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UC San Diego

2024 Triton Men's Water Polo Roster

David Bernal/UC San Diego

1A Nikita Valajev

  • Position Goalkeeper
  • Height 6-4
  • Weight 190
  • Class Junior
  • Hometown Mill Valley, Calif.
  • High School Tamalpais
  • Major Mechanical Engineering
  • College Muir

Biography

ACADEMIC AWARDS
• Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll (2025)
• Three-time ACWPC All-Academic (2024, 2023, 2022)

UC SAN DIEGO DEBUT
• Sept. 3, 2022 vs. La Verne: 6 saves, 16 minutes

AS A REDSHIRT JUNIOR IN 2024
Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll ... ACWPC All-Academic.

AS A REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE IN 2023
ACWPC All-Academic ... Played in 11 games totaling 144 minutes ... Earned his first career victory against Concordia (Sept. 29) ... Made a career-high seven saves against Westcliff (Sept. 14) ... Also had an assist vs. the Warriors, his first career point ... Grabbed a career-best three steals against Pepperdine (Sept. 22) ... Ranked ninth in the Big West with 37 total saves.

AS A REDSHIRT FRESHMAN IN 2022
ACWPC All-Academic ... Played 16 minutes against La Verne (Sept. 3) and made four saves.

AS A FRESHMAN IN 2021
Redshirt.

CLUB
Competed with San Francisco Water Polo Club from 2018-2021.

HIGH SCHOOL
A 2021 graduate of Tamalpais High School ... Earned All-Marin County Athletic League Second Team (2019) ... Recorded 205 saves, 36 steals, 11 assists, and one goal in 2019 ... Helped the Red-Tailed Hawks to a 2018 North Coast Section Division I Championship ... Was also a member of the varsity swim team in 2017-18.

PERSONAL
Born: Aug. 19 in San Francisco
Siblings: Has a younger brother
Major: Mechanical Engineering
College: Muir
Future plans: Use his degree to further technology with a focus on sustainability
Most memorable water polo moment: Traveling to Croatia to train and play in ocean pools
Most memorable UC San Diego moment: 14-13 buzzer-beating win vs. LMU in 2021
Hobbies: Going to the beach, cooking, traveling, hiking
Roots for: San Francisco 49ers
Favorite movie: The Martian
Listens to: The Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Rolling Stones, Ed Sheeran
Favorite food: Burritos
Fun fact: Speaks fluent Russian
 
SINGLE-GAME HIGHS
Saves 7 vs. Westcliff 10/14/23
Goals Against 6 3 times 9/29/23 vs. Concordia
Goals 0 - -
Assists 2 2 times 11/14/24 vs. Westcliff
Points 2 2 times 11/14/24 vs. Westcliff
Shots 0 - -
Steals 3 vs. Pepperdine 9/22/23
Drawn Exclusions 0 - -
 
CAREER STATISTICS
Year GP MIN GA GAA W L SV SV% SH G A P EX DEX STL
2024 12 100:58 27 8.55 0 0 28 .509 0 0 4 4 0 0 2
2023 11 136:00 39 9.18 1 0 37 .487 0 0 1 1 0 0 8
2022 1 16:00 4 8.00 0 0 6 .600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 24 252:58 70 8.85 1 0 71 .504 0 0 5 5 0 0 10

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 1C

    2021Freshman

    Goalkeeper
    6'3" 180 lbs
    1C
  • 1

    2022Redshirt Freshman

    Goalkeeper
    6'4" 0 lbs
    1
  • 1A

    2023Sophomore

    Goalkeeper
    6'4" 0 lbs
    1A
  • 1A

    2024Junior

    Goalkeeper
    6'4" 190 lbs
    1A

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