Saturday, September 7
La Jolla, Calif.
9:15 a.m.
UCLA
vs
UC Santa Barbara
Graduate attacker Makoto Kenney is one of three super seniors on the Bruins' roster in 2024.
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
No. 1 UCLA Opens 2024 with No. 11 UCSB at Triton Invitational
September 06, 2024 | Men's Water Polo
SOCIAL MEDIA: MWP on Twitter(X) | MWP on Facebook | MWP on Instagram
LOS ANGELES โ No. 1 UCLA (0-0, 0-0 MPSFย WEST) opens the 2024 season with No. 11 UC Santa Barbara (0-0, 0-0 Big West) on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 9:15 a.m. PT at the Triton Invitational on the campus of UC San Diego. The Bruins will close out day one with Concordia University Irvine (0-0, 0-0 WWPA) at 5:15 p.m. PT. UCLA will face Pomona-Pitzer (0-0, 0-0 SCIAC) at 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, Sept. 8. The Bruins will conclude the Triton Invitational with the hosts, No. 12 UC San Diego (0-0, 0-0 Big West) at 6:30 p.m. PT. None of the games are being live streamed and only the Bruins' game against the Tritons will have live stats. You can follow along with live scoring updates on the Bruins' official account on Twitter(X).
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Saturday, Sept. 7ย (Triton Invitational - UC San Diegoย - Canyonview Pool and Triton Pool)
9:15 AMย PT โ No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 11 UC Santa Barbaraย
5:15 PMย PT โ No. 1 UCLA vs. Concordia University Irvine
Sunday, Sept.ย 8ย (Triton Invitational - UC San Diegoย - Canyonview Pool and Triton Pool)
10:30 AMย PT โ No. 1 UCLA vs. RV Pomona-Pitzer
6:30 PMย PT โ No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 12 UC San Diegoย |ย LIVE STATS
SERIES HISTORY
UCLA is 111-17-1 all-time against UC Santa Barbara. The Bruins defeated the Gauchos twice last year (12-8 at the Triton Invitational on Sept. 2ย and 15-9 at home on Oct. 20).
UCLA is 8-0 all-time against Concordia University Irvine. The Bruins won last year's meeting against the Golden Eagles, 29-3, at the Triton Invitational on Sept. 3.
UCLA is 13-0 all-time against Pomona-Pitzer. The Bruins won the last meeting against the Sagehens, 24-7, at the Inland Empire Classic on Sept. 11, 2021.
UCLA is 61-1ย all-time against UC San Diego. The Bruins won last year's meeting against the Tritons, 14-7, at the Inland Empire Classic on Sept. 10.
UCLA PICKED TO WIN THEย MPSF
UCLA collected 60 points and five first-place votes in topping the 2024 MPSF Men's Water Polo Western Division Preseason Coaches' poll. The Bruins return seven of their top-eight scorers and a starting goalkeeper from an NCAA runner-up season, including Delfina All-MPSF selectionsย Jack Larsenย (40 goals),ย Makoto Kenneyย (27 goals), and goalkeeperย Garret Griggsย (238 saves, 8.95 GAA). Also returning are MPSF Newcomer of the Yearย Ben Liechtyย (41 goals), Frederico Jucá Carsalade (32 goals), andย Giorgio Alessandriaย (21 goals) from All-Conference Second-Team honors, as are Honorable Mention picksย Ben Larsenย (25 goals) and Marcell Szécsi (23 goals).
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
The Bruins return four of the five All-Americans from the 2023 season and another All-American from the 2022 season for the 2024 campaign. Olympian Chase Dodd (39 goals in 2022) has returned to campus for his junior season while the Bruins welcome back three super seniors that have decided to utilize their COVID years in 2024 and that trio includes All-Americansย Jack Larsenย (First Team), Garret Griggs (Second Team), and Makoto Kenney (Second Team). ย Ben Liechty, the 2024 MPSF Newcomer of the Year, is back after being named to theย Honorable Mention All-America team last year. UCLA lost the services of Rafael Real Vergara (First Team, 71 goals).
