Friday, October 23
Irvine, Calif.
6 P.M.
UC Irvine
vs
UC San Diego
Photo by: Jacob Thompson/UC Irvine Athletics
October 22, 2026 | Men's Water Polo
IRVINE, Calif. - The No. 6 UC Irvine men's water polo team returns to the Anteater Aquatics Complex this weekend for a pair of home contests. The 'Eaters open the weekend against No. 11 UC San Diego in a Big West match up on Friday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m., before closing out the weekend against Air Force in non conference action on Sunday, Oct. 25, at noon.
ANTEATER TIDBITS
UC Irvine picked up their second Big West win against California Baptist last weekend.
The Anteaters defeated the Lancers, 12-9, on Saturday afternoon.
UC Irvine remains the only undefeated team in the Big West this season.
Senior Alex Lopez led the way with three goals and three steals.
Juniors Cole Francisco and Brody Luke each recorded two goals and one assist.
Freshman Nico Assalian logged 32 minutes in net and tallied four saves.
UC Irvine won back-to-back Big West regular season titles in 2023 and 2024.
The Anteaters are 9-1 in conference during that stretch, including a perfect 5-0 mark in 2024.
They also claimed the Big West Championship title and made their first NCAA appearance in 30 years in 2023.
IN THE RANKINGS
UC Irvine held steady at No. 6 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association's national rankings released Oct. 14, sharing the spot with Princeton. The Anteaters held the sixth spot for the fourth consecutive week after climbing two places from No. 8 in Week 4. UCI opened the season at No. 13 and remained there through the first four polls, spanning the preseason through Week 3, before breaking into the top 10.
SCOUTING THE TRITONS
No. 11 UC San Diego enters the weekend with a 13-6 overall record after splitting its two games last weekend. The Tritons opened with a 14-8 loss to No. 14 UC Santa Barbara in Big West play on Oct. 16 before bouncing back with a 19-8 victory over Concordia on Oct. 17. Junior Christian Hammonds leads UC San Diego with 73 points this season, tallying 44 goals and 29 assists. Sophomore Jackson Boettner has also scored 44 goals, adding 11 assists for 55 points. In goal, sophomore Alex Hegeman leads the Tritons with 453 minutes played, 68 saves and an 11.09 goals-against average. UC Irvine holds a 20-18 advantage in the all-time series against UC San Diego, but the Anteaters have dropped their last three meetings with the Tritons dating back to 2025. The most recent matchup came at the MPSF Invitational on Sept. 19, when UC San Diego claimed an 11-9 victory. UCI's last win in the series came on Oct. 11, 2024, when the Anteaters edged the Tritons, 12-11.
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
Air Force enters the weekend with a 16-11 overall record after dropping both of its matches last weekend. The Falcons fell to No. 20 St. Mary's, 16-10, on Oct. 16 before suffering a 16-11 loss to No. 12 UC Davis on Oct. 18. Senior Tom Leggett leads Air Force with 146 points this season, recording 113 goals and 33 assists. Senior Jack Richards ranks second on the team with 95 points, tallying 55 goals and 40 assists. In goal, freshman Wyatt Sturgeon leads the Falcons with 625 minutes played, 224 saves and a 14.33 goals-against average. UC Irvine has won its last two meetings with Air Force. The teams last faced off at the Gary Troyer Invitational on Oct. 4, 2024, where the Anteaters secured a 24-11 victory. UCI also defeated the Falcons, 14-7, on Oct. 23, 2022.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
The 'Eaters have scored at least 11 goals in 19 of their 21 games this season, averaging 14.5 goals per contest. Four Anteaters have surpassed the 30-goal mark, led by Johann Thrall with 39 goals. Alex Lopez ranks second with 37 goals, reaching the 30-goal milestone for the first time in his career and surpassing his previous season-best of 19 goals set last year. Cole Francisco ranks third on the team in goals with 33 and leads the squad in points with 56, adding 23 assists. Wyley Dale rounds out UCI's top four scorers with 31 goals this season. UCI has also outscored its opponents in every quarter, holding an 85-58 advantage in the first, 67-50 in the second, 77-56 in the third and 73-57 in the fourth.
