BERKELEY – Just a few months removed from adding a 14^th national title to its storied history, the Cal men's water polo team and head coach Kirk Everist have announced the addition of seven incoming players for the 2017 season that will add talent and depth to the defending NCAA champions' roster.

The Bears will welcome a diverse group when it comes to position as well as hometown. Tamir Avital, Nikos Delagrammatikas, David Feingold, Ryan Hurst, Miles O'Brien-Schridde, Ethan Wojciechowski and Cameron Wright will look to integrate right away into a squad that returns a large portion of its title-winning group.

"This is a talented and balanced class," Everist said. "We are excited about the potential of this group to help us in 2017 and well into the future."

Read below for information on each incoming player

Tamir Avital
Center
Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar HS/CDM Polo
6-foot-6, 225 pounds

Three-year varsity letter winner at Corona del Mar HS…as a senior in 2016, earned All-CIF second team, All-Pacific Coast League first team and was named to the Newport-Mesa Drea Team…also in 2016, led Corona del Mar in scoring with 70 goals, served as team captain and helped the team reach the CIF quarterfinals…on the club level, competed for CDM Aquatics Federation and SoCal Water Polo Club…named a USA Water Polo JO All-American in 2015…member of the USAWP Youth National Team (2016) and Junior National Tea (2017)…competed in the 2017 USAWP National League.

Everist on Avital: "Tamir is an up and coming center in the US. He has great size and very good hands. We are looking forward to his addition to a very talented center position."
  Nikos Delagrammatikas
Defender
Athens, Greece/Vouliagmeni Nautical Club
6-foot-5, 205 pounds

Product of the legendary Vouliagmeni Nautical Club in Athens…In 2015-16, served as team captain for the under-19 team that took third at the Junior Championships…also placed second in the Men's Greek Water Polo league and second in the final four of the Greek Cup…in 2014-15, helped his club win the under-19 Junior Championships and place third in the under-17 division (team captain)…helped club win four titles from 2012-14…as a national team member in 2016, helped Greece place fifth at the European Championships and sixth at World Championships…in 2015, helped Greece take third at the Baku European Games.

Everist on Delagrammatikas: "Nikos brings a great deal of experience with him to Berkeley. He is a member of the Greek National Youth and Junior teams and is currently competing at the highest levels in the Greek National League. He is a very long defender with excellent offensive skills."

David Feingold
Defender
Palos Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes HS/Palos Verdes Water Polo Club
6-foot-2, 215 pounds

Native of West Chester, Penn. moved to Palos Verdes at age 9…began playing water polo in 2011 and played three years on varsity at Palos Verdes HS…Selected to the Bay League Team as well as the All-CIF team all three years, served as team captain as a senior and was named the league's Most Distinguished Player…as a sophomore, was chosen for the Cadet National Team…as a junior, competed at  the Junior Pan American Games for Team USA and brought home a silver medal…played for Long Beach Shore WP Club as well as Palos Verdes WP Club during high school.

Everist on Feingold: "David is big and strong defender. We graduated three senior defenders this year in Farrel (South), Thomas (Carroll) and Chandler (Jarrels) and we are looking to this class to compete to fill that void. David is physical on defense and has an excellent shooting arm."

Ryan Hurst
Defender
Costa Mesa, Calif./Huntington Beach HS/Vanguard
6-foot-3, 220 pounds

High school teammate of fellow Cal signee Ethan Wojciechowski was a four-year varsity letterman between Newport Harbor High School and Huntington Beach…helped Huntington Beach finish as CIF runner-up in 2016…named first team All-CIF in 2016…member of the Junior National Team…played for 2017 National League champion New York Athletic Club.
Everist on Hurst: "Ryan is one of the strongest players I have seen come out of high school recently. He is an extremely physical defender and is a very good outside shooter."

Miles O'Brien-Schridde
Left-Handed Attacker
Burbank, Calif./Loyola HS/Bruin Water Polo Club
6-foot-2, 180 pounds

Four-year varsity letterman in water polo and two-year varsity letterman in swimming at Loyola High School…as a senior in 2016, named All-CIF Division I Southern Section second team and All-Mission League first team…also earned the Captain's Award and was named Most Valuable Offensive player after helping Loyola go 23-7 and win the Mission League…as a junior, was named All-Mission League second team and earned the team's Most Inspirational Player award…also a two-year varsity letterman in swimming where he was a CIF Southern Section D-I quarterfinalist and three-time semifinals as part of the 2015 CIF Southern Section championship winning team…on the club level, played five years for Rose Bowl and finished in fourth place of the Junior Olympics 16-under division and second place at the Ironman Super Finals…also played for Bruin Water Polo Club…two-year Cadet National Team member and competed in the Darko Cucic Memorial Tournament in Serbia…two-time Academic All-American, is also the editor of Loyola's Windowpanes Art and Literary Magazine and a member of the Summa Cum Laude society.

Everist on O'Brien-Schridde: "Miles is a quick and crafty lefty with a very good sense of the game. He is a good finisher on the offensive end and is an excellent distributor of the ball."

Ethan Wojciechowski
Right-Handed Attacker
Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach HS/Vanguard
6-foot-3, 200 pounds

"Wojo" ended his career as a four-year starter at Huntington Beach High School…two-time Sunset League MVP was also a two-year varsity captain…On the club level, helped the Santa Barbara Polo Pals win gold in the 18-under division at the 2015 JO Championships…member of the 2013 USA Water Polo youth team that claimed silver in Argentina…also a tremendously accomplished swimmer and is the Huntington Beach HS record holder in both the 50 and 100 free…two-time Sunset League champion in the 50 and 100 free…anchor leg on the 2016 CIF Division I 200 free relay champion.

Everist on Wojciechowski: "Ethan is an extremely versatile and fast attacker. He has the ability to play on both sides of the pool. His length, quickness and end to end speed will make an immediate impact on our team."

Cameron Wright
Right-Handed Attacker
Davis, Calif./Davis HS/Davis Water Polo Club
6-foot, 180 pounds

Product of Davis High School started on the varsity level as a freshman…named first team All-American as a junior in 2015 and sixth team All-American as a sophomore in 2014…helped Davis High win a section title in 2013 and reach the final each of the next three years…on the club level, played for Davis Water Polo Club.

Everist on Wright: "Cameron is one of the smartest players I have seen come out of high school in a while. He is coaches' kid and he truly understands the game and has great fundamentals."