For updates, insightful takes and fun interviews with players and coaches, you can follow us on
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We hope you enjoy!
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I have to give some props. That was a very cool interview you guys just did with Brian Bacharach at Fordham.
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Grt podcast , thanks for sharing and keep up the good work Wes and Clayton.
Sidenote: Wes, will we see you doing more announcing for NCAA?
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Thanks for the great feedback, much appreciated on this Friday.
Yes! As of now, I will be doing the MPSF Tournament November 22-24th down at UCLA.
Good stuff guys keep it coming!
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If there are specific guests, formats or inclusions you’d like to see, please feel free to suggest here or emails us at
waterpolowednesday@gmail.com
Thanks for all the support!
Wes and Clay
Catch the latest episode of Water Polo Wednesday with Special Guest, HC of CBU Kevin Rosa! can be watched at the links below:
Youtube or Spotify
And, if you’re interested in the Bob Nealy Memorial Cup, you can find info and registration here:
Bob Nealy Memorial Cup
Lovin the weekly WPW…Just for fun I took Episode 3 of WP Wednesday and put it through Google Notebooks LLM . The review of the podcast discussion between two AI’s is pretty good/funny… Also added notes and overview:
Water Polo Wednesday Episode 3 - Notebook LLM
Thematic Outline: Water Polo Update
I. Conference Landscape and Team Performance
- **A. WCC Conference:**Dominant Teams: Pepperdine, UOP, San Jose State
- Key Matchups: UOP vs. San Jose State (Oct 11), Pepperdine vs. UCI (Oct 15)
- **B. Big West Conference:**Key Matchup: UCSD vs. UCI (Oct 11)
- **C. UCI’s Rise:**Coach Klatt’s Impact: System implementation, improved gameplay
- Recent Success: Upset win against Cal, NCAA quarterfinalists
II. Player Spotlight and Team Strategies
- **A. UCSD Players to Watch:**Landon Aerom: High-scoring outside shooter
- Bennett Axline: High-scoring center
- **B. UCSD Team Goals:**Improve 6-on-5 conversion percentage
III. Impact of Rules and League Developments
- **A. International Players:**NCAA’s open policy attracts top talent
- Contributes to high level of play
- **B. Roster Size Reduction:**Impact: Increased competition at lower levels
- Potential Benefit: Growth of leagues like the Fall Premier League
- **C. Fall Premier League:**Purpose: Provide competitive opportunities for adult players in the fall
- Benefits: Bridge seasonal gap, maintain player fitness and motivation
IV. Upcoming Schedule Highlights
- **Must-Watch Games:**October 11th:
- UOP vs. San Jose State (WCC)
- UCSD vs. UCI (Big West)
- October 15th: Pepperdine vs. UCI (WCC)
———————————————————
Water Polo Wednesdays FAQ
1. What is the current state of the WCC men’s water polo conference?
The WCC conference is shaping up to be a highly competitive battle between three main contenders: Pepperdine, University of the Pacific (UOP), and San Jose State. Pepperdine, despite a close loss to Stanford, is considered a strong contender for a top-four spot nationally. UOP remains undefeated but hasn’t faced top-ranked teams, while San Jose State boasts a strong center and the son of a legendary Hungarian player.
2. How has UCI’s men’s water polo program improved under new coach Dan Klatt?
Coach Klatt has led a remarkable turnaround at UCI, taking them from a losing record to NCAA quarterfinalists in just two seasons. He has achieved this by implementing a strong system and improving the team’s overall play, as evidenced by their recent upset win against a short-handed Cal team.
3. Who are the key players to watch on UCSD’s men’s water polo team?
UCSD features two high-scoring players: Landon Aerom, an outside shooter, and Bennett Axline, a center. Both players boast incredibly high shooting percentages, making them a formidable offensive duo.
4. What is the impact of international players in NCAA men’s water polo?
Unlike many international leagues, NCAA water polo has no limit on foreign players. Consequently, many teams, including top programs like Cal and USC, feature starting lineups with a majority of international players. This contributes to a high level of play and reflects the global nature of the sport.
