OPENING WEEKEND
No. 13 UC Irvine vs. Chapman
Saturday, Sept. 4 | 10 a.m. | Anteater Aquatics Complex
Live stats | Video

No. 13 UC Irvine vs. Redlands
Saturday, Sept. 4 | 3:30 p.m. | Anteater Aquatics Complex
Live stats | Video

13^th-ranked UCI opens the 2021 campaign at home on Saturday, Sept. 4. The Anteaters will play a pair of Division III opponents in Chapman (10 a.m.) and Redlands (3:30 p.m.) to kick off the season. Both games will have live stats via the FOSH and live video via YouTube.

* Spectators are permitted at Anteaters Aquatics Complex. Campus guidelines should be followed and while not mandated outdoors, masks are highly encouraged and physical distancing should be practiced.

STORYLINES
- UCI enters the season ranked 13^th in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) national poll
- The Anteaters will compete for the first time since Nov. 2019 after the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID
- UCI returns only 11 players from the 2019 squad as the 2021 team features 18 new Anteaters who will see action for the first time this season
- The Anteaters play eight regular season games at home as well as host the 2021 GCC Tournament in November for the first time since 2017
- UCI was ranked sixth in the GCC preseason poll
- UCI is 6-0 all-time against Chapman. The two teams last met in 2013 with the 'Eaters winning a 14-4 decision
- The Anteaters are 13-0 all-time against Redlands. The teams last played in 2018 with UCI earning a 15-7 win
- Head coach Marc Hunt begins his 17^th season at the helm. He has amassed over 200 wins in 15 seasons and has a 204-199 (.506) overall record

RETURNING 'EATERS
UC Irvine returns three all-conference players from the 2019 season including second team all-conference honoree senior Casey Lynton. Lynton was second on the team in goals (26), assists (21) and steals (21). He started every game for the 'Eaters in 2019 and has tallied 60 career goals.

Sophomore Chad Gornay and sophomore goalkeeper Harrison Land, who were both name on the GCC All-Freshman Team in 2019, also return for the 'Eaters. Gornay saw action in every game and scored nine goals, dished out 10 assists and drew eight exclusions.

Land started 16 games in goal, tallying 139 saves, good for fourth in the conference as a freshman. He finished his first year campaign with a .471 save percentage and a 9.75 goals against average.

Zlatan Nikocevic will also provide experience he finished the 2019 season with 18 goals while veterans Ivan Mercep and Carson Arnett had 13 and eight, respectively.

At center, Grant Chiponis and Kiyan Mohebbizadeh are expected to provide force and improve on their performances from the 2019 season.

Michael Sweica will also provide veteran leadership and depth to the talented Anteater team.

NEW FACES
The UCI roster will look almost entirely different with the addition of 18 new Anteaters. Joining Land in goal is newcomer Zayd Mahmoud, a USA National Youth Team player. Dylan Patist, Tyler Padua, Jacob Pyle and Nikola Ilic are also expected to make an immediate impact on the roster.

The new faces also include assistant coaches Bojan Hrlec and Randy Galza. Hrlec, a UCI alum, returns to his alma mater after coaching several club teams in the area. Hrlec was an All-American for the 'Eaters and graduated on the Dean's List in 2014. Galza joins the staff as a goalkeeper coach. He has several years of experience developing some of the top goalkeepers in the area.

UP NEXT
UCI will compete at UCLA Friday, September 10 at 5 p.m.