Recording two double-digit victories just hours apart on day one, the Bruins have set the tone for the season to come.

Reigning back-to-back national champion No. 1 UCLA men’s water polo (2-0) showed no signs of slowing down after taking down a pair of opponents in dominant fashion to begin the 2026 season on Saturday at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla. The Bruins defeated No. 20 St. Mary’s (2-4) 23-5 in the morning before besting Bucknell (1-4) 23-8 in the afternoon.

One of the squad’s biggest strengths in the doubleheader was its ability to produce at an elite level up and down the roster.

“The thing that’s always good about this part of the year is looking at the different combinations,” said coach Adam Wright. “We put so many different lines out there. Guys who have never played before, guys who have transferred and the returning players. … Overall, we have some really good depth.”

The Bruins came out the gates firing against the Gaels, jumping to a quick 6-1 advantage by the end of the first quarter.

Five different players scored in the opening frame, including a pair from senior attacker Wade Sherlock. The Long Beach local would finish the match as one of two Bruins to record four scores, alongside fifth-year defender and Stanford transfer Jack Merrill.

Not seeing any action with the Cardinal last season, Merrill’s comfort with his new squad was on full display offensively.

“There’s still six guys in the pool, regardless of where you play,” Merrill said. “The guys have been really supportive and helpful with getting me and all the new guys up to speed. A couple things still need to be ironed out, but I like the direction we’re going in.”

The Bruins didn’t look back after taking their early lead. A first-half hat trick from senior utility Ben Liechty put the blue and gold up 13-3 at the break.

The third and fourth stanzas then saw some Bruin attackers get into the scoresheet for the first time in their careers. Sophomore Hayden O’Hare and freshman Flynn Guenther each found the back of the net in their Bruin debuts. O’Hare would finish the outing with a hat trick of his own en route to an 18-point victory for the Westwood squad.

The Bruins’ 23 goals against the Gaels were the most scored in a season-opening match since 2005, and served as a clear indicator that the offensive prowess is picking up exactly where it left off last season.

That wasn’t a good sign for the squad’s second opponent of the day.

UCLA opened the afternoon outing against Bucknell with another early scoring run. Wright’s roster depth may have been even clearer this time around: the squad’s 8-2 lead at the end of the first quarter was the result of eight different Bruin scorers.

The opening frame’s final goal came from freshman utility Tristan Tucker, a promising addition to the squad who scored 12 goals for Team USA at the 2024 World Aquatics U16 Water Polo Championships.

And some of the team’s more experienced members also saw elevated minutes against the Bison, including junior attacker Ryder Dodd and fifth-year utility Ben Larsen, who combined to put three goals on the board. Junior attacker Alex Heenan, who has been with the squad for three years but only played in six games last season, also recorded his first career hat trick in the match.

Liechty, though, spearheaded scoring throughout the day, logging all four of his goals against Bucknell in the first half to bring his tally to seven total goals across the two matches. The Newport Beach local recorded six hat tricks all of last season – a campaign in which he also paced the team and conference with 63 assists.

“Everyone has an important role on this team,” Liechty said. “Everyone is capable of succeeding in their own role, which would better the team in any circumstance.”

A solid defensive front by the Bruins limited the Bison to just four second-half goals – with only one coming in the fourth stanza – and a 2-for-9 conversion rate on power-play opportunities in the match.

Fifth-year Stanford transfer Griffen Price and sophomore Harper Gardner – who did not play in 2025 – split time in the cage across both outings. Against Bucknell, the former recorded eight saves while the latter tacked on five of his own.

Across the day, the Bruins outscored their opponents 46-13 – riding hat tricks from five different players – and did not concede more than three goals in any quarter. That two-way efficiency will likely be integral for the group as it continues its early-season road trip.

Wright’s squad will take on the versatile Pacific team on Friday in Stockton before another same-day doubleheader against UC Davis and Santa Clara on Saturday at the Aggie Roundup in Davis.

“We got some good experience with the two games today,” Wright said. “As we head up to Stockton, that’s going to be a tough environment. They’re a really good team, and some of our guys need that experience.”