5 Things To Know: 2026 Men's Water Polo Preview
August 20, 2026 | Men's Water Polo
IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Irvine men's water polo team is gearing up for the 2026 campaign, with the season-opening UCI Invitational just over a week away at Anteater Aquatics Complex on Aug. 28-29.
Director of Water Polo and Head Coach Dan Klatt enters his fifth season at the helm of the men's program. As the 'Eaters prepare to kick off the 2026 season, here are five things to know heading into the new year:
1. Defending Home Waters
The 'Eaters open the season at home with the UCI Invitational, Aug. 28-29, at Anteater Aquatics Complex. UC Irvine will face Chapman, George Washington, Stanford and Concordia over the two-day event, while Cal State Fullerton, Biola, Pomona-Pitzer, LMU and Redlands will also compete.
The UCI Invitational is the only ticketed event at Anteater Aquatics Complex this season, with tickets available [here].
Last season, UCI went 4-0 at the season-opening Invitational and will look to replicate that success in 2026.
The 'Eaters will return home for another mini tournament on Sept. 26, facing LMU and Santa Clara before taking on Navy on Sept. 27. UCI will also host Cal State Fullerton, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara in Big West play, along with UCLA, Air Force and Pacific in non-conference action.
After hosting both the UCI Invitational and Big West Championships in 2025, the 'Eaters are no strangers to defending their home waters.
"I like the grouping of teams. I think it's a competitive group, where there's strong competition within the group, so I think it's a good tournament for everyone that's showing up. I think it's always exciting and nerve-wracking to host people here at the same time. You want every athlete to have a good experience, not just your own," Klatt said. "We play two Armed Forces teams this year, and I think there's a lot of honor in what they're doing. It's a cool opportunity to share the pool with them, train and play. Hopefully, both tournaments and the front-heavy schedule have us ready to play high-level water polo when it matters, when the conference season comes around."
2. New Era in Net
With starting goalkeeper Zayd Mahmoud graduated, three young keepers are ready to make an impact between the pipes in 2026.
Sophomore Vincent Vega saw the most action last season, appearing in four games and logging 76:17 in net. He posted a 10.07 goals-against average, a .333 save percentage and 12 saves.
Junior Nolan Cary enters the season with seven career appearances and one start, totaling 106 minutes over two seasons. In 2025, he recorded a 10.84 goals-against average, a .462 save percentage and 18 saves.
Freshman Nico Assalian will look to make his collegiate debut after not competing in 2025. Before joining UCI, he was a two-time All-Seaview League selection at Tesoro High School and a three-time USA Water Polo Junior Olympian.
"We're just trying to be competitive with the position, and whoever's putting up the best practices and the best numbers is going to get that opportunity," Klatt said. "I think Nico's extremely talented as a young player without experience. He's kind of the wild card. Vincent has great size and strength and brings a different dynamic because he's left-handed. Nolan's probably the smartest in regard to just understanding the game and what needs to happen. It'll be hard to choose."
3. The Scorers Are Back for More
Despite the departure of two-time All-American and three-time All-Big West selection Luka Krstic, the 'Eaters return four of their top five scorers from a record-setting 2025 offense.
UCI scored 364 goals in 27 games last season, the second-highest single-season total in program history behind the 400 goals scored in 2024.
Leading the returning group is senior Johann Thrall, who has paced the team in goals every season since arriving at UCI. An All-Big West Honorable Mention selection in 2025, Thrall scored a career-high 60 goals and ranked second in the conference with 81 points. He also led the team with 24 steals and added 21 assists.
Junior Cole Francisco returns after earning All-Big West Second Team honors in 2025. He scored 31 goals, ranked fifth in the conference with 38 assists, and totaled 69 points and 23 steals.
Senior Wyley Dale and junior Ethan Spoon also return after ranking third and fourth, respectively, in goals last season. Dale scored 39 goals, while Spoon added 32, with both reaching the 30-goal mark for the first time in their careers. Each also set a new single-game career high with six goals.Spoon earned Big West Player of the Week honors on Oct. 1, while Dale received All-Big West Honorable Mention recognition.
The 'Eaters also welcome back senior attacker Gage Verdegaal. After returning from an injury at the start of the 2025 season, Verdegaal recorded 34 points on 18 goals and 16 assists. A 2023 All-Big West Freshman Team selection, Verdegaal enters his senior season as a veteran presence for the 'Eaters, bringing experience, maturity and leadership to the pool.
"I feel really good about the way our centers are playing and the production that we're capable of having there. Ethan and Wyley are very different in their styles, but both have very high-quality ability at the center position," Klatt said. "Cole has a tremendous motor. He goes hard all the time, and it's hard to match his effort from the opposite side of the pool if you're an opponent. Johann's potential is endless. He's doing an awesome job of distributing the ball and finding our centers right now," Klatt added. "And I think we've gotten good leadership on the right side from Gage as well. We're looking for those right plays at the right times, meeting the ball well, communicating, kind of controlling his teammates, and making plays for himself when he can."
4. The New Crew Arrives:
The 'Eaters welcome a talented group of newcomers to the 2026 roster.
Ryan Fresca joins the squad as a six-foot-three attacker and two-year varsity starter at Carlsbad High School. He also played for Del Mar Water Polo Club, helping the team earn a bronze medal at last year's Junior Olympics after taking home silver the year prior.
River Davis, a six-foot attacker from Ojai, California, joins UCI after earning First Team All-County honors at Buena High School. Water polo runs in the family, as his father, Tom Davis, competed for the 'Eaters from 1994-97 and was named an All-American in 1997. River also holds Buena's 4x100 swim school record.
Declan Murphy, a six-foot-two utility player from Tustin, California, joins the 'Eaters following a decorated career at Servite High School, where he earned Team MVP, Trinity League Second Team honors in 2025 and 2026, and All-CIF recognition in 2025. His sister, Deirdre, is entering her junior season with the Anteater women's water polo team.
Noah Jurgensen, a six-foot defender from Irvine, California, joins the 'Eaters as a hometown product. A first-generation college student majoring in Neurobiology, Jurgensen earned Division I CIF All-Team honors at Mater Dei High School.
Aiden Sexton, a six-foot-three attacker from Newport Beach, California, earned Third Team Open Division CIF honors at Corona del Mar High School.
Luke Kalynij joins the squad as a six-foot-two utility player from San Jose, California, having earned All-WCAL Second Team honors in 2025 at Bellarmine College Preparatory.
The 'Eaters also welcome JT Moss, a six-foot-five freshman from San Diego, California.
"It's a well-rounded class. We've got centers, we've got defenders, we've got right-side players, we've got left-side players," Klatt said. "The most game-ready players that I expect contributions from at this moment are Ryan Fresca and River Davis. Their game is more easily fit into what we're doing physically."
5. New Voice on the Deck
The 'Eaters welcome Chris Whitelegge to the coaching staff as an assistant coach for the 2026 season.
A Costa Mesa native and Newport Harbor High School graduate, Whitelegge continued his playing career at UC Santa Barbara, where he established single-season and career records as a goalkeeper and earned All-American honors. He majored in Sociology and earned a Certificate in Sports Management.
Whitelegge also brings coaching experience from Newport Harbor High School, Santa Barbara Water Polo Foundation and Santa Barbara Premier Water Polo Clubs.
Now, the decorated goalkeeper returns to Orange County to help guide the next chapter of Anteater water polo.
"Chris is an excellent goalkeeper. He still plays internationally. He's very explosive, moves well in the water, and has been doing goalie coaching in this area for a long time," Klatt said. "He brings a maturity and a professionalism about the position, so we're excited for that."
