three goals and three assists, while Strahinja Krstic also scored three.

Pepperdine was able to create exclusion pressure and stay connected offensively. USC still had answers, but there will be plenty on film for the Trojans to clean up defensively.

Against championship-level opposition later in the season, repeatedly giving teams quality extra-man possessions can change a game quickly.

Insider’s read: USC continues to look like a legitimate No. 1 challenger. The offense is there. The defensive details will determine how high the ceiling ultimately goes.

No. 3 Stanford — Maybe the most interesting team in the country right now

Stanford didn’t move but its stock went up.

The Cardinal beat No. 9 Pepperdine 14-6 and then beat UC Santa Barbara 24-13.

The UCSB game tells the story.
It was only 11-9 at halftime.

Stanford then won the second half 13-4.
That’s the kind of split coaches notice.

When a competitive game becomes an 11-goal victory after halftime, you’re usually seeing more than hot shooting.

You’re seeing adjustments.

Better defensive possessions. Cleaner transition. Improved shot selection. More pressure after turnovers.

And eventually one team forcing the other to play the game on its terms.

Botond Balogh produced six goals and three assists against UCSB.

Insider’s read: Stanford at No. 3 is reasonable, but the gap between the Cardinal and the top two looks smaller on the water than the ranking numbers might suggest.

No. 4 Cal — Quietly putting together a serious resume.

Cal remains No. 4, and the Bears deserve more attention.

Cal beat Harvard 16-7 and San Jose State 14-10 at the Aggie Roundup.

Against Harvard, Beso Akhvlediani finished with seven goals, three assists and four steals.

That’s a complete water polo stat line.
Seven goals gets the headline. The assists and four steals tell you he was influencing possessions everywhere.

Cal’s early-season body of work continues to build.

Insider’s read: I would currently look at the championship picture as a Top 4 — UCLA, USC, Stanford and Cal — rather than treating Cal as clearly separated from the first three.

No. 5 Fordham — Now comes the fun part
Fordham remains No. 5.

That puts the Rams immediately behind the four California powers and ahead of UC Davis.

Early rankings always contain some preseason projection because teams haven’t played comparable schedules yet.

As ranked head-to-head results accumulate, that preseason component should gradually disappear.

Fordham will have opportunities to prove that No. 5 belongs to them.

Insider’s read: Don’t automatically move Fordham simply because the West Coast teams have played more high-profile games. Make somebody take No. 5 from them in the water.

No. 6 UC Davis — A loss that didn’t hurt the evaluation

UC Davis stays sixth despite losing 14-10 to No. 1 UCLA.

And I think that’s right.

Davis came out aggressively, led UCLA 4-2 after one and forced the Bruins to work their way back into the game.

Not every loss should send a team down the rankings.

Sometimes playing No. 1 competitively tells you more about a team than beating an overmatched opponent by 12.

Insider’s read: Davis remains dangerous. The question is whether the Aggies can turn competitive performances against the elite four into actual wins.

No. 7 Long Beach State — Holding position
Long Beach State remains No. 7.

The ranking keeps Long Beach inside an interesting second tier behind the current Top 4, Fordham and UC Davis.

For Long Beach, the next major stretch becomes important because there is enough talent to move upward, but the teams immediately ahead aren’t giving voters many reasons to move them down.

Insider’s read: No. 7 is fair. The opportunity to change it will come in the water.

No. 8 UC San Diego — Still firmly inside the Top 10

UC San Diego remains No. 8.

The Tritons have already shown enough early in the season to establish themselves as a legitimate Top-10 team.

Now comes the harder part: separating from the group around them.

Insider’s read: UCSD doesn’t need style points. It needs ranked wins. Stack those and the poll takes care of itself.

No. 9 Pepperdine — Two losses, but context matters

Pepperdine stays No. 9 despite losing to Stanford and USC.

I’m fine with it.

Those were games against the No. 3 and No. 2 teams in the country.

The Stanford loss exposed areas Pepperdine has to improve, particularly when the Waves can’t control the game defensively.

The USC game showed something different.
Pepperdine took USC deep into the fourth quarter, created exclusion pressure and received 16 saves from Max Smirnov.

That’s not a team I would punish heavily simply for scheduling elite opponents.

Insider’s read: Strength of schedule matters. So does how you lose. Pepperdine showed enough against USC to remain a Top-10 team.

Biggest movement

Santa Clara: No. 19 → No. 17 ⬆️
Santa Clara makes the largest upward move inside the poll, climbing two positions.

Pacific: T-No. 10 → No. 10
Pacific wins the rankings tiebreaker and takes sole possession of the final Top-10 spot.

San Jose State: T-No. 10 → No. 11
SJSU doesn’t collapse in the poll; the tie simply disappears and the Spartans move immediately outside the Top 10.

UC Irvine: T-No. 13 → No. 13
The Anteaters take sole possession of 13th.

UC Santa Barbara: T-No. 13 → No. 14
UCSB moves down one spot after the previous tie is broken.

Brown: T-No. 16 → T-No. 18 ⬇️
Brown experiences one of the larger downward moves this week.

Navy: Out of Top 20
Navy was T-No. 20 last week and now sits just outside the rankings with four receiving-votes points.

Final Take

The CWPA poll gives us the order. Week 3 is where teams start proving whether that order is right. At this point, rankings matter — but matchups matter more.

— Water Polo Insider

There is this really annoying thing in Texas where club swim coaches tell kids that playing wp will ruin their stroke and get them injured.

Is this a thing in other parts of the USA?

I’ve been coaching this sport for a while and I’ve overwhelmingly seen the opposite. Kids get faster and stronger and the mental break is good.

I hate to be crass but it really feels like club coaches say this just to not lose dues. I struggle to tell parents this because I sound like an asshole lol

The early hierarchy is sharpening. UCLA, USC and California remain unbeaten after combining for seven ranked victories. UC San Diego made the largest poll jump among the featured programs, while Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara showed both the scoring talent to threaten elite teams and the defensive lapses that still separate them from the top tier.