MINDING THE NET
Freshman Nico Assalian has started 16 of the team's 21 games this season, compiling a 12-3 record. He has played 496 minutes in goal, recording 127 saves, 11 assists, and 19 steals while posting an 9.68 goals-against average and a .458 save percentage. Sophomore Vincent Vega has appeared in seven games, including three starts, totaling 128 minutes in goal. He has recorded 38 saves, two assists, and two steals, along with an 8.75 goals-against average and a .466 save percentage. Junior Nolan Cary has seen action in four games, making two starts and playing 48 minutes. He has tallied 14 saves, two steals and posted a .412 save percentage and a 13.33 goals-against average.
COLLEGIATE FIRSTS
UCI's freshmen made an immediate impact during their first season of collegiate action. Ryan Fresca has led the group with 23 points on 19 assists and four goals. He opened his career with three points on one goal and two assists against Chapman on Aug. 28 and has recorded two or more assists in five of UCI's first eight games. River Davis ranks second among the newcomers with 14 points on 10 goals and four assists. He scored his first collegiate goal against George Washington on Aug. 28 before adding his second goal and first assist against Concordia the following day for his first multi-point game. Davis became UCI's first freshman this season to record a hat trick, accomplishing the feat against Cal Lutheran on Sept. 4. Aiden Sexton also made an immediate impact, scoring twice and adding two assists against Chapman on Aug. 28 before netting his third goal of the season against Concordia on Aug. 29. He has totaled five points on three goals and two assists. Luke Kalynij scored the first goal of his collegiate career against Chapman on Aug. 28, while Noah Jurgensen recorded his first collegiate assist in his first career minutes against the Panthers. Charlie Jones capped a strong opening weekend for UCI's freshmen with the first two goals of his career, scoring against Chapman and George Washington on Aug. 28 after sitting out the 2025 season. He added two more goals against Cal Lutheran on Sept. 4 for the first multi-goal game of his career. Jones also recorded his first career hat trick against Whittier on Oct. 2.
PRESEASON HONORS
Junior Cole Francisco was named to the eight-member Preseason All-Big West Team as voted on by the conference's head coaches. Francisco is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he totaled 69 points on 31 goals and a team-high 38 assists. He is a three-time All-Big West honoree, a two-time Big West Player of the Week selection, and landed on both the CSC Academic All-District At-Large Team and the ACWPC All-Academic Team in the 2025 season.
UP NEXT
The Anteaters continue Big West play and return to Anteater Aquatics Complex on Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. to host No. 12 UC Santa Barbara.
ANTEATER TIDBITS
UC Irvine picked up their second Big West win against California Baptist last weekend.
The Anteaters defeated the Lancers, 12-9, on Saturday afternoon.
UC Irvine remains the only undefeated team in the Big West this season.
Senior Alex Lopez led the way with three goals and three steals.
Juniors Cole Francisco and Brody Luke each recorded two goals and one assist.
Freshman Nico Assalian logged 32 minutes in net and tallied four saves.
UC Irvine won back-to-back Big West regular season titles in 2023 and 2024.
The Anteaters are 9-1 in conference during that stretch, including a perfect 5-0 mark in 2024.
They also claimed the Big West Championship title and made their first NCAA appearance in 30 years in 2023.
IN THE RANKINGS
UC Irvine held steady at No. 6 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association's national rankings released Oct. 14, sharing the spot with Princeton. The Anteaters held the sixth spot for the fourth consecutive week after climbing two places from No. 8 in Week 4. UCI opened the season at No. 13 and remained there through the first four polls, spanning the preseason through Week 3, before breaking into the top 10.
SCOUTING THE TRITONS
No. 11 UC San Diego enters the weekend with a 13-6 overall record after splitting its two games last weekend. The Tritons opened with a 14-8 loss to No. 14 UC Santa Barbara in Big West play on Oct. 16 before bouncing back with a 19-8 victory over Concordia on Oct. 17. Junior Christian Hammonds leads UC San Diego with 73 points this season, tallying 44 goals and 29 assists. Sophomore Jackson Boettner has also scored 44 goals, adding 11 assists for 55 points. In goal, sophomore Alex Hegeman leads the Tritons with 453 minutes played, 68 saves and an 11.09 goals-against average. UC Irvine holds a 20-18 advantage in the all-time series against UC San Diego, but the Anteaters have dropped their last three meetings with the Tritons dating back to 2025. The most recent matchup came at the MPSF Invitational on Sept. 19, when UC San Diego claimed an 11-9 victory. UCI's last win in the series came on Oct. 11, 2024, when the Anteaters edged the Tritons, 12-11.
