Courtesy: MPS Sports
UCLA collected 60 points and five first-place votes in topping the 2024 MPSF Men’s Water Polo Western Division Preseason Coaches’ poll. The Bruins return seven of their top-eight scorers and a starting goalkeeper from an NCAA runner-up season, including Delfina All-MPSF selections Jack Larsen (40 goals), Makoto Kenney (27 goals), and goalkeeper Garret Griggs (238 saves, 8.95 GAA). Also returning are MPSF Newcomer of the Year Ben Liechty (41 goals), Frederico Jucá Carsalade (32 goals), and Giorgio Alessandria (21 goals) from all-conference second team honors, as are honorable mention picks Ben Larsen (25 goals) and Marcell Szécsi (23 goals).
California placed second in the west with 57 points and three first-place votes. The three-time defending NCAA Champions bring back 10 of its 11 top scorers, led by All-Americans Max Casabella (66 goals), Roberto Valera (56 goals), and Albert Ponferrada (38 goals).
USC totaled 51 points for third-place, returning four All-Americans in 2024 — Zach Bettino, Carson Kranz, Max Miller, and goalkeeper Bernardo Herzer. The Trojans seek a 20th-straight NCAA appearance.
Stanford received the final first-place vote and 46 points, returning three All-Americans–Jackson Painter, Riley Pittman and Ethan Parrish. Painter accumulated 58 goals, 25 assists and 17 multi-goal games in 2023, and had seven goals in the MPSF Tournament.
Augustana compiled 36 points in the poll to be favorites in the MPSF’s Eastern Division, coming off back-to-back titles in its first two years in the conference. The Viking roster features 20 of 23 members returning, with eight of the nine top goal scorers included in that group. Back is reigning MPSF East Player of the Year in goalkeeper Declan Hutton, along with newcomer of the year Ian Palmroos. All-Conference selections Mark Addison, Rhys Lomax, Colin McDowell, and Oskar Bannister all return as well.
Austin College was picked second in the east with 29 points, and is expected to be led by All-Americans Aidan Wade and Jack Stack. Both were first team Delfina All-MPSF selections in 2023, with Wade among the squad’s top scorers.
Washington & Jefferson totaled 19 points for third in the east, and returns Delfina All-MPSF East first team honoree Aidan Miller.
Penn State Behrend was right behind with 17 points, and comes off a season in which it tied the program record with seven regular season wins. Key returnees are Jack Holl (first team all-conference, 47 goals), Eugene Kruger, and goalkeeper Ethan Friedman.
Wheaton rounds out the eastern poll, entering its first full season of intercollegiate competition. Connor Tompkins, from Oakley, Calif., could highlight the Lyons after an outstanding high school career.
The MPSF’s 33rd men’s water polo season is underway September 7. UCLA hosts the MPSF Championship Tournament, November 22-24, which will yield both a western and eastern conference champion for a third-straight year. Stanford is the host of the NCAA Tournament two weeks later. Since its initial season in 1992, the MPSF has won all 32 NCAA Championships in men’s water polo.
