Back in camp: Men’s water polo
Three-time NCAA defending champions prepare for new challenges
When the California national water polo team held its first official practice at the Legends Aquatic Center this week, one thing remained unchanged: For the third year in a row, they entered the pool as reigning NCAA champions.
That being said, a lot has changed for the Golden Bears as they begin another title defense with the prospect of following in Olympic footsteps on both sides of the pool.
On the one hand, the Bears have to replace the backbone of their defense in Adrian Weinbergwho showed his value in his outstanding Olympic debut, leading the United States to a bronze medal and making more saves than any other goalie. On the other hand, Cal must find new ways to score without a center Nikolaos Papanikolaouwho was widely regarded as the undisputed most dominant player in college water polo over the past three years.
The Bears – who were ranked No. 2 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association preseason poll on Wednesday – still have the same foundation and championship DNA and boast an experienced roster that includes three of last season’s five ACWPC All-Americans.
“It will be different,” Cal head coach Kirk Everist said. “It’s hard to predict how different it’s going to be until you actually see fire and go into battle, but we’re starting to see what kind of team we’re going to be.”
New leadership and new opportunities will define the early parts of the season for the Bears, who will be led on offense by their Spanish trio. Max Casabella, Roberto Valera And Albert Ponferrada.
Casabella’s final performance of his junior season was a sign of what might await us in 2024, as he scored five goals in the Bears’ 13-11 victory over UCLA in the NCAA championship game, matching his team-high 66 goals this year.
Valera – who was named to the All-America first team along with Casabella – was the MPSF’s leading scorer by a wide margin, ranking second on the team in goals (56) and first in assists (56). The left-handed Ponferrada earned an honorable mention on the All-America selection, thanks in large part to his ability to pressure defenders and score in key moments from the right wing.
They are just three of a large group of returnees who hope to fill much larger roles this year.
“Jake Howerton came on really well last year and had a great season. He and Wyatt Mundelius are two experienced players who I think are leaders on the team and can really help us at both ends of the pool,” Everist said. “We’re going to need all hands on deck. We’re going to have to get dirty and work harder than we have before, attack a lot more and find ways to go on offense with more people in front of us and more challenges.”
Other players to watch out for include former San Jose State Spartan Bende PardiCenters Georgi Avakian And Jordi GasconAnd Marci Szatmarywho, like Ponferrada, is a proven left-hander and poses a threat to the defense in crucial moments. Carter Loths unique skills in key positions and Ryder Hagans Speed and athleticism are also an advantage.
Cal enters the new year with the same mindset as previous years when it comes to championship ambitions. The Bears plan to focus on one goal at a time, starting with preseason training and looking toward the first official competitions of the season.
“We are so excited. We have been training all summer to get ready for the start of the season,” said Avakian. “If you think too far ahead, you can make mistakes in the middle of the year, so it’s better to think about what’s next. Right now we are just focused on the Triton Invite. We want to come out strong and set the tone for the rest of the season.”
The Bears open the year on September 7 and 8 at the Triton Invitational at the Canyonview Aquatic Center in San Diego.
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