LA JOLLA, Calif. — The 11th-ranked UC San Diego men's water polo team kicks off its 2023 season this weekend as it hosts the annual Triton Invitational at Canyonview Aquatic Center in La Jolla.
The tournament is set for Saturday, Sept. 2 and Sunday, September 3.
Fourteen teams come together and combine for 28 games over the two days. Ten of those squads are ranked among the national top-20, including the top four teams in the country.
#1 California
#2 USC
#3 UCLA
#4 Stanford
#7 UC Santa Barbara
#9 Long Beach State
#10 UC Irvine
#11 UC San Diego
#17 California Baptist
#20 Navy
Biola
Cal State Fullerton
Concordia
Pomona-Pitzer (ranked #2 in Division III)
Saturday, the Tritons face off against Biola (10:30 a.m.) and Cal (2:30 p.m.). Sunday, they take on Navy (12 p.m.) and USC (5 p.m.).
For a complete schedule of games, visit the
tournament page.
Two-day passes and individual game tickets can be purchased through the
Triton Box Office.
Every UC San Diego game will be broadcast live on
ESPN+ ($), while all other tourney games will feature a live broadcast by
Overnght Media ($).
BIG NEWS IN THE BIG WEST
This season, the Big West will sponsor men's water polo again following a 22-year hiatus. Joining the Tritons are Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, and UC Santa Barbara. With six teams, the conference qualifies for an automatic berth in the NCAA Championship.
HOSTING DUTIES
UC San Diego is excited to play host to the first Big West Men's Water Polo Championship. The tournament is slated for Nov. 17-19 at Canyonview Aquatic Center. The winner will earn a spot in the NCAA Championship, Nov. 30-Dec. 3 at USC.
RHYS BUGELLI NAMED TO ALL-BIG WEST PRESEASON TEAM
UC San Diego junior standoutÂ
Rhys Bugelli was named to the 2023 All-Big West Preseason Coaches' Team earlier this week. In 2022, the attacker was tabbed All-Western Water Polo Association Second Team after finishing with 61 points, third-most on the Triton roster. His 47 goals were second on the team. Bugelli scored at least once in 22 of 23 games played and netted multiple goals in 13 contests. Defensively, he led the Tritons in steals with 22.
2023 ALL-BIG WEST PRESEASON TEAM
Logan Anderson, junior attacker, UC Davis
Alex Aznar Beltran, junior utility, UC Davis
Rhys Bugelli, junior attacker, UC San Diego
Evan Cain, sophomore attacker, Long Beach State
Bruno Chiappini, sophomore utility, Long Beach State
Dash McFarland, junior center, UC Santa Barbara
Guillermo Ocasio, senior utility, Long Beach State
Ethan Shipman, junior attacker, UC Irvine
Aaron Wilson, junior goalkeeper, UC Davis
2023 BIG WEST PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. UC Davis, 21 points (2 first-place votes)
T-2. Long Beach State, 19 (2)
T-2. UC Santa Barbara, 19 (1)
4. UC Irvine, 15 (1)
5. UC San Diego, 11
6. Cal State Fullerton, 5
2023 ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Returning (16)
•
Max Abravanel (Jr. ATK)
•
Bennett Axline (So. C)
•
Rhys Bugelli (Jr. ATK)
•
Emiliano Castro (Jr. D)
•
Logan Estes (Jr. GK)
•
Brendon Fezzey (So. D)
•
Kaden Likins (Sr. ATK)
•
Reef Lippa (RS-Fr. ATK)
•
Jack Martin (Jr. C)
•
Trevor Moore (Jr. ATK)
•
Luca Rago (So. D)
•
Franco Scalamandre (RS-Fr. ATK)
•
Collin Tournat (So. ATK)
•
Nikita Valajev (So. GK)
•
Matthew Wastila (So. ATK)
•
Miles Wilson (Jr. ATK)
Newcomers (12)
•
Landon Akerstrom (Fr. ATK)
•
Jaime Bhattacharyya (Fr. ATK)
•
Finn Bugelli (Fr. C)
•
Ante Buzov (Jr. UTL)
•
Felipe Ferreira (Jr. ATK)
•
Parker George (Jr. GK)
•
Alex Hegeman (Fr. GK)
•
Eamon Hennessey (Jr. UTL)
•
Augi Macchi (Jr. D)
