Day 2 of the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championships. By Danielle Boyle Melman

As I sit here reflecting on the past weekend, I cannot help but think how lucky I am to have experienced the 2014 NCAA Men’s Water Polo Final Four Championships at my alma mater, UC San Diego, where I also work. Although this is my third water polo Final Four, this time was a little different. Before I begin to reflect on my personal experience as a Final Four spectator and worker, let’s get to the most important part: the results.

Both semi-final games were intense match-ups, but especially in the second game.

In semi-final number one, UC San Diego faced a very experienced and powerful UCLA team, where the Bruins prevailed 15-6. UC San Diego came out playing hard, ending the first quarter only down by 1. The second quarter was a different story: the Bruins had an explosive offense, outscoring UC San Diego 6-2 and leading 8-3 at the half. UCLA ultimately won 15-6, earning a trip to the championship game.

In Semi-Final number two, USC beat Stanford after two overtime periods and one sudden death period.

Stanford controlled the first half, leading 7-5. But the magic of USC kicked in. The Trojans outscored the Cardinal 3-1 in the third quarter, and tied the game up with 14 seconds left of regular time. Two overtime periods later, the score was still tied.

In collegiate water polo, after two three minute overtime periods, the game is decided by sudden death. With 5 seconds left of the first sudden death period, USC Senior Kostas Genidounias (Athens, Greece) scored from the outside to lift USC to a win, earning their 10^th trip in a row to the NCAA Final Championship game. I have seen a lot of water polo but this was one of the most exciting games I have ever watched.

The UCLA Bruins celebrating their 9th NCAA Men’s Water Polo championship. By Danielle Boyle Melman

The next day, Stanford had an easy time with UC San Diego in the third place game, winning 20-11. The championship game, however, did not fail to bring drama, intensity and a passion you only see in collegiate sports.

UCLA came out blazing for three solid quarters, earning a three goal lead holding USC standout Genidounias to no goals.

But USC came blazing into the fourth quarter, scoring three goals in a row to tie the game. With 34 seconds remaining, and the score still tied, UCLA sophomore Gordon Marshall (Newcastle, Australia) fired a shot from inside to lift the Bruins to a 9-8 lead. Great UCLA defense on the next USC possession concluded the game, giving UCLA its ninth NCAA Men’s Water Polo title and 112^th NCAA championship in university history.

But intertwined with the crowning of the national champion, an NCAA National Championship weekend celebrates much more than the first place team. It honors the spirit of the student-athlete. It celebrates the sport and the community hosting the event. It recognizes the spectator, participant and volunteer. Everyone has the opportunity to share in the student-athletes playing for their teammates, for their university, for their families, for their high school, for their club coaches, and never for themselves. The student-athletes’ hearts are on out on display for all to experience  – and it is a feeling like none other.

UC San Diego Tritons take home a NCAA Men’s Water Polo 4th place finish. By Danielle Boyle Melman

Some of that emotion and heart is seen before the championship play even begins. In the spirit of the student-athlete, the National Championship Finals includes an award the NCAA hands out in every sport, in every division: the Elite 89 Award.

The Elite 89 Award is given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating in the NCAA Championship Finals. There are 89 NCAA final championships; hence the 89. This year the NCAA honored Stanford junior BJ Churnside – an electrical engineering major holding a 3.786 GPA. Churnside not only excels in the classroom, but in the pool as well: he earned All-American accolades his freshman and sophomore year, and is ranked third on the team for goals this season. Churnside was celebrated at the student-athlete banquet Friday night, and it was a touching moment. Because this award truly embodies the spirit of the student-athlete, it was moving to see him honored in front of his peers and the water polo community. I couldn’t help but think – this is why I got into collegiate athletics.

That theme resonated with me throughout the whole weekend. I am so fortunate to be a part of the growth and development of young adults through collegiate athletics. Being an athletic administrator allows me to have a positive impact on our student-athletes, providing support and guidance through the highs and lows — almost reliving my collegiate career through the eyes of these athletes.

As the championship weekend came to a close, I couldn’t help but be so proud of all student-athletes who participated, my athletics department, UC San Diego and the community who came together to celebrate and champion the collegiate student-athlete!

It was a great collegiate season for men’s water polo and I enjoyed bringing my perspective of the game.  For those who are excited about their next, or first water polo game, you don’t have to wait a whole year for the men’s season to start back up…the women’s collegiate season is just around the corner with the first sprint in January!

