Fab Five: Manuel Augusto

LA JOLLA, Calif. – Photographs have the ability to capture important pieces of our past and help us recall people, places, feelings, and memories that made an impact on our lives. For many scholar-athletes, pictures secure those special moments and assist in making their collegiate careers last forever.

In a feature called “Fab Five”, Triton scholar-athletes are tasked to pick five of their favorite photos to be highlighted on UCSDtritons.com. 

Today, Manuel Augusto from the men's water polo team shares his favorite pics.

Manny came to UC San Diego in 2020. Unfortunately, the season was canceled due to the pandemic. Well, the Portugal native came back in 2021 and lit it up. Playing in all 24 games, he finished with 56 points, the fourth-most on the team, by scoring 31 goals and adding 25 assists. He tallied at least one point in all but one game and logged multiple points in 15 contests. Against Concordia in early September, he exploded for eight points on four goals and four assists. He also collected 15 steals, the second-most of any Triton, over the season.

Manny is an international business major out of UC San Diego's Roosevelt College.

1. An Unbreakable Bond

Our team pushes each other to achieve both our goals in the pool and our goals as a team. Whenever we are down, or are running out of energy, we can always rely on our teammates to bring exactly what we need to get everything we could want in that game, and during the season. This was my first game as a UC San Diego athlete, and I could already tell that we had tons of chemistry and an unbreakable bond.

2. Cheers to the Seniors

Senior night - the last time our seniors played in their home pool and were congratulated for all the years and dedication they have put into the team, the program, and the school. This year we recognized Calder Hilde-Jones, Karlo Krmek, Aram Nordanyan, Jack Ranj, and Alex Zamanian. Thank you seniors!

3. Bigger than Water Polo

My first home opener at UC San Diego. It was such an amazing experience to play and feel all the energy and the support that the crowd gave us. It made me feel like I belonged to something even bigger than water polo. All I remember during this shot is the motivation that the crowd gave me to play harder than I thought I could.

4. Bring the Noise!

The crowd at our home opener - now that was a crazy experience. Seeing friends, alumni, and people that I had never seen before cheering for us in the stands was amazing. About 1,000 people were packed into the venue. This is something I can't wait to see again this season. Having the band playing for us and everyone putting in a lot of work to make that happen made the team feel stronger. 

5. The First Time Out

My first game representing UC San Diego. We played against Occidental during the Triton Invitational. It was such a good tournament, and such a great way to start my career at UC San Diego - with a 17-4 victory. I can't wait for the start of this season and for more victories in the blue and gold!

Check back on UCSDTritons.com all summer for future editions of “Fab Five” from other UC San Diego scholar-athletes. Previous “Fab Five” entries are below.

2022

• Sam Feinberg (Men's Rowing)
• Ava McInnes (Women's Volleyball)
• Adee Newman (Track and Field)
• Jake Kosakowski (Men's Basketball)
• Rachel Wagner (Women's Tennis)
• Matt Palma (Men's Volleyball)
• Nick Cirrito (Men's Soccer)

2020
• Sergi Mata (Men's Golf)
• Gabe Hadley (Men's Basketball)
• Jonathan Sabouri (Men's Soccer)
• Grace Murphy (Swimming & Diving)
• Collin Shannon (Men's Volleyball)
• Cindy Tran (Women's Volleyball)
• Jake Selstad (Men's Cross Country/Track & Field)
• Calder Hilde-Jones (Men's Water Polo)
• Anu Bhadada (Women's Tennis)
• Natalie Widmer (Women's Soccer)
• Konami Masui (Women's Fencing)
• Sarah Proctor (Women's Rowing)
• Neil Tengbumroong (Men's Tennis)
• Cameron Leonard (Baseball)
• Isabel Lavrov (Softball)
• Zeinab Torabi (Women's Track & Field)
 

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.