UCLA men’s water polo recruit admits to aggravated sexual battery
Spieker Aquatics Center, where the UCLA men’s water polo team plays, is pictured. (Jacqueline Jacobo/Daily Bruin)
By Gabrielle Gillette
March 4, 2025 12:07 a.m.
This post was updated March 4 at 10:48 p.m.
Editor’s note: This article contains mentions of alleged instances of aggravated sexual battery.
UCLA men’s water polo recruited a player who has admitted to committing aggravated sexual battery, according to the Southern California News Group.
The 17-year-old athlete was arrested in February 2024 and admitted in the Los Angeles County Juvenile Court in November to aggravated sexual battery on two younger students as a high school student at Harvard-Westlake School, according to an investigation by SCNG.
The player transferred to Newport Harbor High School, where he led its team to a California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section title. He also competed on the 2024 USA Water Polo men’s youth national team.
The player committed to UCLA, according to Newport Harbor High School.
Jack Grover, head of the boys’ water polo program at Harvard-Westlake and a former UCLA men’s water polo assistant coach, is under investigation by the United States Center for SafeSport – a nonprofit that aims to prevent sexual abuse in youth sports – for failing to immediately report the sexual misconduct, according to SCNG.
The Daily Bruin was unable to independently verify the allegations against the player and whether Grover was under investigation. SafeSport did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The player’s admission of aggravated sexual battery was part of a plea bargain deal with prosecutors, and he is set to appear in court Friday, SCNG reported.
The lawyer for one of the victims declined to comment on the case.
Annette Franco, a public relations officer for Newport Harbor High School, said the school followed CIF rules and that they deemed the player as eligible to compete.
Susan Oliver, a lawyer for Harvard-Westlake, said in an emailed statement that the school complied with all mandated reporter rules and “took action” to examine its water polo program. Oliver said Harvard-Westlake examined the team’s culture, policies and practices as well as initiating training consistent with the National Federation of State High School Associations and CIF.
LAPD did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the allegations, and UCLA Athletics declined to comment.
Contributing reports by Dylan Winward, News editor.
