Once is an accident.

Twice is a coincidence.

Thrice is a pattern.

But what does it mean when it happens 14 times?

That is the number of national championships UCLA men’s water polo has won, which accounts for over 10% of UCLA’s 125 NCAA titles. And almost half of these championships came under just one head coach: Adam Wright.

Let’s keep spitballing numbers.

21.

That was how many consecutive games the Bruins won – dating back to November 2024 – to open their 2025 campaign, before they suffered a one-point defeat against USC on Oct. 18.

I cannot imagine what the locker room must have felt like after that game, but I would not be surprised if the players held each other accountable or if Wright mouthed fiery words I cannot reproduce here.

Because that’s what great coaches and teams do.

But the rivalry showdown proved that the Bruins are not unstoppable, and the difference between them and the field is much slimmer than it may seem on paper.

Just take a look at each of the squad’s conference games.

UCLA clashed with California, USC and Stanford 12 times in 2025, and only two of those matches were decided by more than three points. One of those games went to sudden death, one marked the second consecutive time the Bruins fell in the MPSF championship match and another was the national championship contest, headlined by a buzzer-beater game winner.

[Related: UCLA men’s water polo sinks USC 11-10 for back-to-back national championship win]

But all of these details beg the question: How likely is the illustrious three-peat?

UCLA may have held the nation’s No. 1 ranking through its first 18 games of the 2025 season, but the Bruins know that rankings mean nothing in the pool.

History may not be on UCLA’s side either.

The Trojans have technically three-peated twice, winning six consecutive national titles from 2008 to 2013. The Golden Bears have achieved this feat on three separate occasions, including when they defeated the Bruins in 2023 to claim their 17th program title.

However, for UCLA, 2026 will be the fifth time – and second under Wright – it has had the opportunity to achieve a three-peat, failing to do so each time before.

If the Bruins are to make a third consecutive NCAA title run – what would be Wright’s seventh with the men’s program – they have to tighten their loose screws.

And some of those bolts were definitely wobbly this past year.

UCLA is not a perfect team, but it knows that. They have openly admitted to it and responded in the season’s most important game.

A few points stand out when one examines the main structural flaws: team defense and consistency.

Potentially the biggest pitfall in both losses to USC this year – and a recurring issue throughout the season – was the team’s struggle to relieve pressure on redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Nate Tauscher. And this is no knock on him. The Sunset Beach, California, local concluded the season first in saves and third in save percentage in the MPSF.

But the squad around him struggled to provide the defensive assistance Tauscher needed. Wright emphasized all season – but particularly so after the loss to the Trojans – that the entire roster had to deflect shots and help Tauscher.

But after combining for just one field block against the Trojans during their first regular-season battle, the Bruins bounced back with their best defensive game against Pacific on Nov. 7, allowing just two goals – tied for their lowest mark all season.

That defense defines UCLA men’s water polo.

And that may be why you do not often see this team blow opponents out of the water. This roster is talented, but the offense is not necessarily what is winning games especially when considering the Bruins eclipsed the 15-goal mark in just one conference match. Instead, they force opposing offenses to perform just poorly enough to eke out key victories.

But the offense also steps up when needed.

The Bruins boasted a 0.324 shot percentage and fell to the Trojans in the MPSF championship by three points despite taking six more attempts. But Wright’s team notched a .500 clip from the field in the NCAA tournament rematch, elevating its transition play and capitalizing on its staunch defense.

You can argue that they should not be this inconsistent in the first place. That’s fair. But I believe that their ability to show up when it matters the most is more important.

And the roster itself appears just as poised to three-peat.

You cannot talk about the Bruins without mentioning two-time and reigning MPSF Player of the Year Ryder Dodd. The sophomore attacker also captured the Peter J. Cutino Award and the ACWPC Player of the Year honor in just his first collegiate season, and he is still somehow improving.

Four of UCLA’s next six leading scorers – as well as its defensive anchor – are yet to graduate in 2026, giving the Bruins the continuity and upward trajectory to reclaim glory.

But arguably the Bruins’ most fascinating trait is best put in Wright’s words: They find a way to win.

Whether it be the sudden-death victory over Stanford on Nov. 1, the two-point nail-biter in the MPSF semifinals against California or the national title-clinching game-winner, the Bruins did not falter when it mattered most.

Of course, redshirt junior attacker Frederico Juca Carsalade’s late-game heroics that were responsible for two of those victories will be missed in 2026. But this young roster boasts the potential to replenish what is lost. Just look at freshman attacker Jackson Harlan’s career-high six goals against Penn State Behrend in the MPSF tournament’s first round.

You could say I am grasping at straws for things to criticize. And you could also accuse me of being foolish in how much I believe in this team. I get that.

But if this season has shown anything, it is that an unmatched level of resilience – in and out of the water – defines the Bruins. They know how to respond when their backs are against the wall, and they know how to elevate their game.

And this strength should propel them forward.

But if you ask Wright and the rest of his guys, they will probably tell you the same thing: The past is the past.

This is just another season.