LA JOLLA, Calif. — The #12/13 UC San Diego men's water polo team hits the road for the first time this season Friday.
The Tritons are set to play a pair of games at the Inland Empire Classic, hosted by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at Axelrood Pool in Claremont.
At 11 a.m. Friday, it will be the Tritons taking on the host Stags, ranked #3/4 among NCAA Division III teams. At 4:30 p.m., UC San Diego will face off against #6/7 Cal Lutheran, also a Division IIIÂ squad.
UC San Diego comes in with an even 3-3 record after hosting the annual Triton Invitational last weekend. The team earned victories against La Verne, Occidental, and George Washington while falling to No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 USC, and No. 7 Pepperdine.
CMS and CLU have not yet kicked off their seasons.
Both of Friday's games can be followed with a live broadcast as well as FOSH Live Stats (links below).
INSIDE THE GAMES
Game 7 - Inland Empire Classic
• #12/13 UC San Diego (3-3) at
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (0-0)
• Friday, September 5, 11 am
• Axelrood Pool - Claremont, Calif.
•
Tournament website
•
Watch Live
•
FOSH Live Stats
Game 8 - IE Classic
• #12/13 UC San Diego (3-3) vs.
Cal Lutheran (0-0)
• Friday, September 5, 4:20 pm
• Axelrood Pool - Claremont, Calif.
•
Tournament website
•
Watch Live
•
FOSH Live Stats
UC SAN DIEGO ACCEPTS OFFER TO JOIN WEST COAST CONFERENCE
On Sept. 3, 2025, UC San Diego accepted a formal invitation to join the
West Coast Conference (WCC) and will begin competing in the conference starting with the 2027-28 season. In 2027-28, the WCC membership will consist of: University of California San Diego, Loyola Marymount University, University of the Pacific, Pepperdine University, University of Portland, Saint Mary's College, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University, and Seattle University. UC San Diego will become the first public institution in the West Coast Conference since the departure of the University of Nevada-Reno in 1979.
Read the complete press release here.
UC SAN DIEGO TO HOST 2026 NCAA NATIONAL COLLEGIATE MEN'S WATER POLO CHAMPIONSHIP
In October of 2024 the NCAA announced that UC San Diego will serve as host of the 2026 National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship at Canyonview Aquatic Center. The Tritons last hosted in 2014 as a Division II team. The 2026 event will be the first time they will host as a Division I squad. The NCAA received more than 1,200 bids from member schools, conferences, cities, and sports commissions across 47 states and Washington, D.C., all competing to host predetermined rounds for 87 of the NCAA's 90 championships. The respective NCAA sports committees selected the sites, with final approval from the divisional competition oversight and championships committees.
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TRITON ROSTER BREAKDOWN |
|
| Returners (21) |
Newcomers (6) |
Lost (8) |
| Landon Akerstrom, Jr., Attacker |
Kyson Becker, Fr., Attacker |
Rhys Bugelli, Utility |
| Razvan Alistar, RS-Fr., Utility |
Jackson Boettner, Fr., Attacker |
Logan Estes, Goalie |
| Liam Amburgey, RS-Fr., Attacker |
Dusan Djordjevic, Fr., Utility |
Parker George, Goalie |
| Bennett Axline, Sr., Utility |
Caleb Harrison, Fr., Utility |
Augi Macchi, Utility |
| Jaime Bhattacharyya, RS-So., Utility |
Winston Loh, Sr., Goalie |
Trevor Moore, Utility |
| Finn Bugelli, Jr., Utility |
Davidka Skov, Fr., Utility |
Collin Tournat, Attacker |
| Ante Buzov, Sr., Utility |
|
Nikita Valajev, Goalie |
| Felipe Ferreira, Grad, Attacker |
|
Matthew Wastila, Attacker |
| Brendon Fezzey, Sr., Utility |
|
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| Christian Hammonds, So., Attacker |
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| Cole Harman, RS-Fr., Attacker |
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| Alex Hegeman, RS-Fr., Goalie |
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| Eamon Hennessey, Sr., Utility |
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| Grant Kurtz, So., Attacker |
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| Mark Laurlund, Jr., Utility |
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| Reef Lippa, RS-Jr., Attacker |
|
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| Mason Presley, Jr., Attacker |
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| Luca Rago, Sr., Utility |
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| Nolan Roberts, Jr., Attacker |
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| Lucas Romaguera, Sr., Attacker |
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| Lachlan Rossi, So., Utility |
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2025 BIG WEST STANDINGSÂ (through 9/4)
| Team |
Big West |
% |
Overall |
% |
| UC Irvine |
0-0 |
- |
4-0 |
1.000 |
| Long Beach State |
0-0 |
- |
5-1 |
.833 |
| UC Davis |
0-0 |
- |
3-1 |
.750 |
| UC San Diego |
0-0 |
- |
3-3 |
.500 |
| UC Santa Barbara |
0-0 |
- |
3-3 |
.500 |
| Cal State Fullerton |
0-0 |
- |
0-4 |
.000 |
Â
BIG WEST MEN'S WATER POLO
In 2023, the Big West sponsored men's water polo again following a 32-year hiatus. The conference previously offered the sport from 1984-91. Joining the Tritons in the conference 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's National Collegiate Championship. UC San Diego hosted the first Big West Championship in 2023, which was won by UC Irvine. Original members of the Big West included Fresno State, Long Beach State, Pacific, Pepperdine, UC Irvine, and UC Santa Barbara. Two Big West programs boast national championships while competing in the conference, with UC Santa Barbara claiming the Division I men's water polo title in 1979 while UC Irvine took home the top prize in 1982 and 1989.
