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Many cheered from afar when JSerra graduate Ryder Dodd competed for the U.S. national water polo team at the Paris Olympics, but on Thursday, some Lions supporters celebrated their Olympic hero up close.

JSerra welcomed Dodd to his alma mater just days after the 18-year-old helped the U.S. team win the bronze medal in Paris, the U.S.’s first Olympic medal in men’s water polo since the silver in 2008.

Dodd, a 2024 JSerra graduate, participated in the Lions’ water workouts, met with students and appeared on the school’s podcast.

And of course he posed for photos with his Olympic medal.

But most of all, Dodd felt JSerra’s love.

“I saw a lot of my friends and I really realized how much they support me and how much they really love me,” Dodd said.

Dodd, the Register’s 2023-24 Athlete of the Year, finished the Olympics with eight goals, three assists and three steals in seven games.

He said that because of his experiences, he will attend UCLA in the fall.

“Overall, my experience in Paris was pretty amazing,” said Dodd, who was named The Register’s 2023 Water Polo Player of the Year. “One lesson I can take away from this tournament is that it’s the biggest tournament for a reason, because it brings out the best in people. The intensity that all the teams showed was unparalleled and was a great learning point for me as I realized that I need to get better.”

Dodd’s brother Chase, also a member of the U.S. team that won bronze, was celebrated by his alma mater Huntington Beach and Vanguard Aquatics.