The No. 3 California men's water polo team will head to Southern California to participate in the highly competitive Overnght MPSF Invitational, hosted on the campuses of UCLA and USC.
 
The Golden Bears will join the field of 16 teams, including 14 ranked in the top 20 of the CWPA coaches poll. Cal – seeded third – will begin tournament play on Friday against 14th-seeded and 17th-ranked UC Santa Barbara at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center. Coverage will start at 3 p.m. PT on Overnght.
 
OVERNGHT MPSF INVITATIONAL
FRIDAY, SEPT. 19
No. 3 Cal vs. No. 14  UC Santa Barbara  | 3 PM PT | Livestream: Overnght
 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 20
No. 3 Cal vs. TBD | TBD | Livestream: Overnght
No. 3 Cal vs. TBD | TBD | Livestream: Overnght
 
SUNDAY, SEPT. 21
No. 3 Cal vs. TBD | TBD | Livestream: Overnght
 
IN THE RANKINGS
Through week two of the season, several Bears find themselves among the top 10 in the MPSF rankings. Beso Akhvlediani ranks tied for fourth in goals (22) and tied for seventh in points (30). Chase Wilson sits tied for eighth in goals (19) and tied for ninth in earned exclusions (10). Tomas Perrone is tied for sixth in steals (11). Goalkeeper Aran Pina has collected 62 saves, tied for second most, and has the sixth-highest save percentage (0.57). Patrik Kolak (5) and William Kelly (4) sit eighth and ninth, respectively, in sprint wins. Albert Ponferrada ranks tied for first in field blocks (6) while Kelly (4) sits tied for fourth.
 
GOLDEN SUCCESS
The Bears have won 17 NCAA championships, including three out of the last four, making Cal the winningest program in men's water polo history. During Kirk Everist's tenure as a head coach, he has been named the ACWPC National Coach of the Year five times (2006, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023), and the Bears have won six national championships (2006, 2007, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023) amid his 24 seasons at the helm. Last season, Cal earned four All-MPSF honors, led by first-team selection Max Casabella. George Avakian and Albert Ponferrada received second-team honors, while Jake Howerton was named an honorable mention.
 
FAMILIAR FACES
Cal returns 13 student-athletes from a season ago, including William Kelly, Bende Pardi and Nik Mirkovic, who each surpassed 20 goals during the 2024 season. Goalkeeper Riley Clansen returns after making an appearance in 14 games last season, registering 423 minutes and 87 saves. Senior Albert Ponferrada returns after totaling the second-most assists (48) in the MPSF during 2024. 
 
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The Bears welcomed 11 newcomers, including seven freshmen: Beso Akvlediani (attacker), Kai Inoue (attacker), Tomas Perrone (attacker), Aran Pina (goalkeeper), Gigo Sarimsakci (center), Patrick Stice (utility), and Milan Sumich (defender). The 2025 roster will also feature three transfers: Luke Bachler (attacker), Dominic Brown (center) and Chase Wilson (center), and one graduate student: Loui Schuler (utility).
 
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Cal men's water polo, follow the Bears on X/Twitter (@CalWaterPolo) and Instagram (@calmwaterpolo).