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
Air Force enters the weekend with a 16-11 overall record after dropping both of its matches last weekend. The Falcons fell to No. 20 St. Mary's, 16-10, on Oct. 16 before suffering a 16-11 loss to No. 12 UC Davis on Oct. 18. Senior Tom Leggett leads Air Force with 146 points this season, recording 113 goals and 33 assists. Senior Jack Richards ranks second on the team with 95 points, tallying 55 goals and 40 assists. In goal, freshman Wyatt Sturgeon leads the Falcons with 625 minutes played, 224 saves and a 14.33 goals-against average. UC Irvine has won its last two meetings with Air Force. The teams last faced off at the Gary Troyer Invitational on Oct. 4, 2024, where the Anteaters secured a 24-11 victory. UCI also defeated the Falcons, 14-7, on Oct. 23, 2022.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
The 'Eaters have scored at least 11 goals in 19 of their 21 games this season, averaging 14.5 goals per contest. Four Anteaters have surpassed the 30-goal mark, led by Johann Thrall with 39 goals. Alex Lopez ranks second with 37 goals, reaching the 30-goal milestone for the first time in his career and surpassing his previous season-best of 19 goals set last year. Cole Francisco ranks third on the team in goals with 33 and leads the squad in points with 56, adding 23 assists. Wyley Dale rounds out UCI's top four scorers with 31 goals this season. UCI has also outscored its opponents in every quarter, holding an 85-58 advantage in the first, 67-50 in the second, 77-56 in the third and 73-57 in the fourth.
MINDING THE NET
Freshman Nico Assalian has started 16 of the team's 21 games this season, compiling a 12-3 record. He has played 496 minutes in goal, recording 127 saves, 11 assists, and 19 steals while posting an 9.68 goals-against average and a .458 save percentage. Sophomore Vincent Vega has appeared in seven games, including three starts, totaling 128 minutes in goal. He has recorded 38 saves, two assists, and two steals, along with an 8.75 goals-against average and a .466 save percentage. Junior Nolan Cary has seen action in four games, making two starts and playing 48 minutes. He has tallied 14 saves, two steals and posted a .412 save percentage and a 13.33 goals-against average.
COLLEGIATE FIRSTS
UCI's freshmen made an immediate impact during their first season of collegiate action. Ryan Fresca has led the group with 23 points on 19 assists and four goals. He opened his career with three points on one goal and two assists against Chapman on Aug. 28 and has recorded two or more assists in five of UCI's first eight games. River Davis ranks second among the newcomers with 14 points on 10 goals and four assists. He scored his first collegiate goal against George Washington on Aug. 28 before adding his second goal and first assist against Concordia the following day for his first multi-point game. Davis became UCI's first freshman this season to record a hat trick, accomplishing the feat against Cal Lutheran on Sept. 4. Aiden Sexton also made an immediate impact, scoring twice and adding two assists against Chapman on Aug. 28 before netting his third goal of the season against Concordia on Aug. 29. He has totaled five points on three goals and two assists. Luke Kalynij scored the first goal of his collegiate career against Chapman on Aug. 28, while Noah Jurgensen recorded his first collegiate assist in his first career minutes against the Panthers. Charlie Jones capped a strong opening weekend for UCI's freshmen with the first two goals of his career, scoring against Chapman and George Washington on Aug. 28 after sitting out the 2025 season. He added two more goals against Cal Lutheran on Sept. 4 for the first multi-goal game of his career. Jones also recorded his first career hat trick against Whittier on Oct. 2.
PRESEASON HONORS
Junior Cole Francisco was named to the eight-member Preseason All-Big West Team as voted on by the conference's head coaches. Francisco is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he totaled 69 points on 31 goals and a team-high 38 assists. He is a three-time All-Big West honoree, a two-time Big West Player of the Week selection, and landed on both the CSC Academic All-District At-Large Team and the ACWPC All-Academic Team in the 2025 season.
UP NEXT
The Anteaters continue Big West play and return to Anteater Aquatics Complex on Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. to host No. 12 UC Santa Barbara.
Players Mentioned
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