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LA JOLLA, Calif. — The No. 9 UC San Diego men’s water polo team is ready to battle Wednesday.

LMU, ranked 15th in the nation, comes to La Jolla and Canyonview Aquatic Center for the annual clash known as the Battle of the Kings. The King of the Sea versus the King of the Jungle.

UC San Diego is looking for a three-peat as they won the game in 2025 and 2024.

First sprint is set for 6 p.m.

INSIDE THE GAME
Game 13: Battle of the Kings
• #9 UC San Diego (9-3) vs. #15 LMU (6-4)
• Wednesday, September 23, 6 p.m.
• Canyonview Aquatic Center – La Jolla, Calif.
• Tournament Central
• Watch Live

BEHIND THE BATTLE
The Battle of the Kings between UC San Diego and LMU is typically held in La Jolla during the first week that UC San Diego students return to campus. It has taken place on a Wednesday evening every year since 2012. Going back to 2005, UC San Diego leads the series 11-8 (there were no games in 2010 and 2020). The Tritons have won the past two match-ups. UC San Diego has out-scored the Lions 207-178 over those 19 games.

• 2025: LMU 9, UC San Diego 14 – UC San Diego win

• 2024: LMU 9, UC San Diego 12 – UC San Diego win

• 2023: LMU 11, UC San Diego 10 – LMU win

• 2022: LMU 10, UC San Diego 9 (SV) – LMU win

• 2021: LMU 13, UC San Diego 14 – UC San Diego win

• 2020: No game due to COVID

• 2019: LMU 17, UC San Diego 16 – LMU win

• 2018: LMU 12, UC San Diego 22 – UC San Diego win

• 2017: LMU 5, UC San Diego 15 – UC San Diego win

• 2016: LMU 10, UC San Diego 11 – UC San Diego win

• 2015: LMU 13, UC San Diego 12 (SV) – LMU win

• 2014: LMU 2, UC San Diego 7 – UC San Diego win

• 2013: LMU 7, UC San Diego 11 – UC San Diego win

• 2012: LMU 8, UC San Diego 10 – UC San Diego win

• 2011: LMU 12, UC San Diego 10 – LMU win

• 2010: No game

• 2009: LMU 7, UC San Diego 4 – LMU win

• 2008: LMU 12, UC San Diego 11 – LMU win

• 2007: LMU 9, UC San Diego 4 – LMU win

• 2006: LMU 7, UC San Diego 8 – UC San Diego win

• 2005: LMU 5, UC San Diego 7 – UC San Diego win

2026 SEASON ON THE TABLE

 





TRITON ROSTER BREAKDOWN



Returners (16)
Newcomers (9)
Lost (10)


Landon Akerstrom, Sr., Utility
Nolan Anderson, Fr., Attacker
Bennett Axline, Utility


Razvan Alistar, Jr., Utility
Jack Elder, Fr., Goalie
Ante Buzov, Utility


Liam Amburgey, Jr., Attacker
Boston Frost, Jr., Goalie
Felipe Ferreira, Attacker


Kyson Becker, So. Attacker
Chase Marsolf, Jr., Utility
Brendon Fezzey, Utility


Jaime Bhattacharyya, Sr. Attacker
Orlando Mina, Fr., Attacker
Cole Harman, Attacker


Jackson Boettner, So., Utility
Lucas Pearce, Fr., Center
Eamon Hennessey, Utility


Finn Bugelli, Sr., Center
Michael Rodgers, Jr., Defender
Mark Laurlund, Utility


Dusan Djordjevic, So., Utility
Bryan Shapirshteyn, Fr., Utility
Winston Loh, Goalie


Christian Hammonds, Jr., Attacker
Jack Wright, Jr., Attacker
Nolan Roberts, Attacker


Caleb Harrison, So., Defender

Lucas Romaguera, Attacker


Alex Hegeman, Jr., Goalie




Grant Kurtz, Jr. Attacker




Reef Lippa, 5th Year, Attacker




Mason Presley, Sr., Utility




Lachlan Rossi, Jr., Center




Davidka Skov, So., Attacker












 

2026 BIG WEST STANDINGS (through 9/22)




Team
Big West
%
Overall
%




Long Beach State
0-0
-
9-2
.818


California Baptist
0-0
-
11-3
.786


UC San Diego
0-0
-
9-3
.750


UC Irvine
0-0
-
9-5
.643


UC Santa Barbara
0-0
-
12-8
.600


Cal State Fullerton
0-0
-
9-7
.562

 

TRITONS AMONG BIG WEST LEADERS (through 9/22)

 