•
Mason Presley (Fr. ATK)
•
Nolan Roberts (Fr. ATK)
•
Lucas Romaguera (Jr. ATK)
Lost (12)
•
Manuel Augusto (ATK)
•
Max Carrillo (UTL)
•
Braden Clark (ATK)
•
Konstantin Karlov (UTL)
•
Vedran Latkovic (ATK)
•
Connor Macmitchell (UTL)
•
Connor McManigal (UTL)
•
Brendan Nugent (ATK)
•
Alexander Nemeth (GK)
•
Will Riley (UTL)
•
Connor Stauffer (UTL)
• Jakub Tallman (UTL)
THEY CALL HIM USHA
UC San Diego is led by second-year head coach Matt "Usha" Ustaszewski, who took over in 2022 for Denny Harper, who announced his retirement in July after 42 years at the helm. Ustaszewski earned his first victory as UC San Diego's head coach on Sept. 3, 2022, as the Tritons defeated La Verne, 22-8, in the team's season opener during the Triton Invitational. In 2021, Ustaszewski completed his ninth season as associate head coach and 12th season overall on the UC San Diego men's water polo staff. Usha is no stranger to the La Jolla campus. He was a co-captain of the fifth-ranked Triton water polo team as a senior in 2003 for under the tutelage of Harper. He graduated in 2004, completing his bachelor's degree in history (Europe emphasis) with a 3.5 grade-point average. For Usha's complete bio,
click here.
2022 SNAPSHOT
In 2022, UC San Diego's final season as a member of the Western Water Polo Association, the Tritons compiled a 14-13 overall record with a 6-2 mark in conference play. As the third seed at the WWPA Championship at Loyola Marymount, UC San Diego earned a spot in the title game by topping sixth-seeded California Baptist in a quarterfinal and second-seeded LMU in a semifinal. An epic championship match-up ensued, with top-seeded and reigning WWPA champion UC Davis coming away with a narrow, 13-12 victory in overtime. Led by first year head coachÂ
Matt Ustaszewski, UC San Diego was ranked as high as 10th in the nation.
| 2023 CWPA NATIONAL POLL (8/23) |
| Rank |
Team |
Final 2022 Rank |
| 1 |
California |
1 |
| 2Â |
USC |
2 |
| 3 |
UCLA |
3 |
| 4 |
Stanford |
4 |
| 5 |
UC Davis |
6 |
| 6 |
Pacific |
5 |
| 7 |
UC Santa Barbara |
9 |
| 8 |
Princeton |
7 |
| 9 |
Long Beach State |
8 |
| 10 |
UC Irvine |
11 |
| 11 (tie) |
UC San Diego |
10 |
| 11 (tie) |
Pepperdine |
13 |
| 13 |
Loyola Marymount |
12 |
| 14 |
San Jose State |
14 |
| 15 |
Fordham |
15 (tie) |
| 16 |
Santa Clara |
18 |
| 17 |
California Baptist |
19 |
| 18 |
Harvard |
17 |
| 19 |
Air Force |
20 |
| 20 |
Navy |
not ranked |
2022 HONOR ROLL
Vedran Latkovic was selected to the All-WWPA First Team,Â
Rhys Bugelli was named to the second team,Â
Alexander Nemeth picked up honorable mention accolades, andÂ
Bennett Axline was chosen as the WWPA Freshman of the Year and named to the WWPA All-Freshman Team. Latkovic also earned All-America Honorable Mention from the ACWPC.
WHY THE TRITONS?
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became UC San Diego's mascot in 1964.
GET SOCIAL WITH MEN'S WATER POLO
Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media throughÂ
Twitter andÂ
Instagram. The team's handle is @ucsdmwp.
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out theÂ
Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!
GEAR HERE
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories,Â
click here.
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 began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West 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 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned 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 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions..
