2026 USA Water Polo Men’s National League: Week 1 Recap

Irvine, CA – February 9 – The much-anticipated 2026 USA Water Polo Men’s National League season kicked off this past weekend in Orange County, California. Fans witnessed thrilling matches, with the Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) taking the early lead in the Red Division, while both the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) and Mission found success atop the Blue Division standings. This article delves into the highlights and standout performances from the opening weekend.

LAAC Dominates the Red Division

Los Angeles Athletic Club began the season with an impressive 3-0 record, claiming victories over Anteater (24-13), Fight On (15-14), and NL Lions (24-8).

• Against Anteater, standout performances were delivered by Filip Filipovic with five goals and three assists, while Dénes Varga added four goals and two assists.
• The match against Fight On proved to be a stiff challenge, with Filipovic leading again, scoring five goals, and Andras Toth contributing four goals.
• On Sunday, Apostolos Georgaras shone against NL Lions, tallying seven goals, two assists, and two steals.

For further details, explore the full Week 1 results and check the current National League standings.

NYAC’s Strong Start in the Blue Division

The New York Athletic Club began their campaign powerfully, finishing Week 1 with a perfect 3-0 record in Blue Division play.

• They dispatched USA B (22-10) in their opening game, showcasing four goals from Alessandro Salipante and hat tricks from Gianpiero Di Martire, Max Miller, and Carson Kranz.
• Di Martire was instrumental again, netting six goals in a subsequent 18-10 triumph over Riverside.
• On Sunday, NYAC secured an 18-9 victory against Long Beach AF, with Di Martire and Luca Silvestri both scoring five goals.

Mission Unbeaten in Blue Division

Mission matched NYAC’s performance, also finishing 3-0 in Blue Division play. Their victories included:

• An opening match win over Riptide (13-10), led by Olympic Bronze Medalist Ryder Dodd, who scored three goals.
• In the win against Long Beach AF (16-9), Dodd excelled again with five goals, supported by three from Ben Liechty.
• Dodd was prolific in their victory against Channel Islands United (21-10), claiming another five goals, while both Brinkema and Wade Sherlock had three goals each.

Game of the Week: A Thrilling Encounter

Among the weekend’s standout matches was the Game of the Week: Los Angeles Athletic Club vs. Fight On.

The contest was tightly contested throughout, with LAAC leading by two goals heading into the final quarter. Fight On’s Luke Nelson narrowed the gap early in the fourth, but LAAC quickly restored their two-goal lead with a power play goal from Bryce Hoerman. Ultimately, Fight On equalized with back-to-back extra man goals from Gavin Conant.

However, Jack Pointner of LAAC clinched victory with a game-winning goal, finalizing the score at 15-14.

Unbeaten Teams Emerge in 18U Division

In the 18U competition, three teams—Dons WPC, La Jolla United, and Newport—each ended Week 1 with a 3-0 record.

• Dons WPC kicked off with a win against LA Premier (13-6), followed by decisive victories over CDM (14-2) and Channel Islands United (15-11), featuring a standout performance from Maximus Bruhn.
• La Jolla United secured wins against Shore Aquatics (13-9) and SOCAL (15-7), with notable contributions from Leon Kaszán and Quinn Daniels.
• Newport edged out Mission (15-14) and followed up with emphatic wins against Pride (13-4) and Shore Aquatics (17-10), showcasing Declan Bartlett’s scoring prowess.

Stellar Goalkeeping Highlights

Goalkeeping proved crucial over the weekend, with Sergi Ramon of Long Beach AF recording 15 saves against Channel Islands United and Elliott King of 18U Channel Islands United achieving 14 saves against LA Premier.

League Leaders

As Week 1 concluded, notable season leaders emerged:

• In open age division scoring, Johann Thrall from Anteater topped the charts with 15 goals.
• In the 18U division, Vaughan Baker from Shore Aquatics led with 19 goals.
• Fight On’s Charlie Mills was the leading goalkeeper with 20 saves in open division, while Elliott King led in the 18U category with 34 saves.

Looking Ahead: Upcoming Matches

The action continues as Week 2 is set for February 20-22, with matches taking place at various locations across Southern California and at the University of the Pacific in Stockton. Fans can catch highlights and replays of the matches on Overnght Media Group. Engage with the league on social media using the hashtag #USAWPNL and stay informed with the official stats provided by 6-8 Sports.

Stay tuned for the exciting developments in the 2026 USA Water Polo Men’s National League!