RETURNING ALL-MPSF PLAYERS
Last year, UCLA had a school-record nine players earn 2023 Delfina All-MPSF West accolades, highlighted by MPSF Player of the Year,ย Rafael Real Vergaraย (71 goals, graduated). Of those nine, seven return, highlighted by three super seniors inย graduate attackerย Jack Larsenย (40 goals, returning using COVID year), graduate attackerย Makoto Kenneyย (27 goals, returning using COVID year), and graduate goalkeeperย Garret Griggsย (25 starts, 22-3 record, 238 saves, 8.95 goals against average, returning using COVID year), who were all named First-Team All-MPSF in 2023.ย Sophomore utilityย Ben Liechtyย (MPSF Newcomer of the Year in 2023, 41 goals, leading scorer returning), and redshirt sophomore attacker Frederico Jucá Carsalade (32 goals, returning), were named to the Second-Team All-MPSFย a year ago. Redshirt sophomore utilityย Ben Larsenย (25 goals, returning), and sophomore center Marcell Szécsi (23 goals, returning) both earned honorable mention honors from the league last year. In addition to losing Real Vergara, the Bruins also lost the services of Second-Teamerย Giorgio Alessandriaย (21 goals, graduated).
SUPER SENIORS
Super senior goalkeeper Garret Griggs,ย super senior attacker Jack Larsen, and super senior attacker Makoto Kenney haveย allย decided to return to Westwood for a fifth and final season. The trio have been afforded the opportunity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PARIS OLYMPIANS JOIN THE BRUINS
Redshirt Junior attacker Chase Dodd and his younger brother, freshman Ryder Dodd, have arrived on campus after winning bronze at the Paris Olympic Games this summer with Team USA and will be ready to go for the 2024 campaign.
FRESH FACES
Arriving in Westwood this season and looking to make an immediate impact are a pair of graduate transfers in Pepperdine center defenderย Nico Tierneyย (38 goals last year, 137 career) and UC Davis center defenderย Aaron Voggenthalerย (42 goals last year, 80 career). The Bruins also welcome in eight freshmen which includes Olympian attackerย Ryder Doddย (Long Beach, Calif./JSerra Catholic HS), utilityย Bode Brinkemaย (JSerra Catholic HS), utilityย Peter Castilloย (Newport Harbor HS), attackerย Alex Heenanย (Harvard-Westlake School), goalkeeperย Joey Kentย (JSerra Catholic HS), attackerย Andrew Spencerย (Sacred Heart Prep), goalkeeperย Nick Tovaniย (San Ramon Valley HS), and center defenderย Harry Tuckerย (Perth, Australia).ย
ย
A CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM
The UCLA Bruins captured their 12th NCAA Championship in men's water polo with a 7-6 win at USCย on Mar. 21, 2021, at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The win also marked the 119th NCAA Championship for the UCLA Athletic Department. It was a balanced scoring effort by the Bruins, who received goals from six different players. Juniorย Jake Cavano, who was named to the 2020 First-Team All-NCAA Tournament,ย scored two goals, including the eventual difference maker with 6:23 left in the game. Sophomore goalkeeperย Bernardo Maurizi, who also was named First-Team All-NCAA Tournament, held the Trojans scoreless throughout the first half and racked up nine saves. UCLA never trailed in the game, though USC briefly pulled even at 4-4. Nicolas Saveljic was named the NCAA Tournament MVP.