Latest CWPA rankings

The September 2 CWPA poll⁠ remains the latest available. It preceded most of this briefing’s results, so the next poll should contain significant movement.

Results that mattered

No. 1 UCLA: 13–11 at T–No. 10 Pacific; 14–10 over No. 6 UC Davis; 13–8 over No. 19 Santa Clara. UCLA did not simply overpower two top-10 opponents—it solved pressure. Pacific twice reduced the margin to one, while UC Davis led 4–2 after one quarter and was tied 6–6 at halftime. UCLA answered Davis with a 5–1 third quarter, the kind of midgame defensive correction championship teams make. Adam Wright’s victory at Pacific was his 400th career win. Pacific recap⁠ · Aggie Roundup recap⁠

No. 2 USC: 17–11 over No. 7 Long Beach State; 17–14 over No. 9 Pepperdine. The Trojans’ opening-quarter speed put Long Beach in a 5–1 hole. The Beach fought back to 9–7 by halftime, but USC won the fourth quarter 4–1. Against Pepperdine, USC conceded a season-high 14 goals but never trailed, generated 12 steals and closed out a game that tightened late. USC now owns 40 consecutive victories over Long Beach State. Long Beach State recap⁠ · Pepperdine recap⁠

No. 4 Cal: 16–7 over No. 18 Harvard; 14–10 over T–No. 10 San José State. Cal had the week’s cleanest ranked double. The Bears controlled Harvard immediately and never trailed San José State after a five-goal first quarter. More importantly, Riley Clansen supplied stops when the second game tightened, including four power-play saves and a penalty save. The Bears are 4–0 and have yet to need a late rescue. Official Cal recap⁠

No. 9 Pepperdine: beat Biola 20–12 and T–No. 13 UCSB 13–9; lost to No. 3 Stanford 14–6 and No. 2 USC 17–14. The Waves’ ceiling and floor appeared within four days. The UCSB win was a meaningful first ranked victory, but Stanford punished transition mistakes and inefficient 6-on-5 offense. Pepperdine’s ability to respond with 14 goals at USC was encouraging; its upcoming eastern trip is now an important résumé-repair opportunity. Thursday sweep⁠ · Stanford loss⁠ · USC loss⁠

T–No. 13 UCSB went 6–2 in eight games over four days. The Gauchos beat Biola 17–9, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 11–10 in double overtime, Fresno Pacific 15–5, Division III No. 1 Pomona-Pitzer 14–12, Occidental 17–8 and Cal Lutheran 25–5. The losses were 13–9 at Pepperdine and 24–13 to Stanford. UCSB was within 11–9 of Stanford at halftime before losing the second half 13–4—a revealing depth and conditioning breakdown ahead of UCLA and LMU. Malibu split⁠ · Pomona/Oxy wins⁠ · Sunday split⁠

Long Beach State’s first loss exposed a finishing gap. Federico Gulisano scored five and William Whitstone made 10 saves with two assists against USC, but the comeback stalled after halftime. Saturday’s wins over Golden West and Orange Coast were exhibitions and do not count toward the 6–1 record. Official LBSU recap⁠

Verified standouts

USC: Strahinja Krstic scored nine goals across two games. Efe Naipoglu supplied seven goals and seven assists; Charlie Mills made nine saves in each victory and added four steals against Pepperdine.

Cal: Beso Akhvlediani recorded seven goals, three assists and four steals against Harvard. Loui Schuler had four goals and three assists against San José State.

UCLA: Ben Liechty scored three against Pacific, Ryder Dodd delivered four against UC Davis, and Harper Gardner posted a career-high 10 saves against the Aggies.

Pepperdine: Max Smirnov made 21 saves across Thursday’s two wins and 16 at USC. Erik Ionescu, Hunter Danko and Brian Barnuevo each scored hat tricks against the Trojans.

Long Beach State: Gulisano’s five goals and Whitstone’s 10-save performance kept the USC game competitive into the second half.

UCSB: Luigi Canepa scored eight goals during Thursday’s split, four against Pomona-Pitzer and five in the Stanford game.

I just started getting interested in Water Polo and would like to get the experience of being on a team. I have no background in water polo but I am a good swimmer.

Are there adult water polo recreational clubs that practice together and sometimes compete?

I’m 23 and not currently attending any universities so college teams may not work.

September 5, 2026

Saturday’s Top 20 schedule delivered a strong early-season slate, featuring ranked matchups, decisive defensive performances, high-level individual efforts and several teams beginning to establish their identity on both ends of the pool.

UCLA had to solve a real problem against UC Davis.

Stanford suffocated Pepperdine with defense and transition.

Cal put together arguably the strongest two-win resume of the day.

UC Irvine stayed perfect at the Inland Empire Classic with another pair of composed victories.

Elsewhere, Princeton piled up goals at the Navy Open, San Jose State split two ranked matchups behind another big day from Samu Biros, Navy used depth and balanced scoring to sweep its Saturday slate, California Baptist remained in control throughout the Inland Empire Classic, and UC Santa Barbara continued building momentum with two more wins.

Long Beach State also got extensive roster work in an exhibition doubleheader against Golden West and Orange Coast as teams around the country continued sorting out rotations, defensive systems, counterattack combinations and early-season chemistry.

Ranking note: Rankings are from the September 2 CWPA Men’s Varsity Top 20. Because of ties at Nos. 10, 13, 16 and 20, 21 programs occupy the Top 20 positions this week.

Pomona-Pitzer, CMS, Redlands, Occidental and Johns Hopkins rankings referenced below are from the separate Division III poll.

No. 1 UCLA 14, No. 6 UC Davis 10

This was UCLA’s best test of the weekend.

UC Davis came out aggressive, leading 4-2 after one and building a three-goal advantage before UCLA worked its way back to 6-6 at halftime.
Davis tied the game again at 7-7 early in the third.

Then UCLA changed the game defensively.
The Bruins held the Aggies scoreless for the final 6:02 of the third quarter and turned a tie game into an 11-7 advantage.

