Two Games on Deck at the Gary Troyer Tournament

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LA JOLLA, Calif. — The 12th-ranked UC San Diego men’s water polo team is on the road this week for a pair of Friday games at the annual Gary Troyer Tournament.

The Tritons are scheduled to play Redlands University at 11:30 a.m. and Pomona-Pitzer at 7 p.m. Both contests will be at Pomona Pitzer’s Haldeman Pool.

Both opponents are highly-ranked among NCAA Division III teams with Redlands at No. 2 and Pomona-Pitzer at No. 3 in the nation.

UC San Diego is coming off a tough 10-9 loss against LMU last Wednesday in the annual Battle of the Kings game. The Tritons hold a 9-4 record.

Redlands brings in a 2-8 overall record. Both of the Bulldogs’ wins came against Concordia University Irvine. 

Pomona-Pitzer is 3-5 in 2026. The Sagehens earned victories over the Big West’s Cal State Fullerton as well as California Lutheran University and Ventua College.

Both games will be covered by FOSH live stats. The game against Pomona-Pitzer will also be live streamed by FloSports. Coverage links are below.

INSIDE THE GAMES
Game 14 – Gary Troyer Tournament
• #12 UC San Diego (9-4) vs. Redlands (2-8)
• Friday, October 2, 11:30 a.m.
• Haldeman Pool – Claremont, Calif.
• Tournament Central
• Live Stats

Game 15 – Gary Troyer Tournament

• #12 UC San Diego (9-4) at Pomona-Pitzer (3-5)

• Friday, October 2, 7 p.m.

• Haldeman Pool – Claremont, Calif.

• Tournament Central

• Watch Live

• Live Stats

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 9/29)

Team
Big West
%
Overall
%




California Baptist
0-0
-
15-4
.789


UC Irvine
0-0
-
12-5
.706


Long Beach State
0-0
-
9-4
.692


UC San Diego
0-0
-
9-4
.692


UC Santa Barbara
0-0
-
16-8
.667


Cal State Fullerton
0-0
-
11-8
.579

TRITONS AMONG BIG WEST LEADERS (through 9/29)

2026 ACWPC NATIONAL POLL (9/24)
2026 CWPA NATIONAL POLL (9/30)
2026 BIG WEST COACHES’ PRESEASON POLL


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


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


3. USC
3. USC
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
6. UC Irvine
6. Cal State Fullerton, 5


7. UC San Diego
7. Long Beach State



8. UC Irvine
8. Pacific
2026 BIG WEST COACHES’ PRESEASON TEAM


9. Princeton
t-9. Princeton
Gabi Acosta, Long Beach State


10. San Jose State
t-9. San Jose State
Landon Akerstrom, UC San Diego


11. LMU
11. Pepperdine
Cole Francisco, UC Irvine


12. Pepperdine
12. UC San Diego
Alex Hegeman, UC San Diego


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


14. California Baptist
14. LMU
Andrea Nuzzo, California Baptist


15. UC Santa Barbara
15. Navy
Corbin Stanley, Long Beach State


16. UC Davis
16. California Baptist



17. Santa Clara
17. UC Davis



18. Navy
18. Santa Clara



19. Brown
19. Brown



20. Harvard
t-20. Cal State Fullerton




t-20. Concordia University




t-20. Saint Mary’s



UCSD: 8,8,8,7
UCSD: 12,8,8,9,7,12

ACTIVE SCORING STREAKS (through 10/1)
13 – Christian Hammonds
12 – Jackson Boettner
11 – Mason Presley
3 – Grant Kurtz
3 – Lachlan Rossi
GAME WINNING GOALS (through 10/1)
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 10/1)

TRITON RECORDS (through 10/1)

Overall
9-5


Big West
0-0


Non-conference
9-4


At home
5-2


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
0-2


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 Wednesdays
0-1


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
4
.692
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
52
.600
-
-
-
-

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.