THE WRIGHT STUFF
After guiding the Bruins to the NCAA Championship in 2020 and being named the ACWPC National Coach of the Year, Adam Wright returns for his 16th season as UCLA's head men's water polo coach in 2024 with an overall record of 344-66 (.839) and an MPSF mark of 67-24 (.736). His teams earned perfect APR (Academic Progress Rate) scores of 1,000 in 2014, 2015 and 2016 while winning the school's 112th, 113th and 114th NCAA Championships in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Wright added the fourth NCAA Championship to his resume as a head coach in 2020 (Mar. 21, 2021) and a fourth perfect APR score in 2021. On July 20, 2017, then-UCLA Director of Athletics, Dan Guerrero, announced that Wrightย will guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams. Wright was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame on June 20, 2019, and to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020. On March 22, 2022, UCLA Director of Athletics, Martin Jarmond, announced that Wright had signed a new six-year contract, starting in July of 2022, as the Head Coach for both of the Bruins' Men's and Women's Water Polo programs.ย
ย
RECAPPING 2023
Overall Record: 26-3 |ย Final Ranking: 2nd | NCAA Finish: 2nd |ย MPSFย Tournament Finish: 4th
The UCLA Bruins made their 38th appearance in the NCAA Championship in 2023, finishing with a nation's best 26-3ย (.897) record. The Bruinsย fell one win short of the NCAA Championship, falling to California, 13-11, in the finals. UCLAย opened the season with 24 consecutive victories, tying for the third-best mark in school history (1968-70). Wright guided theย Bruins to an unbeaten 23-0 regular season, the first undefeated regular season in the MPSF since UCLA's 2015 team. Eight of UCLA's wins were against MPSFย West teams, including seven against top fiveย competition, and 16 of the 23 overall wins came against top 10 opponents. The Bruins scored in double-digits in all 23 contests, and held opponents to single-digits 16 times. UCLA placed an MPSF-high nine players on the All-MPSF teams in 2023, including four on the first team. Wright was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the third time in his career (2011, 2017, 2023).
POLLING THE BRUINS
UCLA opens the 2024 campaign atย No.ย 1ย in this preseason CWPAย National Men's Varsity Top 20 Poll (98 points), released on Aug. 21.
ย
ย
LOS ANGELES โ No. 1 UCLA (0-0, 0-0 MPSFย WEST) opens the 2024 season with No. 11 UC Santa Barbara (0-0, 0-0 Big West) on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 9:15 a.m. PT at the Triton Invitational on the campus of UC San Diego. The Bruins will close out day one with Concordia University Irvine (0-0, 0-0 WWPA) at 5:15 p.m. PT. UCLA will face Pomona-Pitzer (0-0, 0-0 SCIAC) at 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, Sept. 8. The Bruins will conclude the Triton Invitational with the hosts, No. 12 UC San Diego (0-0, 0-0 Big West) at 6:30 p.m. PT. None of the games are being live streamed and only the Bruins' game against the Tritons will have live stats. You can follow along with live scoring updates on the Bruins' official account on Twitter(X).
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Saturday, Sept. 7ย (Triton Invitational - UC San Diegoย - Canyonview Pool and Triton Pool)
9:15 AMย PT โ No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 11 UC Santa Barbaraย
5:15 PMย PT โ No. 1 UCLA vs. Concordia University Irvine
Sunday, Sept.ย 8ย (Triton Invitational - UC San Diegoย - Canyonview Pool and Triton Pool)
10:30 AMย PT โ No. 1 UCLA vs. RV Pomona-Pitzer
6:30 PMย PT โ No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 12 UC San Diegoย |ย LIVE STATS
SERIES HISTORY
UCLA is 111-17-1 all-time against UC Santa Barbara. The Bruins defeated the Gauchos twice last year (12-8 at the Triton Invitational on Sept. 2ย and 15-9 at home on Oct. 20).
UCLA is 8-0 all-time against Concordia University Irvine. The Bruins won last year's meeting against the Golden Eagles, 29-3, at the Triton Invitational on Sept. 3.
UCLA is 13-0 all-time against Pomona-Pitzer. The Bruins won the last meeting against the Sagehens, 24-7, at the Inland Empire Classic on Sept. 11, 2021.
UCLA is 61-1ย all-time against UC San Diego. The Bruins won last year's meeting against the Tritons, 14-7, at the Inland Empire Classic on Sept. 10.
UCLA PICKED TO WIN THEย MPSF
UCLA collected 60 points and five first-place votes in topping the 2024 MPSF Men's Water Polo Western Division Preseason Coaches' poll. The Bruins return seven of their top-eight scorers and a starting goalkeeper from an NCAA runner-up season, including Delfina All-MPSF selectionsย Jack Larsenย (40 goals),ย Makoto Kenneyย (27 goals), and goalkeeperย Garret Griggsย (238 saves, 8.95 GAA). Also returning are MPSF Newcomer of the Yearย Ben Liechtyย (41 goals), Frederico Jucá Carsalade (32 goals), andย Giorgio Alessandriaย (21 goals) from All-Conference Second-Team honors, as are Honorable Mention picksย Ben Larsenย (25 goals) and Marcell Szécsi (23 goals).
