BERKELEY – The Cal men's water polo team will put a brief pause on its collegiate slate next week when it hosts the prestigious Italian club team, Pro Recco, in an exhibition match on Sept. 11 at Spieker Aquatics Complex.
 
The exhibition will start at 5 p.m. on Wednesday and is one of multiple matches Pro Recco will play throughout Northern California as it prepares for its upcoming professional season later this fall. The event is free and open to the public.
 
Based in Recco, Liguria, Italy, Pro Recco plays in Serie A1, the top Italian division. The club features some of the world's top players from Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia and Italy and is coached by Ratko Rudic, who led Yugoslavia to a pair of Olympic gold medals in 1984 and 1988 and Croatia to the 2012 Olympic gold medal.
 
Pro Recco has won 33 Italian League championships and 14 Coppa Italia titles, among numerous other Euroleague championships.
 
The Bears – who open the 2019 collegiate season at the UC San Diego-hosted Triton Invitational this weekend – will host UC Davis and Pacific on Sept. 14 and Sept. 15, respectively, following the exhibition against Pro Recco.