Canyonview Aquatics Center-home of the 2014 NCAA Men’s Water Polo Final Four.

I am often asked how good my college team was when I played water polo at UC San Diego. Sometimes I say that my Tritons made it to our conference championship finals (but leave out the part where we lost to Loyola Marymount three years in a row by only one goal each year). If I really want to impress people, I tell them we made it to the elite eight of the NCAA tournament.  If I want to keep it simple, I say we finished ranked 8^th nationally in NCAA Division 1. All answers are completely accurate. But why so many answers to such a simple question?

Unlike most NCAA collegiate sports where a championship tournament consists of at least 16 teams, water polo takes an nontraditional approach to the NCAA Championships. The Men’s NCAA Championships consists of only four teams, while the Women’s NCAA Championships consist of eight teams (only four teams when I played in the early 2000’s.) Collegiate water polo does not have 1^st rounds and 2^nd rounds in tournament championship play. Water polo jumps right into the final four for the men, and the elite eight for the women.  You will see two “play-in” games for each gender; but those games are simply seen as just that: a game to qualify for the NCAA Championships. The play-in game losers are not recognized by the NCAA as a team that qualified for the championships.

So how does a team qualify for the NCAA Water Polo Championships? It’s simple: you win your conference, you earn an automatic qualifier…to compete for a spot in the finals. The men have four conferences, each owning an AQ. The women have seven conferences, six of which own AQs. In addition, there are two at-large berths on the men’s side, and four on the women’s side. Because water polo is a national collegiate sport, all divisions are represented in the championships. Like mainstreamed sports, if you fail to come home with a conference title, you have a chance at receiving an at-large berth.

With the 2014 NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championships this weekend, play-in games have taken place and the final four teams are set for the championship tournament: UCLA, Stanford, USC and UC San Diego. With all games being held at my alma mater UC San Diego, semi-finals will take place on Saturday, December 6^th, with the championship game and the third place game taking place on Sunday, December 7^th (water polo is a sport that actually plays out the tournament to determine all placing’s).

You must be wondering if, as a student-athlete, I was ever upset that there were limited spots in the national championship tournament. Sure, I would have liked to play in the tournament. But being upset was merely a way to get through the loss to LMU…three years in a row. The bottom line is although water polo is unique sport on many levels — specifically championship play — it does not differ in the fact that you simply have to be the best to make it to the final championship game.

The collegiate student-athlete experience is not only about qualifying for NCAA’s. It’s more than that. It’s about working the hardest you have ever worked before with 16 close friends at your side, experiencing victory and defeat together, learning how to juggle earning a degree and playing at a high level of competition, all while becoming a well-rounded, successful individual that will have a positive impact on society…playing in the NCAA Championships is just really good icing on the cake.

The 2014 NCAA Men’s Water Polo Final Four Championships will be held December 6-7, 2014 at Canyonview Pool on the campus of UC San Diego. Four of the best teams in men’s collegiate water polo will gather to determine the national champion. 

This past weekend was conference championship tournament time for all NCAA men’s water polo teams. Similar to most conference tournaments of any sport, the winner receives an automatic berth to compete in the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championships. This year’s are December 6-7 at Canyonview Pool on the campus of UC San Diego.  I was able to watch both the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (think PAC-12) championship game between Stanford and Long Beach State, as well as the Western Water Polo Association (think Big West meets the WCC) championship game between UC San Diego and Loyola Marymount. With Stanford and UC San Diego prevailing, both games were competitive and the athleticism was outstanding!

When watching any team play, I always pull up the rosters, secretly hoping for central coast representation. But I am constantly seeing is a trend that has been occurring in water polo the past five years: more and more international student-athletes playing at the collegiate level.

Water is one of the most popular sports in Europe: on a recent trip to Greece, water polo balls were found being sold at beach stores to be used at nearby beaches.

The top four teams in NCAA Men’s Water Polo right now include Stanford, Long Beach State, UCLA and USC. These four teams combine a total of 13 international student-athletes (Long Beach State features the most: seven). Although two of the 13 student-athletes hail from Australia and Brazil, an overwhelming majority of them come from Europe. So why all the international play — specifically European play — in the NCAA Water Polo landscape?

