Senior Spotlight: Madi O'Hara
By Leah Fitzpatrick
6/18/2026
Madi O’Hara is a two-time All-Big West honoree and has excelled in both the classroom and the pool during her time at UC Irvine. This season, she netted a career-high 35 goals and led the squad with 46 drawn exclusions. While her accomplishments tell part of her story, the impact of her five years at UCI extends far beyond the statistics.
Unlike many collegiate water polo players, Madi didn’t grow up in a family with aquatic athletes. Instead, her introduction to water polo came almost by chance. She started out as a soccer player, but a conversation between her father and her high school's water polo coach led her to give the sport a try at eight years old.
“My dad told the coach that I didn’t like running, and the coach suggested I try water polo. That’s really how it all started,” Madi said.
She started out as a goalie before an unexpected club change moved her into the field, which would eventually lead her to UC Irvine. Like many student-athletes in the Class of 2021, her recruiting process was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to limited opportunities for coaches to watch her compete in person, it became hard to stand out.
But UCI associate head coach Andrew Rowe had already seen her play for years through the local club water polo community and believed in her potential. Although she initially turned down UCI’s offer, Rowe remained persistent, ultimately giving her an opportunity that would shape the next five years of her life.
“I grew to love the coaches, the team and everything about being here,” Madi said.
When she arrived at UC Irvine, she was stepping into a very different game from the one she was familiar with. After years of relying on athleticism and instinct, she was suddenly introduced to the technical side of the sport. For the first time, she was tasked with memorizing plays, understanding strategy and developing her water polo IQ. The adjustment was challenging, but it became one of the most important parts of her growth as a player.
“UCI really taught me the technical aspect of the game more than anything else,” Madi said.
Her collegiate career was anything but straightforward. After not traveling as a freshman and redshirting her second year due to shoulder surgery, she fought hard to earn playing time. Rather than becoming discouraged, she used those setbacks as motivation, dedicating herself to improving before her final season.
“I decided I needed to do everything I possibly could to get myself in this lineup,” Madi said. “Seeing that improvement in preseason is what made me realize I could actually do this.”
Over her five years as an Anteater, Madi developed strong relationships with the coaching staff, particularly Andrew Rowe. His honesty and high expectations helped shape her into both a better player and leader. Although she never considered herself the loudest voice on the team, she learned how to lead by example through consistency and accountability.
“He was always honest with me,” she said. “He would tell me exactly what I needed to do, and I think we’ve grown a mutual respect for each other.”
Among her favorite memories at UCI was a team bonding event during her freshman year. They spent the day together at the beach before releasing lanterns into the evening sky, a sense of what it meant to be part of a team.
“That was a moment for me where I realized, ‘Wow, this is what a team is all about,’” Madi recalled.
Beyond the pool, Madi gained valuable experience interning with the UC Irvine Police Department. Working at the front desk taught her responsibility, attention to detail, and the importance of every role within an organization, no matter how small it may seem.
“It showed me that any job, no matter how small, is important,” she said.
As Madi closes this chapter of her journey as an Anteater, she is exploring opportunities that include playing water polo abroad while also pursuing a future career as a firefighter. No matter where she goes next, the lessons she learned and memories she made at UC Irvine will continue to guide her.