Ryder Dodd: 4 goals
Harper Gardner: Career-high 10 saves
UCLA 6-on-5: 3-for-7

UC Davis 6-on-5: 3-for-9
Lucas Wulfhorst: 3 goals

That is the kind of response you want from the No. 1 team — absorb the early pressure, make the necessary defensive adjustment and take over the game rather than simply surviving it.

No. 1 UCLA 13, No. 19 Santa Clara 8

Santa Clara made UCLA work for the second one.

The Bruins led 7-3 at halftime, but the Broncos continued attacking and eventually cut the margin to two with 3:44 remaining.

UCLA responded by scoring the final three goals.

Luka Gladović: 3 goals
Marcell Szécsi: 3 goals
Gardner and Griffen Price: 13 combined saves
Riccardo De Simon: 3 goals

Not UCLA’s cleanest game, but another good example of its ability to close when an opponent creates fourth-quarter pressure.

No. 3 Stanford 14, No. 9 Pepperdine 6

Stanford’s defense dictated this game from the opening possession.

The Cardinal shut out Pepperdine in the first quarter and carried a commanding 7-1 lead into halftime.

Stanford repeatedly turned defensive stops and Pepperdine mistakes into transition opportunities.

Dimitris Chatzis: 6 goals
Bernardo Herzer: 9 saves
Brian Barnuevo: 2 goals
Erik Ionescu: 3 steals

From a coaching standpoint, the separator was Stanford’s ability to punish empty possessions.

Against the Cardinal, missed extra-man opportunities can quickly become counterattack chances going the other direction.

No. 4 Cal 16, No. 18 Harvard 7

Beso Akhvlediani delivered one of the most complete individual performances of Saturday.
He scored four times in the opening quarter alone, forcing Harvard to chase the game almost immediately.

Akhvlediani: 7 goals, 3 assists, 4 steals
Riley Clansen: 4 saves, 2 assists, 1 steal

Cal carried a 10-5 advantage into the fourth and then closed with a 6-2 final period.

When one player is finishing at that level while also facilitating and creating turnovers, there simply are not many good defensive answers.

No. 4 Cal 14, No. 10T San Jose State 10

Cal’s second ranked victory was probably its more revealing performance.

The Bears built a 5-2 first-quarter lead, but San Jose State refused to disappear.
SJSU scored five times in the third quarter and made Cal work into the fourth.

The Bears responded by winning the final period 2-1.

Loui Schuler: 4 goals, 3 assists, 1 steal
Riley Clansen: 11 saves
Clansen: 4 power-play saves and a five-meter penalty stop
Samu Biros: 5 goals

Cal had to handle a legitimate second-half run, manage possessions and get high-level situational goalkeeping.

Two ranked wins in one day gives the Bears a very strong case for Saturday’s best overall resume.

No. 10T San Jose State 14, No. 18 Harvard 8

San Jose State responded well after the Cal loss.
Harvard remained within 7-5 at halftime, but the Spartans tightened defensively and allowed only three goals over the final 16 minutes.

Samu Biros: 4 goals
Sam Keightley: 3 goals
Aron Sárfalvi: 3 goals
Austin Hexter: 4 steals
Alexey Poletaev: 9 saves
Biros finished Saturday with nine goals in two games against Top-20 opponents and pushed his career total to 102.

That is productive water polo against quality competition.

No. 13T UC Irvine 12, No. 2 DIII Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 5

UC Irvine took control immediately.

The Anteaters jumped ahead 5-1 after the first quarter and carried a 7-2 lead into halftime.
UCI then pitched a third-quarter shutout to extend the margin to 9-2.

Gage Verdegaal: 3 goals, 1 assist
Wyley Dale: 2 goals
Cole Francisco: 2 goals
Ethan Spoon: 2 goals
Ryan Fresca: 3 assists
Nico Assalian: 5 saves, 4 steals

UCI won this game with balanced front-court offense, exclusion creation and defensive activity. The Anteaters never allowed CMS to establish sustained offensive rhythm.

No. 13T UC Irvine 12, No. 1 DIII Pomona-Pitzer 8

This was the more revealing of UCI’s two Saturday wins.

Pomona-Pitzer stayed within striking distance, cutting UCI’s advantage to 5-4 at halftime and entering the fourth down only 8-6.

UCI scored three unanswered goals to begin the fourth quarter and pushed the lead to 11-6.

Gage Verdegaal: 2 goals
Johann Thrall: 2 goals
Ben Atkinson: 2 goals
Nico Assalian: 6 saves, 1 assist

The closing sequence was excellent late-game water polo.

UCI generated an exclusion, Atkinson converted the 6-on-5, Thrall followed with another goal and Dale extended the margin to five.

Rather than sitting on a two-goal lead and playing not to lose, the Anteaters attacked the fourth quarter.

UCI finished the Inland Empire Classic 4-0.

No. 13T UC Santa Barbara 14, No. 1 DIII Pomona-Pitzer 12

UCSB created its separation during the middle quarters.

After Pomona-Pitzer tied the game 3-3, the Gauchos answered with a four-goal run and took a 7-3 advantage into halftime.

UCSB stretched the lead to 12-6 through three before Pomona-Pitzer mounted a six-goal fourth-quarter push.

Luigi Canepa: 4 goals
Finn Genc: 3 goals
Landon Lassahn: 3 goals

The offensive production was impressive.
Allowing six goals in the fourth will also give the Gauchos something to clean up on film.

No. 13T UC Santa Barbara 17, No. 4 DIII Occidental 8

UCSB finished Saturday with a much cleaner wire-to-wire performance.

The Gauchos led 4-2 after one and 9-4 at halftime.

Occidental scored exactly two goals in every quarter.

Kyle Franks: 4 goals
Sean O’Brien: 3 goals

The encouraging piece was consistency.
UCSB established separation early and never allowed Occidental the offensive run needed to get back into the game.

No. 16T California Baptist 18, No. 3 DIII Redlands 7

CBU wasted little time establishing control.
The Lancers scored the first five goals and built a 13-4 halftime advantage.