The popularity of water polo in Europe is unbelievable!  In some eastern European countries, it is the most popular sport to its countrymen. They play, live and breathe water polo.  Part of the reason water polo is so popular is because it can be played professionally throughout Europe. Similar to our professional sports leagues, Europe is home to the LEN Champions League (Ligue Europeenne de Natation), consisting of professional teams from up to 18 countries. It is an incredibly competitive league where the best of the best play. You must be of the highest caliber to be a member of a team (Olympic and/or national team status representing your home country).

Many young European players have the opportunity to play in this professional league, or alternatively in a lower U-19 level (equivalent to minor league baseball). Only the top young talented athletes play on the professional level; however, if you don’t make the professional cut, and you are young and want to continue to play, there is nowhere to go. These young athletes do not have a European university system that provides opportunities for athletes to train and become a better player before heading back into the international scene. We are seeing an increase in International student-athletes because our collegiate athletic system is exactly what they need and want: a high level training ground that promotes athletic growth, a healthy well-balanced life-style, as well as educational opportunities.

The Arroyo Grande High School Girls Water Polo Team embracing international integration by traveling to Italy in the Summer of 2013.

The influx of international student-athletes is seen on both the men’s and women’s side of collegiate water polo. As a player did I think this was unfair? Well, it definitely changed the landscape of collegiate water polo. The level of play increased dramatically when international student-athletes, many of whom were current Olympians or junior national team members for their country, played on college teams. But, my teammates and I tried to stay positive and embraced it. By playing against international student-athletes, they were just making me and my teammates better water polo players.

Many teams are also embracing the international integration. In the summer of 2013, Coach Steven Allen of Arroyo Grande High School took his Lady Eagles to Italy for two weeks of training, competition and culture. His goal was to bridge the gap between the United States style of play and the European way, exposing his athletes to a different way of training and game execution. The young athletes learned a fast paced style of the game, including a swim speed that is not often seen on the central coast. But most importantly, they learned the local culture at a deeper level than just seeing the sites or playing against a foreign team. The athletes were completely submerged into the culture, even residing with local Italian water polo families during their two weeks. They came home with a heightened appreciation for another culture and learned to value the international differences in the water and out.

So why is water polo extremely popular in Europe but has a difficult time holding its own in the United States? Well, it’s up for debate. My opinion: the lack of our professional sports in Europe, such as football, basketball and baseball, allows for Olympic sports to gain exposure. But, with increased television exposure of water polo (thank you NBC and PAC-12 network) along with the live-streaming of many collegiate and even high school championships, water polo in the United States is surpassing other Olympic sports. I don’t think it will ever be as popular as it is overseas, but it is certainly gaining momentum.

The 2014 NCAA Men’s Water Polo Final Four Championships will be held December 6-7, 2014 at Canyonview Pool on the campus of UC San Diego. Four of the best teams in men’s collegiate water polo will gather to determine the national champion. 

A few years ago, I married a sports nut. But he’s not the typical sports nut who only cheers for his teams and the sports he likes to watch or play. My husband is an ultra-crazy sports nut: one who appreciates all different types of sports, never discriminating between male and female, mainstream and Olympic, professional, college, high school and age group. My husband is open to watching and supporting anything that falls in the realm of athletics — anything. It’s actually the best type of sports nut to marry.

When Dave and I first started dating in 2008, he was quickly thrown into the world of water polo. He had seen a few high school games prior to meeting me, but it was limited exposure. His first game experience with me was a UC San Diego alumni game, where he was lucky enough to meet my closest friends (all former Triton teammates) and see us relive our glory days. Maybe it wasn’t the best environment to expose a new boyfriend to, but he clearly had no idea what he was getting himself into…especially witnessing my aggressive style of play.

Lucky for me Dave was still on the pool deck after that first game, and as our relationship progressed, Dave accompanied me to many more water polo games at UC San Diego. Always willing to go to the pool and learn the game, Dave showed an amazing appreciation for the sport and the work that goes into training for a game and a season. I felt lucky that I found someone who genuinely cared the same about the sport that I love.

But, truth be told, you don’t have to be an ultra-crazy sports nut to love watching water polo: the intensity and athleticism of the game alone will captivate you. 

Water polo, in my opinion, is one of the most fan-friendly sports to watch. Games are about an hour long (compared to a basketball game that can last up to two hours, or a football game that is pushing three. Don’t even talk to me about baseball!)

