Courtesy: MPS Sports

UCLA earned 60 points and five first-place votes to finish atop the 2024 MPSF Men’s Water Polo Western Division Coaches Poll. The Bruins return seven of their top eight scorers and one starting goaltender from an NCAA season, including Delfina All-MPSF selections Jack Larsen (40 goals), Makoto Kenney (27 goals) and goaltender Garret Griggs (238 saves, 8.95 goals-against average). Also returning are MPSF Newcomer of the Year Ben Liechty (41 goals), All-Conference second-team selections Frederico Jucá Carsalade (32 goals) and Giorgio Alessandria (21 goals), as well as honorable mentions Ben Larsen (25 goals) and Marcell Szécsi (23 goals).

California finished second in the West with 57 points and three first-place finishes. The three-time defending NCAA champion returns 10 of its top 11 scorers, led by All-Americans Max Casabella (66 goals), Roberto Valera (56 goals) and Albert Ponferrada (38 goals).

USC scored a total of 51 points to finish third. Four All-Americans returned in 2024 – Zach Bettino, Carson Kranz, Max Miller and goalie Bernardo Herzer. The Trojans are seeking their 20th consecutive NCAA appearance.

Stanford received the final first-place finish and 46 points and returned three All-Americans – Jackson Painter, Riley Pittman and Ethan Parrish. Painter scored 58 goals, 25 assists and 17 multi-goal games in 2023 and scored seven goals in the MPSF Tournament.

Augustana earned 36 points in the poll, making it the favorite in the MPSF Eastern Division after winning back-to-back titles in its first two years in the conference. The Vikings’ roster returns 20 of 23 members, including eight of its top nine scorers. Reigning MPSF East Player of the Year, goalie Declan Hutton, and Freshman of the Year Ian Palmroos are back. All-Conference selections Mark Addison, Rhys Lomax, Colin McDowell and Oskar Bannister all return as well.

Austin College was picked to finish second in the East with 29 points and is expected to be led by All-Americans Aidan Wade and Jack Stack, both of whom were named to the Delfina All-MPSF first team in 2023, with Wade being one of the team’s leading scorers.

Washington & Jefferson scored 19 points overall and finished third in the East. Aidan Miller, who was selected to the Delfina All-MPSF East first team, returns.

Penn State Behrend was close behind with 17 points and is coming off a season in which it set a program record with seven regular-season wins. Key returnees include Jack Holl (first team all-conference, 47 goals), Eugene Kruger and goalie Ethan Friedman.

Wheaton rounds out the East poll and begins its first full season of intercollegiate competition. Connor Tompkins of Oakley, Calif., could become the Lyons’ star after a stellar high school career.

The MPSF’s 33rd water polo season begins Sept. 7. UCLA will host the MPSF Championship Tournament Nov. 22-24, which will produce both a Western and Eastern Conference champion for the third consecutive year. Stanford will host the NCAA Tournament two weeks later. Since its inaugural season in 1992, the MPSF has won all 32 NCAA championships in men’s water polo.