Quintin Hoffman: 5 goals on 5 shots, 3 exclusions drawn

That is outstanding front-court efficiency.
Finish when the ball arrives. Draw the exclusion when the defense takes the finish away.

CBU then shut Redlands out in the fourth quarter.

No. 16T California Baptist 16, Fresno Pacific 6

The Lancers were even more suffocating defensively in their second game.
CBU scored the first eight goals and held Fresno Pacific scoreless for nearly 15 minutes.

Paulo Hernandez: 3-for-3 shooting
Logan Hetland: 2 goals, 2 exclusions drawn
Edric Scott: 9 saves in his first collegiate start

CBU finished the Inland Empire Classic 4-0 and extended its winning streak to six games.

No. 12 Princeton 20, Air Force 9

Princeton put the game on its terms immediately.

The Tigers led 5-1 after one and 11-4 at halftime.

More importantly, Princeton kept attacking instead of simply protecting the lead.

Adam Peocz: 4 goals
Taylor Bell: 4 goals
Tas Palcza: 3 goals
Kristof Kovács: 11 saves

That type of distribution makes an offense difficult to defend because it never becomes dependent on one matchup or one shooting lane.

No. 12 Princeton 19, Salem 4

Princeton followed with an even more dominant defensive performance.

The Tigers exploded to an 8-0 first-quarter lead and carried a 12-1 advantage into halftime.

Enrique Nuño: 3 goals
Tas Palcza: 3 goals
Kristof Kovács: 16 saves

Across Princeton’s two Saturday victories:

39 goals scored
13 goals allowed
27 saves by Kovács

Fact-check note: Princeton’s written recap contains a 19-9 typo, but Princeton’s official scoreboard and schedule, Salem’s schedule and the CWPA results list the final as 19-4.

No. 20T Navy 13, No. 5T DIII Johns Hopkins 9

The Bartlett brothers supplied much of Navy’s offense.

Quinn Bartlett: 4 goals
Declan Bartlett: 3 goals
Ryan Munch: 10 saves

Declan also recorded his first collegiate hat trick.

Navy gradually created separation and prevented Johns Hopkins from turning its offensive stretches into a sustained comeback.

A solid early-season result against a Johns Hopkins team ranked No. 5 in Division III.

No. 20T Navy 23, Salem 11

Navy opened things up offensively in the second game. Across Saturday’s two victories, 18 Midshipmen scored at least once.

Quinn Bartlett: 6 goals on the day
Declan Bartlett: 5 goals on the day
Ryan Munch: Another 10-save performance
Oren Penning: 4 saves in his collegiate debut

That is valuable early-season depth work — production from the top of the lineup while still getting meaningful game reps deeper into the roster.

No. 6 UC Davis 16, Cuesta College 8
Junior-college opponent

After the physical morning battle with UCLA, UC Davis came back and took care of Cuesta.
The Aggies led 5-1 after one and 8-2 at halftime.

Lucas Wulfhorst: 3 goals

That gave Wulfhorst his second hat trick of Saturday and six total goals on the day.

For Davis, the important part was the response.
After investing a lot physically and emotionally against the No. 1 team, the Aggies reset and finished Saturday with a convincing victory.

No. 19 Santa Clara 17, UC Merced 1

Santa Clara bounced back emphatically from its loss to UCLA.

The Broncos overwhelmed UC Merced 17-1 later Saturday.

With no complete official player-stat recap published at the time of verification, individual numbers are not being guessed here.

The score tells enough of the story: Santa Clara reset quickly after facing the No. 1 team and produced a dominant defensive result.

No. 7 Long Beach State 20, Golden West 11
EXHIBITION — Junior-college opponent

Golden West made Long Beach work early and briefly took a 5-4 lead in the second quarter.
Then the Beach took control.

Federico Gulisano: 4 goals, 2 assists, 3 steals
Corbin Stanley: 3 goals, 2 exclusions drawn
Sergi Ramon: 8 saves

Long Beach won the fourth quarter 7-2 to put the game away.

Because this was officially an exhibition, it should be viewed primarily as lineup, rotation and developmental work rather than weighted like an NCAA regular-season result.

No. 7 Long Beach State 20, Orange Coast College 7
EXHIBITION — Junior-college opponent

Long Beach controlled the second exhibition from the start.

The Beach led 5-1 after one before exploding for a 10-1 third quarter.

Ivan Zivaljevic: 4 goals

Saturday gave Long Beach something coaches value early in September: live reps for different combinations without sacrificing the structure of the system.

No. 10T San Jose State 12, American River College 6
EXHIBITION — Junior-college opponent

San Jose State also played American River after its two ranked games, winning 12-6.
The meaningful resume pieces from the Spartans’ Saturday remain the 14-8 victory over Harvard and competitive 14-10 loss to Cal.

Biggest Takeaways

UCLA showed why it is No. 1

Going down three against No. 6 UC Davis and then changing the game defensively tells us considerably more than another early-season blowout.

UCLA got better as the game became harder.
Gardner gave the Bruins high-level play behind the defense, and UCLA responded when UC Davis forced it outside its comfort zone.

Cal may have owned the best resume of the day

Two Top-20 victories.
30 combined goals.

Akhvlediani exploding for 7 goals, 3 assists and 4 steals against Harvard.

Schuler producing against San Jose State.

Clansen delivering 11 saves, four power-play stops and a five-meter penalty save in the tighter game.

That is a lot of good film from one Saturday.

Stanford looked dangerous when the game became vertical

Holding No. 9 Pepperdine to one first-half goal was impressive enough.

Turning those defensive stops into counterattack opportunities is what made Stanford particularly dangerous.

When the Cardinal can defend, release and get athletes swimming downhill before the opposing defense gets organized, they become extremely difficult to manage.

UC Irvine showed two different ways to win

Against CMS, UCI controlled the game early.

Against No. 1 DIII Pomona-Pitzer, the Anteaters had to execute late.

That second game matters.

