Men’s water polo boasts largest roster since 2013, welcomes new talent
With 33 players on the current team, UCLA men’s water polo’s roster is the largest it has been since 2013. Seventeen different Bruins have registered a goal in seven games this season. (Christine Kao/Daily Bruin staff)
By Kyle Boal
Sept. 15, 2021 2:08 p.m.
The Bruins’ roster is their largest in eight years.
No. 1 UCLA men’s water polo (7-0) has averaged 16 goals per game to start the season, with 17 individual Bruins scoring so far. The blue and gold’s roster features 33 members, of which 22 are underclassmen.
Coach Adam Wright said with players returning across the country with an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic, collegiate water polo will be loaded with talent.
“What you’re going to see this year is the competition across the board is pretty incredible,” Wright said. “Because a lot of players elected to come back with a COVID year, that definitely strengthened our depth. … But the reality too is I could go right down the list of teams in our conference that are in the same situation, if not better, to some extent.”
Reigning Peter J. Cutino Award winner and graduate student attacker Nicolas Saveljic as well as graduate student attacker Chasen Travisano both benefited from extra eligibility, but neither have played yet this season. Meanwhile, players who opted out of the 2020-2021 season, such as redshirt senior utility Felix Brozyna-Vilim, were able to return for another year with UCLA.
Scoring more goals Saturday than he did during the entire 2020-2021 season, redshirt sophomore attacker Jack Larsen said this season’s Bruins are the most talented team he’s played on in his career.
“It’s unbelievable. I’ve never been on a team this deep with such raw talent,” Larsen said. “So many young guys are stepping up. It’s a great feeling to know that we can just keep going line after line and keep the energy up because we have a bunch of fresh guys behind you that are ready to go and fill that role.”
With last season’s starting goalkeeper, junior Bernardo Maurizi, still yet to play, sophomore goalkeeper Garret Griggs and redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Chase Honaker each have registered or tied career-highs in saves this season with 12 and 13, respectively.
Wright said he preaches a “next man up” mentality to his team.
“Every year, you have guys that need more time to get ready or you have guys that are out with injury,” Wright said. “It provides another opportunity for somebody to step up and get some real experience.”
In addition to welcoming key players back, UCLA added a freshman class made up of 10 players, including attacker Chase Dodd, who currently leads the team in goals with 13 and has earned MPSF/KAP7 Newcomer of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks.
Brozyna-Vilim said competing against his team’s depth in practice allows them to fatigue their opponents.
“It starts in practice, how competitive we are every day,” Brozyna-Vilim said. “It’s a really intense environment with how deep we are. It’s one of the deepest teams I have ever been on. It’s great that we’re able to wear teams down and work on ourselves in training and also have a competitive environment at every game we’re at.”
Even with such a big roster, Brozyna-Vilim said Wright goes out of his way to get to know every one of his players beyond the pool deck.
“Adam loves the sport of water polo so much, and he loves all of us individually and as a team,” Brozyna-Vilim said. “To be able to be coached by him, it really is such a special thing. He cares about us individually as people. … This team is so deep, but Adam knows everybody. It’s such a special process to be a part of.”
