USC Water Polo - (Tag)

By Michael Randazzo, Swimming World Contributor PALO ALTO, CA. Three years after Johnny Hooper led his Santa Barbara “Polo Pals” to the 2015 18U title, the “Cozy Boys” of United Water Polo—another all-star team of friends made through various U.S. national team training programs—held on for a 9-7 wi...

From Injury and Heartbreak to NCAA Champ: Meghan McAninch’s USC Comeback Honk! The final horn sounded. California’s last push had come up short. USC players were already sprinting toward each other in the water at UC San Diego. The 2026 NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championship belonged to The Women of.....

Ryann Neushul and Ryder Dodd Win 2025 Peter J. Cutino Awards for NCAA Water Polo Excellence On a warm June evening in the heart of San Francisco, The Olympic Club once again played host to the 26th Annual Peter J. Cutino Awards, honoring the outstanding female and male collegiate water polo players....

USA Beats Australia 13–12 at the Buzzer to Open Water Polo Exhibition Series Team USA opened its June men’s water polo exhibition series with a dramatic 13–12 victory over Australia, sealed by a buzzer-beating goal at Mt. San Antonio College. In front of a spirited California crowd, the match feat.....

By Michael Randazzo, Swimming World Contributor It was—in many ways—an impossible dream: a talented and determined young water polo player from the middle of the country going west to play water polo at UCLA, one of the country’s most accomplished programs. But Matt Farmer of La Grange, Illinois, wa...

By Steven Munatones, Swimming World Special Contributor Editor’s Note: Steven Munatones is the founder of the World Open Water Swimming Association and the Daily News of Open Water Swimming. Munatones' son Skyler is a junior playing for the UC San Diego men's water polo team. While UCLA (11 NCAA tit...

It's the last weekend of regular season play for women’s NCAA varsity polo—and the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Top-Ten may not change, but seeding for the eight conferences that send teams to the NCAA tournament will be decided by Sunday night. Top-ranked Stanford (17-1; 5-0 MPSF) held ...

LOS ANGELES, CA. As the proud UCLA women’s water polo program, now under the leadership of head coach Adam Wright, seeks to recover some of its former luster, it will take more than Wright’s successful record on the men’s side to reinvigorate the most successful women’s program in NCAA history. The ...

By Michael Randazzo, Swimming World Contributor PRINCETON, NJ. All season long, Barry King, head coach for George Washington’s men’s water polo team, has preached to his players the importance of “Plus One:” not just qualifying for, but winning an NCAA first round match. After advancing to the progr...

By Michael Randazzo, Swimming World Contributor USC blitzed Stanford for five goals in the first period, then had to hang on for dear life as a desperate Cardinal rally fell short, making the Trojans 14-12 victors in the 2018 Men’s Water Polo Tournament final at Avery Aquatic Center. “There are goin...

By Michael Randazzo, Swimming World Contributor The women’s water polo season is now in full tilt, as the last of the varsity programs will open play this weekend at the Mercyhurst Invitational in Erie, PA. There has been a great deal of action so far—including a big match last weekend at the Triton...

By Michael Randazzo, Swimming World Contributor The Barbara Kalbus Invitational represents a pivot point in the women’s water polo season, as the top teams compete in tournament play before embarking on their respective conference schedules. Featuring 16 ranked teams—including nine of the nation’s t...

USC Water Polo Restructures: Marko Pintaric to Lead Men, Casey Moon Women The USC water polo program has undergone a “restructuring” that for the first time separates the coaching staff. Marko Pintaric, long in charge of both programs, will take over the men’s team, while his associate coach Casey M...

“Operation Varsity Blues”—the massive federal indictment of college administrators, coaches, parents and advisors—has just claimed the biggest name in American collegiate water polo. According to a statement from USC, Jovan Vavic, the winningest water polo coach in the history of NCAA men's and wome...

By Michael Randazzo, Swimming World Contributor Water polo is often cited as the most contentious of sports—and that physical intensity was on full display in Sunday’s NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championship final in the Uytengsu Aquatics Center. #1 USC and #2 Stanford were locked in a battle so heated...

By Michael Randazzo, Swimming World Contributor In what is shaping up to be a surprisingly tight race to the top of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s women’s water polo conference, one team features a newcomer who threatens to tip the competitive balance. Paige Hauschild may be just 18, but i...

By Michael Randazzo, Swimming World Contributor Yesterday, The Olympic Club of San Francisco announced the 2017-2018 Cutino Award finalists. The female finalists are: Makenzie Fischer of Stanford; Paige Hauschild and Amanda Longan from USC. The male finalists, who were previously announced last Dece...

Editor’s Note: The 2019 NCAA Women’s Water Polo Tournament is happening this week—and Swimming World has you covered! Keep up with all the action online or look for #SwimmingWorld on Twitter and other social media platforms. STANFORD, CA. On a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, Avery Aquatic Center presente...

Swimming World continues its previews of the six conferences that will send teams to the 2018 NCAA Men’s Water Polo Tournament, to be held November 29 – December 2 at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center. Look to SW for in-depth stories and game recaps of all the action from this year’s exciting NCAA men...

Editor’s Note: The following opinion piece represents the conclusion of Swimming World’s coverage of the 2019 NCAA Women’s Water Polo Tournament. To find our complete coverage of America’s most important women’s water polo event, please click here. The 2019 NCAA Women’s Water Polo title match at Sta...