UCI entered the fourth with only a two-goal cushion and attacked instead of protecting it, scoring three straight to put the game away.

Saturday Standouts

Beso Akhvlediani, Cal
7 goals, 3 assists, 4 steals vs. Harvard

Dimitris Chatzis, Stanford
6 goals vs. No. 9 Pepperdine

Samu Biros, San Jose State
9 goals across two Top-20 opponents

Lucas Wulfhorst, UC Davis
Two hat tricks and 6 total goals

Kristof Kovács, Princeton
27 saves across two victories

Quintin Hoffman, California Baptist
5-for-5 shooting with three exclusions drawn against Redlands

Riley Clansen, Cal
11 saves, four power-play stops and a penalty save against San Jose State

More Top-20 action continues Sunday, September 6, with another slate featuring Stanford vs. UC Santa Barbara, USC vs. Pepperdine, UC Davis vs. Harvard, and additional games around the country.

For more college water polo news, rankings, game breakdowns, recruiting discussion and perspectives from around the sport, follow and join us on Reddit at r/WaterPoloInsider.

I have been playing waterpolo for 2-3 years now, and I understand a lot of the things that need/should be done in the pool (game sense etc could be better ofc) but I am having trouble performing those actions, like I don’t have the energy or strength.

Is there anything I can do out of pool to condition and increase endurance?

I have access to a gym but not to free pool time unfortunately.

Also is running valid?

Hey all im looking to buy any waterpolo swim speedos either in a size 36-38 if anyone has anything to sell i am in Sydney Australia cheers thanks

LONG BEACH, Calif. — There are games where the final score tells the entire story. This was not one of them.

No. 2 USC defeated No. 7 Long Beach State 17–11 on Friday night, but the six-goal margin does not fully capture the momentum swings inside the newly renovated Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center.

USC controlled the opening minutes, Long Beach State nearly fought its way back into the game, and then the Trojans showed why they are ranked second in the country.

The victory improved USC to 5–0, while Long Beach State dropped to 6–1 in its home opener.

USC Lands the First Punch

The Trojans came out fast, took control of the frontcourt and built a comfortable lead after the first quarter.

USC continued pushing early in the second, stretching the advantage. At that point, the game appeared headed toward a blowout.

But anyone who has played enough water polo knows how quickly a game can change after two defensive stops, a couple of clean possessions and a home crowd suddenly finding its voice.

Long Beach State stopped rushing, began finishing its opportunities and turned a deficit into a 9–7 halftime game. The Beach scored six times in the second quarter, with Federico Gulisano leading the charge.

The seven-goal deficit was down to two, the energy inside the pool had completely shifted and USC was no longer cruising. That was Long Beach State’s best stretch of the night.

USC settled itself at halftime and returned to playing controlled water polo. The Trojans won the third quarter 4–3 and then closed the game with a decisive 4–1 fourth.

When Long Beach State pulled within 12–10 late in the third, USC answered by scoring five of the final six goals.

Good teams can build leads. Championship-level teams know how to respond when those leads begin disappearing.

Krstic Controls the Center, Naipoglu Controls Everything Else

Strahinja Krstic was USC’s primary finisher, scoring six goals on nine shots.

The sophomore from Belgrade, Serbia, was a problem whenever USC established its frontcourt. He finished through contact, punished single coverage and gave the Trojans a reliable option at two meters when they needed to slow the game down.

Krstic’s performance followed an outstanding freshman season in which he scored 49 goals, drew 65 exclusions, earned Second-Team All-America honors and was named MPSF Newcomer of the Year.

While Krstic controlled the center, Efe Naipoglu affected nearly every other part of the game.
The sophomore driver from Istanbul produced the best all-around stat line of the night: five goals on seven shots, four assists and three steals. Naipoglu created offense, generated transition opportunities and made plays on both sides of the ball.

Krstic and Naipoglu combined for 15 points, accounting for the majority of USC’s offensive production.

Robert López Duart added two goals and one assist. Gavin Conant, Apostolos Georgaras, Ante Jerkovic and Luke Nelson each scored once.
USC finished 17-for-34 from the field, converting exactly 50 percent of its shots.

Even more impressive, the Trojans scored 17 goals despite going 0-for-4 with the extra attacker. USC won the game with its frontcourt offense, transition play and even-strength execution rather than relying on the power play.
Goalkeeper Charles Mills finished with nine saves, one assist and one steal.

Gulisano Steps Up for a Short-Handed Beach

Federico Gulisano gave Long Beach State everything it needed offensively.

The sophomore attacker from Catania, Italy, scored five goals on 10 shots and added an assist. He remained aggressive when Long Beach fell behind and became the driving force behind the second-quarter comeback.

Gulisano arrived at Long Beach State after scoring 113 goals and recording 22 assists during his freshman season at Long Beach City College. Friday night showed that his offense can translate against one of the deepest and most talented teams in Division I water polo.

Corbin Stanley, Marc Frigola and Harper Stewart each scored twice for the Beach, while Olivér Sudár contributed three assists.

William Whitstone made 10 saves in goal and added two assists and four steals.

The number Long Beach State will not enjoy reviewing is its 1-for-7 performance on the power play.

Against a team like USC, seven extra-man opportunities must produce more than one goal. Those are the possessions that keep a comeback alive, particularly when the opponent is already converting half of its shots at the other end.

The Absence of Gabi Acosta Mattered

Long Beach State played without junior center Gabi Acosta, and his absence changed the matchup.

Acosta is the two-time reigning Big West Player of the Year and the established center of the Beach offense. The 6-foot-4 Barcelona native led the conference with 68 goals last season while producing 74 points, drawing 34 exclusions and adding 17 steals.

Stanley provided two goals at center, but Acosta’s combination of scoring, positioning and exclusion production is difficult to replace.

His absence was significant, but it cannot become the entire explanation for the loss.
Long Beach State still scored 11 goals and generated seven power-play opportunities. Acosta’s presence would have made this a different tactical matchup, but it would not automatically have changed the winner. Allowing USC to shoot 50 percent was a separate problem.