| 2025 ACWPC NATIONAL POLL (9/3) |
2025 CWPA NATIONAL POLL (9/3) |
2025 BIG WEST COACHES' PRESEASON POLL |
| 1. UCLA |
1. UCLA |
1. Long Beach State, 29 (5) |
| 2. USC |
2. USC |
2. UC San Diego, 20 (1) |
| 3. California |
3. California |
3. UCÂ Irvine, 18 |
| 4. Fordham |
t-4. Fordham |
4. UC Davis, 13 |
| 5. Stanford |
t-4. Stanford |
5.UC Santa Barbara, 9 |
| 6. San Jose State |
6. San Jose State |
6. Cal State Fullerton, 6 |
| 7. Long Beach State |
t-7. Long Beach State |
|
| 8. UC Irvine |
t-7. UC Irvine |
2025 BIG WEST COACHES' PRESEASON TEAM |
| 9. Pacific |
9. Princeton |
Gabi Acosta, Long Beach State |
| 10. UC Davis |
t-10. Pacific |
Landon Akerstrom, UC San Diego |
| 11. Pepperdine |
t-10. UC Davis |
Felipe Ferreira, UC San Diego |
| 12. UC San Diego |
12. Pepperdine |
Caleb Francisco, Long Beach State |
| 13. Princeton |
13. UC San Diego |
Thomas Kiesling, UC Davis |
| 14. California Baptist |
14. California Baptist |
Luka Krstic, UC Irvine |
| 15. Loyola Marymount |
15. Loyola Marymount |
Jack Stevens, UC Irvine |
| 16. Harvard |
t-16. Brown |
Brock Zamanian, UC Santa Barbara |
| 17. Brown |
t-16. Harvard |
|
| 18. George Washington |
18. UC Santa Barbara |
|
| 19. Santa Clara |
t-19. George Washington |
|
| 20. UC Santa Barbara |
t-19. Navy |
|
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| UCSD:Â 12 |
UCSD: 12,13 |
|
USTASZEWSKIÂ GETS WIN NUMBER 50
With a 20-3 win against Occidental on Aug. 30 during the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, fourth-year UC San Diego head coach Matt Ustaszewski picked up his 50th career victory. Coming into the 2025 campaign he owned 48 wins, collecting 17 in both 2024 and 2023 and 14 in 2022. His 49th win came on Aug. 29 against La Verne (22-7), the team's season opener and also part of the Triton Invitational.
DEBUT REVIEW
Nine UC San Diego players made their career debuts during the season-opening Triton Invitational in La Jolla -
Razvan Alistar (returner),
Liam Amburgey (returner),
Kyson Becker (first-year),
Jackson Boettner (first-year),
Dusan Djordjevic (first-year),
Cole Harman (returner),
Alex Hegeman (returner),
Winston Loh (first-year), and
Davidka Skov (first-year). The nine Tritons accounted for 27 points, scoring 13 goals and adding 14 assists over six games. In addition, senior walk-on goalie
Winston Loh made five saves in 17 minutes of action over three games.
2024 LOOKBACK
UC San Diego is coming off a 2024 season that saw it go 17-12 overall and 3-2 in Big West action. As the second seed at the conference championship, the Tritons came within a single win of taking the Big West title and an automatic berth in the NCAA's National Collegiate Championship.
Landon Akerstrom,
Bennett Axline, and
Lucas Romaguera garnered ACWPC All-America Honorable Mention accolades. Akerstrom and Romaguera also earned All-Big West First Team recognition.
Eamon Hennessey was selected to the conference's second team, while Axline,
Logan Estes, and
Felipe Ferreira were All-Big West Honorable Mention. All players mentioned except Estes are returners this season.
THEY CALL HIM USHA
UC San Diego is led by fourth-year head coach Matt "Usha" Ustaszewski, who took over in 2022 when Denny Harper retired after 42 years at the helm. Ustaszewski earned his first victory as 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 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.
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| Season |
Wins |
Losses |
Pct. |
Conference/Finish |
Wins |
Losses |
Pct. |
Highest NCAA Rank |
| 2024 |
17 |
12 |
.586 |
Big West/2nd of 6 |
3 |
2 |
.600 |
11 (ACWPC), 10 (CWPA) |
| 2023 |
17 |
13 |
.567 |
Big West/3rd of 6 |
3 |
2 |
.600 |
9 (ACWPC), 9 (CWPA) |
| 2022 |
14 |
13 |
.519 |
WWPA/3rd of 8 |
6 |
2 |
.750 |
10 (CWPA) |
| Totals |
48 |
38 |
.558 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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.
FOR THE YOUNGER FANS
Have some young Triton fans in your family? If they are in 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!
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.
