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Water Polo Primed to make a Splash
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Aug. 26, 2008) – With all seven starters returning to the pool for the 2008 campaign, the Occidental College men’s water polo team looks to be competitive and improve on a seventh place National ranking from a year ago.
At the head of the returning pack are the senior tandem of Second Team All-SCIAC players Andrew Valdez and Cameron Brahmst who led the Tigers with 68 and 67 goals respectively, ranking 18th and 20th nationally, in 2007. Brahmst, Oxy’s team captain, is also a two-time All-American selection.
A year ago Oxy tallied a school record 299 goals, ranking second among all SCIAC schools. Cumulatively the Tigers averaged 11.1 goals per game, which put them sixth in the country behind NAIA and Division I programs including UCLA and California – Berkley.
The potent offensive duo will be joined by fellow senior standouts Sean Inoue (27 goals, 23 assists), Abiel Garcia (26 goals) and John Wensman (24 goals).
During his freshman campaign Austen Oliver made his presence felt both offensively and defensively with a team leading 35 assists and six field block while finishing second to Brahmst’s 33 drawn ejections with 26. Brahmst also added five field blocks in 2007.
Defensively Jake Santelli led the way with 53 steals as Brahmst (38) and Garcia (28) followed closely with Wensman adding 25.
After splitting time in front of the cage last year both Max Kelly and Blair Bergsteinsson landed among the Top 30 goalies in the nation. Kelly played in 16 games, making 151 stops, allowing just 9.9 goals per game, adding 17 steals. Bergsteinsson appeared in 12, allowing 11.7 goals per game, while blocking 117 shots, stealing the ball 21 times.
A banner recruiting class will add four highly touted freshmen to the roster.
According to head coach Larry Zubrin it is the most well rounded team in his tenure at the College. "We combine athleticism and experience with a good deal of depth and that's a recipe for success."
Oxy finish 2007 with a 13-12 overall mark and a 5-5 record, in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action, placing fifth.
The Tigers will look to make a strong run in the SCIAC, where the top three finishers advance to the WWPA Championship Tournament. The winner of the WWPA will then advance the NCAA Final four against the winners of the MPSF and CWPA for a shot at the National Championship.