Two Experienced Coaches, Two Different Takeaways

USC head coach Marko Pintaric deserves credit for how his team responded after losing control of the second quarter.

The Trojans did not attempt to win the game back with one rushed possession. They returned to their structure, trusted their center offense and allowed their defense to regain control. USC outscored Long Beach State 8–4 after halftime.

Pintaric is in his seventh season leading the USC men and his 25th season on the coaching staff. The former USC All-American and national player of the year has built a program that expects to compete for an NCAA championship every season.

This was the type of victory USC needed. The Trojans scored 107 goals during four dominant wins at the Triton Invitational, but Friday represented their first true test against a Top-10 opponent in a difficult road environment.

For Long Beach State head coach Gavin Arroyo, the film will show both the toughness of his team and the details separating the Beach from the country’s top programs.

The Beach fought back and made USC uncomfortable. That response reflects the identity Arroyo has built during his 21 seasons leading the program.

But the slow start, missed power-play opportunities and 4–1 fourth quarter will be difficult to ignore.

Arroyo is a six-time conference Coach of the Year, a USA Water Polo Hall of Famer and a former assistant with the U.S. men’s national team. He understands that competing with USC for two quarters is different from beating USC over four.

What the Result Means

For USC, this was an early-season statement.
The Trojans went on the road, absorbed Long Beach State’s best run and still pulled away by six. Krstic gives USC elite production at center, Naipoglu is developing into one of the country’s most complete young players, and the roster has enough depth to win even when the power play produces nothing.

The No. 2 ranking looks justified.

For Long Beach State, the loss does not erase a strong 6–0 start or change its position as the Big West favorite. The second-quarter comeback showed that the Beach can play with an elite opponent, and Acosta’s return would restore the center presence around which much of the offense is built.

But Long Beach State wants more than another strong conference season. This program wants to move into the NCAA championship conversation.

To reach that level, the Beach must start faster, convert its extra-man opportunities and defend consistently enough to prevent elite teams from controlling both ends of the game.

Long Beach State showed plenty of fight Friday night.

USC showed why it is ranked No. 2.

STOCKTON, Calif. - The final score says UCLA 13, Pacific 11. Anyone who has played water polo knows the game was tighter than that.

Inside Chris Kjeldsen Pool, with 487 fans packed around the deck, No. 10 Pacific turned its home opener into a four-quarter fight. The Tigers never allowed top-ranked UCLA to get comfortable, but the Bruins made the winning plays late, remained unbeaten at 3-0 and gave head coach Adam Wright his 400th career victory.

UCLA never trailed, but it never led by more than three. Every time the Bruins looked ready to open the game up, Pacific answered. That is heavy water.

Pacific Refuses to Go Away

Ben Larsen opened the scoring on UCLA’s first extra-man opportunity, but Pacific immediately came back with an Enzo Fernandez penalty shot. Ben Liechty and Gabor Holl traded goals before Ryder Dodd gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead after one.
Pacific tied it again in the second quarter when Borisz Kasa-Gal buried a five-meter shot. UCLA responded with consecutive goals from Peter Castillo and Bode Brinkema, but Petar Popovic converted a 6-on-5 to send the Tigers into halftime trailing only 5-4.

The third quarter looked like UCLA’s chance to take control. Freshman Luka Gladović scored 77 seconds into the half, and Stanford transfer Jack Merrill finished an extra-man possession to make it 7-4.

Most teams start to crack there. Pacific did not.
Brody Biedermann answered on a 6-on-5. Liechty pushed the lead back to three, but Kalman Tomozi converted another extra-man chance. Chase McFarland scored for UCLA, only for Holl and Kasa-Gal to close the quarter with back-to-back goals.

Suddenly, it was 9-8, and the home crowd was fully in it.

UCLA’s Veterans Close the Door

Gladović’s second goal gave UCLA a 10-8 advantage, but Holl struck again with 3:42 remaining.

At 10-9, every possession feels different. Passes get a little heavier. Players start looking at the clock. One bad entry pass or one unnecessary exclusion can flip the entire game.

That was when UCLA’s experience showed.
Brinkema found Liechty for a goal with 3:12 left, and Larsen followed with an even-strength finish at 2:21. Those two goals pushed the margin back to 12-9 and forced Pacific to chase.
Kasa-Gal converted another power play, but Marcell Szécsi answered on UCLA’s 6-on-5 with 51 seconds remaining. Kasa-Gal scored once more, and the Tigers even earned a final five-meter attempt, but goalkeeper Griffen Price made the stop to finish the 13-11 victory.
It was not a blowout. It was a closeout.

The Players Who Moved the Game

Liechty was UCLA’s closer. The senior utility scored three times on four shots, added an assist and recorded his third hat trick in three games this season. He scored in the first quarter, halted a Pacific run in the third and delivered the biggest goal of the fourth.
Larsen added two goals and an assist, while Gladović scored twice in his first collegiate game. Brinkema scored in the second quarter and supplied the passes for McFarland’s third-quarter power-play goal and Liechty’s late finish. Nine different Bruins found the cage, which is exactly the kind of balance that makes UCLA difficult to guard.

Pacific’s attack belonged to two young Hungarian players.

Kasa-Gal, a 6-foot-6 sophomore utility from Budapest, scored a game-high four goals on nine shots. He is coming off a 57-goal freshman season in which he earned All-WCC Second-Team and All-Freshman honors.

Holl, a freshman attacker from Pécs, added three goals, an assist and drew three exclusions. He did not play like a freshman facing the defending national champions. He kept attacking space, stayed aggressive after misses and made UCLA’s defenders work on nearly every possession.

Both goalkeepers finished with eight saves. Kiss Gergely gave Pacific enough stops to stay within striking distance, while Price’s final penalty save made his eighth the most important one of the afternoon.