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
The Bruins return four of the five All-Americans from the 2023 season and another All-American from the 2022 season for the 2024 campaign. Olympian Chase Dodd (39 goals in 2022) has returned to campus for his junior season while the Bruins welcome back three super seniors that have decided to utilize their COVID years in 2024 and that trio includes All-Americansย Jack Larsenย (First Team), Garret Griggs (Second Team), and Makoto Kenney (Second Team). ย Ben Liechty, the 2024 MPSF Newcomer of the Year, is back after being named to theย Honorable Mention All-America team last year. UCLA lost the services of Rafael Real Vergara (First Team, 71 goals).
RETURNING ALL-MPSF PLAYERS
Last year, UCLA had a school-record nine players earn 2023 Delfina All-MPSF West accolades, highlighted by MPSF Player of the Year,ย Rafael Real Vergaraย (71 goals, graduated). Of those nine, seven return, highlighted by three super seniors inย graduate attackerย Jack Larsenย (40 goals, returning using COVID year), graduate attackerย Makoto Kenneyย (27 goals, returning using COVID year), and graduate goalkeeperย Garret Griggsย (25 starts, 22-3 record, 238 saves, 8.95 goals against average, returning using COVID year), who were all named First-Team All-MPSF in 2023.ย Sophomore utilityย Ben Liechtyย (MPSF Newcomer of the Year in 2023, 41 goals, leading scorer returning), and redshirt sophomore attacker Frederico Jucá Carsalade (32 goals, returning), were named to the Second-Team All-MPSFย a year ago. Redshirt sophomore utilityย Ben Larsenย (25 goals, returning), and sophomore center Marcell Szécsi (23 goals, returning) both earned honorable mention honors from the league last year. In addition to losing Real Vergara, the Bruins also lost the services of Second-Teamerย Giorgio Alessandriaย (21 goals, graduated).
SUPER SENIORS
Super senior goalkeeper Garret Griggs,ย super senior attacker Jack Larsen, and super senior attacker Makoto Kenney haveย allย decided to return to Westwood for a fifth and final season. The trio have been afforded the opportunity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PARIS OLYMPIANS JOIN THE BRUINS
Redshirt Junior attacker Chase Dodd and his younger brother, freshman Ryder Dodd, have arrived on campus after winning bronze at the Paris Olympic Games this summer with Team USA and will be ready to go for the 2024 campaign.
FRESH FACES
Arriving in Westwood this season and looking to make an immediate impact are a pair of graduate transfers in Pepperdine center defenderย Nico Tierneyย (38 goals last year, 137 career) and UC Davis center defenderย Aaron Voggenthalerย (42 goals last year, 80 career). The Bruins also welcome in eight freshmen which includes Olympian attackerย Ryder Doddย (Long Beach, Calif./JSerra Catholic HS), utilityย Bode Brinkemaย (JSerra Catholic HS), utilityย Peter Castilloย (Newport Harbor HS), attackerย Alex Heenanย (Harvard-Westlake School), goalkeeperย Joey Kentย (JSerra Catholic HS), attackerย Andrew Spencerย (Sacred Heart Prep), goalkeeperย Nick Tovaniย (San Ramon Valley HS), and center defenderย Harry Tuckerย (Perth, Australia).ย
ย
A CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM
The UCLA Bruins captured their 12th NCAA Championship in men's water polo with a 7-6 win at USCย on Mar. 21, 2021, at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The win also marked the 119th NCAA Championship for the UCLA Athletic Department. It was a balanced scoring effort by the Bruins, who received goals from six different players. Juniorย Jake Cavano, who was named to the 2020 First-Team All-NCAA Tournament,ย scored two goals, including the eventual difference maker with 6:23 left in the game. Sophomore goalkeeperย Bernardo Maurizi, who also was named First-Team All-NCAA Tournament, held the Trojans scoreless throughout the first half and racked up nine saves. UCLA never trailed in the game, though USC briefly pulled even at 4-4. Nicolas Saveljic was named the NCAA Tournament MVP.