5. What is the Fall Premier League, and what is its purpose?
The Fall Premier League is a newly established Masters water polo league in Southern California. It aims to provide competitive playing opportunities for adult players during the fall, bridging the gap between summer and winter seasons. The league also helps players stay in shape and motivated during the off-season.
6. How will the reduction in roster sizes affect NCAA men’s water polo?
Starting next fall, NCAA men’s water polo rosters will be reduced from 30 to 24 players. This 16% cut is expected to create a ripple effect, potentially leading to more competitive opportunities at lower levels, like the Fall Premier League, as players seek playing time.
7. What are UCSD’s team goals for the upcoming season?
UCSD is particularly focused on improving their 6-on-5 conversion percentage. They recognize the importance of capitalizing on these scoring opportunities, especially with the evolving rules of the game.
8. What are the key upcoming games to watch in the WCC and Big West conferences?
Mark your calendars for these exciting matchups:
- October 11th: UOP vs. San Jose State
- October 11th: UCSD vs. UCI
- October 15th: Pepperdine vs. UCI
These conference games will be crucial in determining the pecking order and setting the stage for exciting postseason play.
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YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS THIS EPISODE OF WATER POLO WEDNESDAY
On tonight’s episode of Water Polo Wednesday, we feature a Water Polo Wednesday EXCLUSIVE interview with Coach James Graham of UOP and we ask the question everyone has been talking about: “What is up with your scheduling?!?!?!”
Tune in to hear this and a ton more on this episode of Water Polo Wednesday, dont forget to follow!
YouTube or Spotify
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That podcast was amazing. Loved the James Graham interview and the information unearthed.
Selfishly, his advancing of the argument that if you did a blind test and took the names of the schools off the top five, then why shouldn’t Fordham be the top seed was great (and should lead to a lengthy message board discussion here)!
Up next on Water Polo Wednesday, we’ve got a Bob Nealy Memorial Cup update, a recap of games, a breakdown of Pepperdine and UCSD, a preview of the upcoming final week of the regular season and, of course, a great guest, this time from the US Naval Academy on this Veterans Day special episode!
YouTube or Spotify
As an aside, next week we will be releasing 5 episodes, one for each major conference, each with a breakdown of the specific conference and guests from that conference to discuss their upcoming tournament. Enjoy the latest episode and stay tuned for more great content!
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First, I definitely appreciate you guys doing this podcast. I think the response you’ve received is a reflection of the passion the water polo community has here in the US.
Obviously, we love talking polo!!!
Quick question though: are you guys going to continue podding after the Men’s Collegiate Season is over? I know it’s a lot of work for you guys, but selfishly, I hope not!
In the meantime, looking forward to the conference breakdowns.
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Yeah, it would be great to keep this going, maybe shift your focus from college to club and cover some of the big tournaments?
We hope to! Working on that concurrently with our upcoming episodes and all that’s going on. We’d love to be able to cover the women’s ncaa season and are working towards that but want to make sure we do it right and not haphazardly!
Appreciate all the support and stay tuned for the conference breakdown episodes!
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Hello, everyone. Here is the upcoming Conference Breakdown Release Schedule:
Northeast - Sunday evening
Mid-Atlantic - Monday evening
BigWest - Tuesday evening
WCC - Wednesday evening
MPSF - Thursday evening
You wont want to miss these episodes as they’re chalk full of data points, player and coach interviews, and predictions as well as some never before discussed inside intel on regular season scheduling.
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It’s amazing, check it out!
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Big ups to the WPW crew!
It occurred to me while watching, that this might be the most airtime with “the public” these college coaches/players have ever had; perhaps outside of the 2 minute interview with the coaches after NCAA finals on ESPN!
With NCAA water polo as the pinnacle of our sport in the USA - excepting for a couple weeks every four years - it’s both informative and entertaining to hear from these coaches and players in this way.
Grateful to you guys for creating this cool content.
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Awesome episode yesterday!!! Loved the interviews with all the Fordham players!
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Great effort guys. Keep them coming!
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