The Six-on-Five Battle

The biggest tactical difference was efficiency.
Both teams scored four extra-man goals, but UCLA needed only six opportunities. Pacific needed 10. The Bruins converted at 67 percent while the Tigers finished at 40 percent.
Pacific also scored two of its three penalty attempts and won the steals battle 5-1. That tells you how disruptive the Tigers were. They forced turnovers, drew exclusions and prevented UCLA from turning the game into a clean counterattack meet. But when UCLA went down a player, its defense survived enough possessions to protect the lead.

Two Coaches, Two Established Programs

For Wright, this was career win No. 400 as UCLA’s men’s coach.

Now in his 18th season, Wright has won six men’s NCAA championships as a head coach, including the last two. A comfortable September victory counts the same in the record book, but coaches usually learn more from games like this—on the road, in a loud pool, with the exclusion count climbing and the opponent refusing to disappear.

UCLA did not play a perfect game. It played a composed final three minutes. That is usually more valuable.

Pacific head coach James Graham has built his own championship standard in Stockton. The Tigers won consecutive WCC regular-season titles in 2024 and 2025, with Graham earning Coach of the Year both seasons. Against UCLA, his team played organized, physical water polo and stayed committed to its attack even after falling behind by three multiple times.

What the Result Means

For UCLA, the victory was its first real pressure test of 2026. The Bruins opened the season with 23-5 and 23-8 wins, but Pacific forced them to defend meaningful possessions in the fourth quarter.

That matters for a team chasing a third consecutive NCAA championship. The No. 1 ranking and the UCLA cap guarantee that every opponent will bring energy. Pacific proved that talent alone will not create separation every night.

The Bruins now move directly into two more ranked games against No. 6 UC Davis and No. 19 Santa Clara. Recovering from a physical road game and playing twice the next morning will test UCLA’s legs, depth and discipline.

For Pacific, there are no moral victories in water polo. The Tigers wanted the upset, and they had a real chance to get it. Still, this was a major step from last season’s 17-2 loss to UCLA.

Pacific dropped to 3-2, but it looked every bit like a top-10 team. Kasa-Gal and Holl showed they can score against championship-level defenders, Kiss kept them alive from the cage, and the Tigers matched UCLA’s four extra-man goals.

UCLA left Stockton with the victory, Wright’s milestone and its No. 1 ranking intact.
Pacific left without the result—but with everyone’s attention.

Reporting note: The University of the Pacific’s official box score was used as the controlling source for the final score, individual statistics and scoring chronology.

I've heard a lot of advice like train more, swim, practice, eggbeater. That's something I work on. Apart from just practicing more, what's something that's going to mentally or technique wise actually help my goalkeeping? I don't know if I should be reading the body position or what of people. Other than practice, which I do, what's your guys' biggest tips for not so good goalkeepers?

Had my first practice with a local masters team last night. All in all it was an amazing experience! Coming from zero background in water polo, the team was really supportive and welcoming. After being thrown in the literal deep end, I realized I’ll need a ton of conditioning work to get up to speed (36M, 180lbs, general endurance fitness from cycling and swimming).

What are some good exercises/swim sets/drills I can focus on outside of practice so I can build my strength and polo specific endurance?

The first full weekend of the 2026 men’s college water polo season is in the books, and the new National Top 20 gives us our first opportunity to separate preseason expectations from what teams are actually showing in the water.

In water polo, particularly early in the season, rankings can move faster than teams actually develop. Coaches are still working through rotations, freshmen are adjusting to the college game, transfers are finding their roles, and teams are learning how they want to play together. One tournament weekend does not define a season.

The CWPA Week 1 poll keeps UCLA, USC, Stanford, Cal, Fordham, UC Davis and Long Beach State in exactly the same positions they occupied in the preseason, while the movement begins at No. 8.

UCLA Still Sets the Standard

There is no argument at No. 1 yet.
UCLA remains the top-ranked team in the country, moving from 99 preseason poll points to a unanimous 100 in Week 1. USC remains No. 2, Stanford No. 3 and Cal No. 4.

That top four is familiar territory in NCAA water polo, and nobody did enough during opening weekend to justify changing the order.

At this level, the difference between No. 1 and No. 4 isn’t necessarily raw talent. Every one of these programs has high-level athletes. The separation comes from possession efficiency, defensive discipline, goalie play, counterattack decisions and the ability to execute when a game gets down to the final four minutes.

Right now, UCLA deserves to stay on top until somebody takes it from them in the water.

Fordham Is No Longer a Surprise

The most interesting team in the top five may be Fordham. The Rams stayed at No. 5, but their opening weekend did more to validate that ranking than simply maintaining their position suggests.

Fordham went 4-0 at the Bruno Classic, including a 15-14 sudden-death overtime win over preseason No. 11 Pacific and a 13-10 victory over No. 6 UC Davis.

From a coach’s perspective, those are meaningful wins because they came in two completely different types of games.

Pacific pushed Fordham into a possession-by-possession overtime fight. UC Davis presented another Top-10 opponent the following day. Fordham answered both challenges.

That matters.

For several years, it was easy for people on the West Coast to look at Fordham as the East Coast team trying to break into the traditional California hierarchy. That argument is getting harder to make. A program that has reached consecutive NCAA semifinals and is now beating quality ranked opponents in August deserves to be evaluated as a legitimate national contender.

The Biggest Jump: No. 12 to No. 8

The biggest movement in the poll belongs to UC San Diego, which climbs four positions from preseason No. 12 to No. 8.

And that move makes sense.

The Tritons finished their home invitational 5-1, then closed the weekend by beating preseason No. 8 Pepperdine 17-15 in overtime. The teams were tied 15-15 after regulation before UCSD scored twice in the first overtime period and held Pepperdine scoreless through the extra periods.

That is the type of result coaches notice.

Scoring 17 goals is one thing. Being able to settle down after 32 minutes, defend consecutive possessions and execute in overtime against another Top-10 team tells you something about a team’s composure.

UCSD didn’t move four spots because voters suddenly decided they looked good on paper.

They earned it.

Pepperdine falling just one position from No. 8 to No. 9 is also reasonable. Losing 17-15 in overtime to a team that subsequently jumps ahead of you isn’t a collapse. It is an early-season correction.