THE WRIGHT STUFF
After guiding the Bruins to the NCAA Championship in 2020 and being named the ACWPC National Coach of the Year, Adam Wright returns for his 16th season as UCLA's head men's water polo coach in 2024 with an overall record of 344-66 (.839) and an MPSF mark of 67-24 (.736). His teams earned perfect APR (Academic Progress Rate) scores of 1,000 in 2014, 2015 and 2016 while winning the school's 112th, 113th and 114th NCAA Championships in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Wright added the fourth NCAA Championship to his resume as a head coach in 2020 (Mar. 21, 2021) and a fourth perfect APR score in 2021. On July 20, 2017, then-UCLA Director of Athletics, Dan Guerrero, announced that Wrightย will guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams. Wright was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame on June 20, 2019, and to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020. On March 22, 2022, UCLA Director of Athletics, Martin Jarmond, announced that Wright had signed a new six-year contract, starting in July of 2022, as the Head Coach for both of the Bruins' Men's and Women's Water Polo programs.ย
ย
RECAPPING 2023
Overall Record: 26-3 |ย Final Ranking: 2nd | NCAA Finish: 2nd |ย MPSFย Tournament Finish: 4th
The UCLA Bruins made their 38th appearance in the NCAA Championship in 2023, finishing with a nation's best 26-3ย (.897) record. The Bruinsย fell one win short of the NCAA Championship, falling to California, 13-11, in the finals. UCLAย opened the season with 24 consecutive victories, tying for the third-best mark in school history (1968-70). Wright guided theย Bruins to an unbeaten 23-0 regular season, the first undefeated regular season in the MPSF since UCLA's 2015 team. Eight of UCLA's wins were against MPSFย West teams, including seven against top fiveย competition, and 16 of the 23 overall wins came against top 10 opponents. The Bruins scored in double-digits in all 23 contests, and held opponents to single-digits 16 times. UCLA placed an MPSF-high nine players on the All-MPSF teams in 2023, including four on the first team. Wright was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the third time in his career (2011, 2017, 2023).
POLLING THE BRUINS
UCLA opens the 2024 campaign atย No.ย 1ย in this preseason CWPAย National Men's Varsity Top 20 Poll (98 points), released on Aug. 21.
ย
| 2024 Men's Varsity Top 20 (Preseason) | |||
| Rank | ย Team | Final 2023 Poll | Points |
| 1 | ย UCLA | 2 | 98 |
| 2 | ย California | 1 | 97 |
| 3 | ย Stanford | 4 | 88 |
| 4 | ย USC | 3 | 87 |
| 5 | ย Princeton | 5 | 79 |
| 6 | ย UC Irvine | 6 | 71 |
| 7 | ย Pacific | 18 (T) | 66 |
| 8 | ย UC Davis | 7 (T) | 65 |
| 9 | ย San Jose State | 7 (T) | 56 |
| 10 | ย Long Beach State | 11 | 54 |
| 11 | ย UC Santa Barbara | 7 (T) | 51 |
| 12 | ย UC San Diego | 14 (T) | 47 |
| 13 | ย Pepperdine | 7 (T) | 40 |
| 14 | ย Fordham | 12 (T) | 39 |
| 15 | ย Harvard | 12 (T) | 33 |
| 16 | ย LMU | 14 (T) | 27 |
| 17 | ย California Baptist University | 16 | 18 |
| 18 | ย Navy | 17 | 15 |
| 19 | ย Santa Clara | 18 (T) | 12 |
| 20 | ย Brown | 20 | 7 |
| RV | ย Air Force | RV | 3 |
| RV | ย Wagner | NR | 1 |
| RV | ย Bucknell | NR | 1 |
| RV | ย Pomona-Pitzer | NR | 1 |
ย
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK/UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
GK
/ Men's Water Polo
GK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
GK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
CTR DEF
/ Men's Water Polo
GK
/ Men's Water Polo
CTR DEF
/ Men's Water Polo
CTR DEF
/ Men's Water PoloUCLA Men's Water Polo Ring Reveal
Wednesday, August 27
2024 UCLA Men's Water Polo NCAA Champions
Thursday, December 12
Highlights - UCLA M. Water Polo Celebrates NCAA Title
Sunday, December 08
Highlights - UCLA M. Water Polo vs. USC, NCAA Championship (Dec. 8, 2024)
Sunday, December 08