Trust the Process, WP Aims to Leave a Lasting Mark
By Francisco Claudio
The Westcliff men's water polo team has won championships in consecutive years, establishing itself as one of the university's top athletic programs.
However, last year was a particularly significant achievement as a whole, as the Warriors welcomed new head coach Erik Zimmerman just days before the start of the season.
Coach Zimmerman embraced the challenge and worked with the cards he was dealt. He helped the team finish with a respectable 11-18 record against a tough schedule leading up to the Cal Pac Tournament.
Afterward, the Warriors traveled to UC Merced to take part in the three-day postseason event involving Westcliff University, UC Merced, Cal Maritime, and OUAZ. The Warriors had an outstanding performance in the Cal Pac Tournament, winning the inaugural men's water polo Cal Pac title and securing a place in history.
"Taking the helm of a program with so few players was difficult, building it back up from one season to the next was a challenge," shared Zimmerman. "Learning from the constant obstacles has required patience and of course persistence, but the passion I have for my players, and this program makes it all worth it. The university and its administration have been really supportive."
With the full support of the Athletic Department, Zimmerman redirected his focus to recruiting for the upcoming season and expanding on the groundwork laid in the 2023 season.
He sought the best talent nationally and internationally, looking for individuals who embody Westcliff's 5Cs: Character, Culture, Community, Commitment, and Championships.
"We've come a long way from the limited numbers we had to 20 strong today," Zimmerman said. "Building a team that trusts the process, trusts each other, works exceptionally hard, and ultimately believes we can beat anyone is the type of player I'm looking for. We've got the most diverse program in the nation, representing more nations worldwide than any other team on any level.
"We're a global society, and I enjoy looking far and wide for talent."
The excitement isn't just for the new players making their debut as Warriors this season. It's also for the returning players who have another year of experience and are eager to be part of another special run.
There are nine returners: Aleksa Sisakovic, Manuel Augusto, Armin Jusztin, Andrej Maodus, Adam Hodi, Brock Kammerer, Giorgi Khizanishvili, Shako Khizanishvili, and new grad assistant Vincenzo Inguanta.
"Returners Sisakovic, Augusto, Jusztin, and newcomer Barnabas Vidovicsas will be keys to victory from game to game," Zimmerman said. "Leadership and consistency will be exceptionally important and I'm expecting big things from drivers Maodus, Hodi, and center defender Kammerer.
"Look for the Khizanishvili brothers, Shako and Giorgi to contribute as well. We're deep this year, and that's going to help us to be where we want to be."
Zimmerman has a perfect balance of returners from last year's Cal Pac Championship team and newcomers with a lot of talent ready to prove they belong on this roster. With the toughest schedule in the entire athletic department, water polo will undoubtedly take down some big names this year as it continues its success from last.
On the Warrior's schedule this season there are names like Cal State Long Beach, Pepperdine, UCSB, USC, LMU, UCLA, Princeton, UCI, and UCSD.
"Our schedule this season is the toughest we faced in the history of this program, as we will match up against more D1 opponents than ever." Zimmerman shared with us. "We've built a reputation, and a reputation is something you don't need to talk about but rather live up to. We are going to play every game this year with a championship mentality. We are going to shock some people."
Warrior fans will be able to catch many of the matches broadcasted live on ESPN+, including against No. 1 UCLA, No. 4 USC, No. 5 Princeton, No. 11 UC Santa Barbara, No. 13 Pepperdine, and No. 16 LMU.
"My vision for the future is that first and foremost there be continuity in the program," Zimmerman said. "We look to leave a lasting mark in collegiate water polo in 2024, competing at the highest level while expecting to not just win, but win the all-important last game of the year."
Westcliff's first match of the season will be the two-day Triton Invitational in La Jolla, California. Their conference matches will be on September 21st when they compete against UC Merced and Cal Maritime.
Stay informed about the water polo team by following their Instagram accounts: @westcliffu_waterpolo and @westcliffu_athletics.