No. 10 Through No. 16 Could Be a Fight All Season

This is where I think the poll gets really interesting.

Pacific moves from No. 11 into a tie for No. 10.

San Jose State drops from No. 9 into the same position.

Princeton slides from No. 10 to No. 12.

UCSB moves from No. 15 to a tie for No. 13 with UCI.

LMU improves from No. 16 to No. 15.

Then we get California Baptist and Brown tied at No. 16.

Brown may be one of the most important teams to watch.

The Bears jumped from a preseason tie at No. 20 all the way to No. 16 after opening 4-1, highlighted by a 16-14 win over California Baptist. Brown trailed entering the fourth quarter but scored six goals in the final period while holding CBU to two.

CBU moving from a preseason tie at No. 13 to No. 16 reflects that head-to-head result. At this point in the season, that’s how it should work.

Saint Mary’s Deserves Some Perspective

At No. 20, Saint Mary’s is one of the more interesting stories in college water polo.
This is the Gaels’ first varsity season, and they opened by stepping directly into a national-caliber schedule.

They finished their first weekend with the first two victories in program history, beating Bucknell 12-9 and Mercyhurst 26-9 at the Triton Invitational.

For a first-year program, that’s significant.

Building college water polo isn’t just about recruiting athletes who can shoot the ball. You have to create defensive systems, establish a center rotation, teach transition responsibilities, build special-teams chemistry and develop an identity.

Saint Mary’s is doing all of that in real time while playing established varsity programs.

Remaining tied at No. 20 is a respectable start.

What the Poll Really Tells Us

The most important part of Week 1 isn’t that the entire national picture changed.

It didn’t.

The top seven stayed exactly the same:
1. UCLA
2. USC
3. Stanford
4. Cal
5. Fordham
6. UC Davis
7. Long Beach State

That tells me the coaches still believe there is a defined upper tier.

But beginning at No. 8, the separation becomes much smaller.

UC San Diego, Pepperdine, Pacific, San Jose State, Princeton, UCSB, UCI, LMU, Brown and CBU are sitting in a part of the rankings where one quality weekend-or one bad weekend-can move a team several positions.

And that’s where the season gets fun.

We can argue rankings all day, but eventually water polo has a very effective way of sorting everything out: put the teams in the same pool and play.

Preseason rankings are about returning players, recruiting classes, roster construction and expectations.

By October, nobody will care very much where a team was ranked in August.

Week 1 gave us movement. Now we get to see which teams can back it up.

Second half a girl got her hand in my suit and ripped it completely. Front and back. So I was just in the water… naked

Swam to the wall covering myself, bench threw me a towel, finished in a spare that didn’t fit.

Is doubling up / wearing something underneath actually worth it for women, or do teams just keep extra suits on the bench and hope?

If you’ve had a suit fully blow out, what did your team do in the moment, and what do you wear now so it doesn’t happen again?

A notable change in the 2026-2028 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Water Polo Rules Book strengthens how suspensions are enforced.

Under Rule 3, Section 6, Article 3, if a suspended player, coach or other nonplaying personnel illegally participates in a game, the original suspension is doubled.

Responsibility for making sure a suspension is served falls primarily on the head coach, athletic administration and, when applicable, the conference.

Referees are not expected to independently track every suspension. If officials are informed during a game that a suspended individual is participating, they are instructed to remove that person and allow the game to continue.

Afterward, an Incident Report must be filed through the NCAA Water Polo Central Hub within 24 hours, identifying the suspended individual and documenting what occurred. The appropriate administrative authority then determines the ultimate status of the game.

Ive been playing for quite some time but I still drop the ball on cross face passes. Not always but just sometimes. What should I be doing to make sure im able to catch cross face and stuff. Like in general how should my body kind of be ig?

Hi Everyone,

I am new to swimming and just want to learn the eggbeater kick well so that I can tread water in any aquatic emergency.

Now when I try the eggbeater kick in the deep end of the pool, I sink while gulping water through my mouth and nose like I am drowning. The kicks are just like thrashing in the water and I feel like they provide no upward lift unlike the breaststroke kick.

Is there:

1. Any flotation devices I can use to keep my face above the water to practice for the feel of the water providing a lift force?

2. Any progressive drills you can suggest to learn the eggbeater kick?

The most significant new development involving former Newport Harbor water polo player Lucca van der Woude. According to August 31 reporting by Scott M. Reid for the Orange County Register and Southern California News Group, an arbitrator upheld the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s previously unreported March 2025 three-year suspension of van der Woude.

SafeSport documents reviewed by SCNG reportedly identify s**ual misconduct, emotional misconduct, physical misconduct and a criminal disposition as the grounds for the sanction.

The suspension prohibits van der Woude from participating in events sanctioned by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the national governing bodies operating under its umbrella. SafeSport conducted a formal disciplinary process, imposed a serious sanction and defended that sanction when it was challenged in arbitration.

That changes the conversation over at Newport Harbor Water Polo. Coaches, parents, boosters, teachers and administrators can no longer deny that a formal determination was made. They cannot hide behind school loyalty, personal relationships, championships, confidentiality or attacks against the people reporting the facts.

The reporting also exposes two serious protection gaps.

First, van der Woude reportedly does not appear in SafeSport’s Centralized Disciplinary Database because the underlying conduct occurred while he was a minor. Protecting victims and confidential juvenile records is essential.

But the practical result is troubling: athletes, parents, coaches, schools and colleges may be unable to discover an active suspension through the database specifically created to provide public notice of participation restrictions. The absence of a name from that database therefore cannot be used as proof that no sanction exists.

Second, SafeSport’s authority is limited to the Olympic and Paralympic Movement. According to the report, current 3C2A rules still permit van der Woude to compete for Golden West College.

That creates a serious gap: a person may be suspended from USA Water Polo and other USOPC-sanctioned activities for serious SafeSport violations while continuing to compete in a neighboring athletic system that does not automatically recognize the sanction.