2026 ACWPC NATIONAL POLL (9/10)
2026 CWPA NATIONAL POLL (9/16)
2026 BIG WEST COACHES’ PRESEASON POLL


1. UCLA
1. UCLA
1. Long Beach State, 24 (4)


2. USC
2. USC
2. UC Irvine, 19 (1)


3. Stanford
3. Stanford
t-3. UC San Diego, 16 (1)


4. California
4. California
t-3. California Baptist, 16


5. Fordham
5. Fordham
5.UC Santa Barbara, 10


6. Long Beach State
tie-6. UC Davis
6. Cal State Fullerton, 5


7. UC Davis
tie-6. Long Beach State



8. UC San Diego
8. Princeton
2026 BIG WEST COACHES’ PRESEASON TEAM


9. San Jose State
9. UC San Diego
Gabi Acosta, Long Beach State


10. Pacific
10. Pacific
Landon Akerstrom, UC San Diego


11. Pepperdine
tie-11. Pepperdine
Cole Francisco, UC Irvine


12. Princeton
tie-11. San Jose State
Alex Hegeman, UC San Diego


13. UC Irvine
13. UC Irvine
Charlie Johnson, UC Santa Barbara


14. Loyola Marymount
14. UC Santa Barbara
Andrea Nuzzo, California Baptist


15. Brown
15. Loyola Marymount
Corbin Stanley, Long Beach State


16. UC Santa Barbara
16. California Baptist



17. California Baptist
17. Santa Clara



18. Harvard
18. Brown



19. Santa Clara
19. Navy



20. Navy
20. Saint Mary’s








UCSD: 8,8
UCSD: 12,8,8,9


 

ACTIVE SCORING STREAKS (through 9/22)
• 12 games: Christian Hammonds
• 11 games: Jackson Boettner
• 11 games: Mason Presley
• 4 games: Jack Wright
• 2 games: Grant Kurtz
• 2 games: Reef Lippa
• 2 games: Lachlan Rossi
 
GAME WINNING GOALS (through 9/22)
• 2 – Jack Wright (Bucknell, Pepperdine 1)
• 1 – Liam Amburgey (La Verne)
• 1 – Finn Bugelli (Pepperdine 2)
• 1 –  Nolan Anderson (Mercyhurst)
• 1 – Christian Hammonds (Cal State Fullerton 1)
• 1 – Caleb Harrison (Chapman)
• 1 – Mason Presley (UC Irvine 1)
• 1 – Davidka Skov (McKendree)
TOP TRITON SCORERS GOAL BREAKDOWN (through 9/22)

TRITON RECORDS (through 9/22)




Overall
9-3


Big West
0-0


Non-conference
9-3


At home
5-1


On the road
1-0


At at neutral site
3-2


In overtime
1-1


Scoring 0-3 goals
0-0


Scoring 4-6 goals
0-0


Scoring 7-9 goals
0-1


Scoring 10-12 goals
2-1


Scoring 13-15 goals
0-0


Scoring 16-18 goals
2-1


Scoring 19-20 goals
2-0


Scoring 21-plus goals
3-0


On Fridays
5-0


On Saturdays
2-2


On Sundays
2-1

 

DEBUT REVIEW
Nine players made their debut for the Tritons during the season-opening Triton Invitational.
• Nolan Anderson (Bucknell, 8/28)
• Jack Elder (Mercyhurst, 8/28)
• Boston Frost (Bucknell, 8/28)
• Caleb Harrison (Buckell, 8/28)
• Chase Martsolf (Bucknell, 828)
• Lucas Pearce (Bucknell, 8/28)
• Michael Rodgers (Bucknell, 8/28)
• Bryan Shapirshteyn (Bucknell, 8/28)
• Jack Wright (Bucknell, 8/28)
TRITONS TO HOST 2026 NCAA NATIONAL COLLEGIATE MEN’S WATER POLO CHAMPIONSHIP
In October of 2024 the NCAA announced that UC San Diego will serve as host of the 2026 National Collegiate Men’s Water Polo Championship at Canyonview Aquatic Center. The Tritons last hosted in 2014 as a Division II team. The 2026 event will be the first time they will host as a Division I squad. The NCAA received more than 1,200 bids from member schools, conferences, cities, and sports commissions across 47 states and Washington, D.C., all competing to host predetermined rounds for 87 of the NCAA’s 90 championships. The respective NCAA sports committees selected the sites, with final approval from the divisional competition oversight and championships committees. Read the complete press conference here

THEY CALL HIM USHA
UC San Diego is led by fifth-year head coach Matt “Usha” Ustaszewski, who took over in 2022 when Denny Harper retired after 42 years at the helm. Ustaszewski earned his first victory as head coach on Sept. 3, 2022, as the Tritons defeated La Verne, 22-8, in the team’s season opener during the Triton Invitational. In 2021, Ustaszewski completed his ninth season as associate head coach and 12th season overall on the UC San Diego men’s water polo staff. Usha is no stranger to the La Jolla campus. He was a co-captain of the fifth-ranked Triton water polo team as a senior in 2003 under the tutelage of Harper. He graduated in 2004, completing his bachelor’s degree in history (Europe emphasis) with a 3.5 grade-point average. For Usha’s complete bio, click here.
 



Season
Wins
Losses
Pct.
Conference/Finish
Wins
Losses
Pct.


2026
9
3
.750
Big West
0
0
-


2025
21
10
677
Big West/4th
2
3
.400


2024
17
12
.586
Big West/2nd
3
2
.600


2023
17
13
.567
Big West/3rd
3
2
.600


2022
14
13
.519
WWPA/3rd
6
2
.750


Totals
78
51
.605
-
-
-
-

WHY THE TRITONS
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego’s close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became UC San Diego’s mascot in 1964.
FOR THE YOUNGER FANS
Have some young Triton fans in your family? If they are in eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club! Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.