2023 Women's Water Polo Roster
Roster
Gess, Lily
GK
/ Women's Water PoloCTR
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/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water PoloCTR
/ Women's Water PoloCTR
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water PoloGK
/ Women's Water PoloGK
/ Women's Water Polo
Jersey Number 9
Lily Gess
- Position:
- Center/Defender
- Height:
- 5-10
- Class:
- Freshman
- High School:
- Newport Harbor HS
- Hometown:
- Newport Beach, Calif.
Bio
UCLA CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• MPSF Newcomer of the Week (Jan. 31, 2023)
• 2-time ACWPC All-Academic (Outstanding - 2023, Superior - 2024)
• MPSF All-Academic Honors (2024)
• Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll (2024)
• 6-time UCLA Athletic Director's Honor Roll (Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024)
2024
Played in 25-of-26 games … recorded 28 total points … collected 17 goals (tied for eighth on the team) and 11 assists (seventh on the team) … drew six exclusions, had six steals, and had three field blocks (tied for eighth on the team) … notched a career-high three goals in a win vs. No. 10 UC San Diego on Jan. 20 at the UCSB Winter Invitational … scored at least one goal in 12-of-25 games … went 3-for-4 in sprints on the year … had a season-best four consecutive games with at least one goal scored … tallied four multi-goal games, including one hat trick.
2023
Played in 29-of-29 games … tallied 11 goals and 11 assists (ninth on the team) for a total of 22 points … also drew two exclusions, had 11 steals, and had three field blocks (tied for seventh on the team) … won her only sprint on the year … scored a season-high and career-high three goals in a 21-7 win over No. 11 UC Davis on Jan. 28 at the California Cup … named MPSF Newcomer of the Week on Jan. 31 … had three multiple-goal games, including one hat trick.
HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year letter winner in water polo as a center/defender at Newport Harbor High School … earned second-team All CIF-SS Division I in 2020 and 2022 … HS team was CIF Southern-Section Champions in 2022 … played club with Newport Beach Water Polo … was twice named an Academic All-American and was also named the Futures Superfinals Best Defender … won a Junior Olympic Championship … member of the U.S. Youth National Team.
PERSONAL
Full name: Lillian Grace Gess, prefers Lily … born in Anaheim, Calif. … parents are Megan and Brent Gess … has two younger brothers, James and John … has two older sisters, Emily and Natalie … athlete she admires most is professional soccer player Alex Morgan … enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time with friends in her spare time … lists her greatest athletic thrill as, "winning CIF my senior year as I had been playing with that team since I was 11." … chose UCLA because, "I wanted to be challenged both academically and athletically. I also really loved the team dynamic and everything they stand for." … major is history and she intends to become a lawyer.
• MPSF Newcomer of the Week (Jan. 31, 2023)
• 2-time ACWPC All-Academic (Outstanding - 2023, Superior - 2024)
• MPSF All-Academic Honors (2024)
• Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll (2024)
• 6-time UCLA Athletic Director's Honor Roll (Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024)
2024
Played in 25-of-26 games … recorded 28 total points … collected 17 goals (tied for eighth on the team) and 11 assists (seventh on the team) … drew six exclusions, had six steals, and had three field blocks (tied for eighth on the team) … notched a career-high three goals in a win vs. No. 10 UC San Diego on Jan. 20 at the UCSB Winter Invitational … scored at least one goal in 12-of-25 games … went 3-for-4 in sprints on the year … had a season-best four consecutive games with at least one goal scored … tallied four multi-goal games, including one hat trick.
2023
Played in 29-of-29 games … tallied 11 goals and 11 assists (ninth on the team) for a total of 22 points … also drew two exclusions, had 11 steals, and had three field blocks (tied for seventh on the team) … won her only sprint on the year … scored a season-high and career-high three goals in a 21-7 win over No. 11 UC Davis on Jan. 28 at the California Cup … named MPSF Newcomer of the Week on Jan. 31 … had three multiple-goal games, including one hat trick.
HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year letter winner in water polo as a center/defender at Newport Harbor High School … earned second-team All CIF-SS Division I in 2020 and 2022 … HS team was CIF Southern-Section Champions in 2022 … played club with Newport Beach Water Polo … was twice named an Academic All-American and was also named the Futures Superfinals Best Defender … won a Junior Olympic Championship … member of the U.S. Youth National Team.
PERSONAL
Full name: Lillian Grace Gess, prefers Lily … born in Anaheim, Calif. … parents are Megan and Brent Gess … has two younger brothers, James and John … has two older sisters, Emily and Natalie … athlete she admires most is professional soccer player Alex Morgan … enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time with friends in her spare time … lists her greatest athletic thrill as, "winning CIF my senior year as I had been playing with that team since I was 11." … chose UCLA because, "I wanted to be challenged both academically and athletically. I also really loved the team dynamic and everything they stand for." … major is history and she intends to become a lawyer.
| LILY GESS' CAREER STATISTICS | ||||||||
| Year | GAMES | GOALS | SHOTS | PCT | AST | STL | BLK | EE |
| 2023 | 29 | 11 | 27 | .410 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 2 |
| 2024 | 25 | 17 | 50 | .340 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| Totals | 54 | 28 | 77 | .364 | 22 | 17 | 6 | 8 |
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