By Last week’s news about a move by Washington & Jefferson men’s water polo team from the staid Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) to the mighty Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) struck like a thunderbolt. How can a DIII program at a small, highly-selective private college in Pennsylvania stay afloat against
While Its Women Compete for Championships, MPSF Loads Up on Men’s Water Polo
Slipped into the hoopla surrounding the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) women’s water polo championship, won Sunday 11-9 by #2 Stanford over #1 USC, was an announcement notable for its potential ripple effect on often overlooked polo programs. [Stanford Claims Its First MPSF Crown Since 2014] In a statement last
After Highly Publicized Search, Flacks Named New Stanford Men’s Water Polo Coach
One of the most desirable—and visible—positions in American collegiate water polo is no longer vacant. Brian Flacks, currently the Harvard-Westlake High School boys coach as well as head coach of the U.S. 18U Youth team, has been named to lead the Stanford men. He replaces John Vargas, who unexpectedly resigned
Talent-laden USC Begins ’21 Campaign MPSF, NCAA Favorites
Despite any protestations to the contrary, there’s no real parity in men’s college water polo. Over a half-century of NCAA championship play, only three programs outside the “Big Four” have won a national championship: UC Irvine (three times) Pepperdine (once) and UC Santa Barbara (once). Do the math: that’s less
By Pod: NCAA Champion, UCLA Head Coach Adam Wright
In his 12 years as Head Coach of the UCLA Men’s team Adam Wright has won four NCAA Championships, including one just a few weeks ago. In 2017 he became head coach of the Bruins women and was in Bloomington, Indiana earlier this week with that second-ranked team to take
Pod: Indiana University Head Coach Taylor Dodson
Taylor Dodson took over as Head Coach of the Indiana Hoosiers in 2019 and led them to a 13-5 record and a top 20 ranking in her first wild season. She returns for her second pandemic-affected season and currently ranks 15th in the CWPA coaches’ poll with a very challenging
UCLA Shuts Down Stanford in MPSF WWP Final
LOS ANGELES, CA. An old sports adage suggests that defense wins championships. Given its dominant defensive effort Sunday against Stanford in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title match, the UCLA women’s water polo team appears destined for greatness. In a suffocating performance at UCLA’s Spieker Aquatics Center, the Bruins forced
#1 UCLA Hangs On to Beat Cal, Advance to MPSF Final
LOS ANGELES, CA. If Coralie Simmons and her California Golden Bear women’s water polo team are any example, perhaps you can go home again. #5 Cal gave the top-ranked and #1 seeded UCLA Bruins everything they could handle before falling 9-8 in a semifinal match in the Mountain Pacific Sports
#2 Stanford Holds Off #3 USC, Advances to MPSF Final
The #2 Stanford Cardinal needed all the defensive prowess they could muster to stop the #3 Trojans of USC, taking a 6-5 decision in the semifinals of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s (MPSF) Women’s Water Polo Tournament. Anchored by goalie Gabby Stone and a bend-but-don’t break approach towards the explosive SC
MPSF Pads Men’s Field with Penn State-Behrend
Penn State-Behrend is the newest member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The conference announced it had granted membership to the Pennsylvania varsity men’s program on June 30 after six major programs withdrew from it in January. Behrend will join UCLA, USC, Stanford and Cal in the powerhouse conference on
