Bummer of a loss…but here is the game:

UCLA men’s water polo looks to win their ninth NCAA championship in program history and their first title since 2004. Ninth year head coach Adam Krikorian welcomes back 14 letterwinners and two of their top three scorers from 2006.

A key contributor to UCLA’s offense includes junior Krsto Sbutega whose 58 career goals are the most of any current Bruin.

Sophomore Scott Davidson was on the U.S. Junior National Team at the World Junior Championships in Los Alamitios, Calif. Rounding out the squad are Seniors Matthew Jacobs and Cameron Smith, junior Russell Simpkins, sophomores Tyler Jemmett and Kevin Kuga and redshirt freshmen Clay Jorth and Kevin Schmidt.

UCLA Preview

Only a couple seniors in goalie Adam Shilling and Tommy Corcoran but their depth is INSANE

Head Coach Jovan Vavic:

“This is one of the most balanced teams we’ve ever had. Any player can win a game for us,It’s a very coachable team, and I think our core group led by Adam and Tommy are all hard-working players.”

This is interesting:This is interesting, the other day someone asked about him, it seems Trevor Clark is coming back. Clark scored the game-winning goal for the Trojans in their 2003 NCAA championship as a freshman, and after battling injuries is working his way back in the pool for his senior season.

The rest of the teams is ridiculous: 2006 transfers left-handed driver Drew Vyn and two-meter Gabor Sarusi. Centers are U.S. Senior National teamers J.W. Krumpholz, Shea Buckner and Arjan Ligtenberg. These studs are backed up at center defense and offense by Jovan Vranes, Jordan Thompson and freshman U.S. Youth National Team player Devon Borisoff.
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Oh yeah, then the rest of their Junior National Team players Matt Sagehorn, Anthony Artukovich, Nico Sardo and lefty Justin Rappel.

These guys are the favorites to win it all without a doubt.

USC Preview 

Hard to top last year…amazing.  Don’t expect too big of a drop, the Bears feature five returning All-America standouts - seniors Mark Sheredy, Michael Sharf, Jeff Tyrrell and Adam Haley, and sophomore Spencer Warden. The Bears also showcase seniors Zac Monsees and Mike Hayes, who have 60 and 44 career goals, respectively; and junior Frank Reynolds, a key contributor who notched a goal against USC in the NCAA title match.

The coaching staff is led by Kirk Everist, last year’s Division I Coach of the Year. Everist’s staff includes one of the hardest working guys in the sport, associate head coach Boyd Lachance, (sixth season), and Sean Nolan, a 2000 USA Olympian.

Cal Opens Season at the Navy Open 

Felix Mercado is Jason Gall’s replacement at Brown.  He inherits an experienced team ready to make a run: Eighty percent of the team’s scoring returns, including six players who scored 29 or more goals in 2006.  Mercado is no slouch, he was last season’s CWPA Northern Division and Division III Coach of the Year.

Mike Gartner (San Jose, CA),  and Gerrit Adams (Winnetka, IL) are the Senior co-captailns. Juniors Grant LeBeau (San Diego, CA) and Hank Weintraub (Los Angeles, CA) were big contributors last year as well.

Brown Preview 

Princeton only has three seniors: Zach Beckmann, Jason Diggs and Scott Syverson who will share the captain duties.

“I’m a firm believer that every team that I’ve had that’s had success has started with positive leadership,” Nicolao said. “Our guys know that. It’s playing together and coming together as a team. They’ve been wonderful so far this year.

Preview from local paper

The theme to the UC Davis Aggies season is the 5 seniors who provide the foundation: goalie Mike McGee, drivers Nick Arrigo and Joe Smith; and 2-meter defenders Jesse Tweed and Matt MacLachlan…

Overall the team is expereinced with juniors Adam Lindsay ,Grant Muenter , Adam Bennett and Danny Driscoll.

Head coach Steve Doten:

“I like the overall maturity of the team. The starting unit is made up mostly of fifth-year seniors and fourth-year juniors. The strength of the team is the senior class. Head to toe, it’s the best senior class we’ve had.”

UCDavis Preview 

Check out prowaterpolo.com’s video shop - lots of great games from FINA and LEN events. Great recent stuff and some older games from the last 10 years. These are available by download and the video quality is very high.

The site is also a great water polo blog with elcuervo checking in with video montages.

prowaterpolo.com video shop

Stanford returns four of their five All-American selections from a year ago.  2 meter player and second-team selection Will Hindle-Katel finished fourth on the squad last season with 32 goals and will be the anchor for the offense.. The two most famous names in college water polo, Drac (35 goals) and Janson Wigo (33 goals)  return as the primary goal scorers for the farm. Goalkeeper Sandy Hohener made 131 saves  last year and is the  backbone of the defense.

 CSTV.com: Stanford Men’s Water Polo Ranked No. 4 In Preseason Poll

Tray Goerzen has spent the past two seasons as the assistant to longtime coach Larry Huiras. Huiras is now retired, and now Goerzen is filling in and hoping he will get the full-time job when a permanent replacement is hired.   Sound like fun?

Recordnet.com: Water polo coach takes his best shot 

Senior Chris Ludwick is one of three seniors on this year’s roster and a co-captain along with Michael Byrd. Brian Kuczynski is the third senior leading this young sqaud

Junior goalie Jay Connolly is pretty good with 164 saves a year ago and establishing himself as one of the top keepers in the region.

Fourth year Head coach Erik Farrar coaches both the men’s and women’s water polo teams and has a career 60-33 record as a men’s varsity coach.

gocrimson.com: Youth Serves Water Polo Well