Collegiate games are comprised of four, eight minute quarters, with a two minute break between quarters, and a five minute break at half time. The game is fast paced thanks to a 30 second shot clock, always challenging the athletes to pass and shoot quickly. The swimming is impressive and the athleticism these athletes portray would be difficult to achieve on land, let alone in 15 feet of water.

The game might be confusing at first (in the words of my husband “I have no idea what just happened.”) Whistles are blown every five seconds, hundreds of ordinary fouls are called, and players get ejected for unknown reasons to the untrained eye. In addition, the sport has also adopted rules that seem unnatural to any sport: if a defender shot blocks a shot on the goal, the ball is rewarded to the defense (where as in most sports, last person to touch the ball is penalized, and the ball is rewarded the other team-usually the offense.) Amongst all the quirks and confusion to the game of water polo, however, the great thing is fans know when an athlete steals the ball, when a great pass takes place, and when a goal is scored. Fans know when a team is playing well and winning, and they can feel the energy on the pool deck.

I am lucky enough to have a career in collegiate athletics, where I witness students coming to Canyonview Pool at UC San Diego every year to watch their very first water polo game. These students, many of whom are not well versed in athletics to begin with, turn into ultra-crazy fans by the end of the game. They don’t know why there was a foul, or why someone got kicked out, but they feel the energy of the players. They see the intensity in the student-athlete’s eyes, are in awe of their physique, and can’t believe the athletic moves they are seeing. They leave recharged and ready for the next game, because for the whole 60 minutes they never took their eyes off the pool.

If you get an opportunity, I challenge you to go watch a water polo game. Whether it is at the high school level, or on the Pac-12 network, watch for at least a quarter. I can’t promise that you will understand everything that is going on, but I can promise you that you will enjoy 60 minutes of a sport that shows a heightened level of athleticism and passion that you might not see every day. Just remember that being an ultra-crazy sport nut is not required; simply being a fan of sport is.

Editor’s Note: On December 6-7, the NCAA men’s water polo championships are being held at Canyonview Pool at my alma mater — UC San Diego. Having lived with a goalie on a Final Four team while in college and covered water polo at the UCSD Guardian while in school, the sport holds a special place for me. Watching what looked like guys basically drowning each other the entire game.

So, with the Final Four coming up, I’ve asked a fellow Triton and former Arroyo Grande Eagle — Danielle Boyle Melman — to get us warmed-up for the upcoming Final Four by helping fans understand a little more about the sport that I think might be the most underrated one out there. – OM

Danielle Boyle Melman (with the ball) winds up during the 2003 WWPA championships.

Water polo: a fast action sport frequently compared to an alligator feeding frenzy from a spectator’s viewpoint. Above water, fans witness rigorous swimming, a flawlessly-passed ball that rarely touches the water, treading of water that appears as if the pool is only three feet deep, and the intensity of athletes playing their heart out for four, eight minute quarters. I love this game. But what many fans don’t realize is what happens under water, stays under water.

The game of water polo is different than most Olympic sports in the fact that it can only be assessed by referees who are positioned on the pool deck. Referees call appropriate fouls when above waterline play is deemed unjust and does not uphold the 179 rules FINA and USA Water Polo established for the sport. Everything that happens out of the water is seen and judged by referees. But do you ever wonder what goes on under water that cannot be managed by the referees or even held accountable by the fans when play is deemed unfair?

As a former age group, high school, collegiate, and now master’s water polo player, I have seen it all; I have experienced it all. After countess ripped water polo suits, four broken fingers, a handful of stitches, a few corneal abrasions, and bruises that seem like permanent body art, the question should be, what doesn’t go on underwater?

Water polo players endure kicks, punches, scratches and being held under water for what seems like eternity. We have all found ourselves swimming with a stronger kick than normal, hoping to fend off any opponents on our tail. We have found ourselves adding a few breaststrokes kicks, or perhaps positioning our bodies to gain leverage on the player we are defending. At the end of the game, the practice, the day, the fact of the matter is, what happens under the water, stays under the water…and for the most part, is all perfectly legal in the eyes of the sport.

My collegiate teammates would tell you I was one of the more “assertive” ones on our team. We played hard and aggressive; however, we were skilled at our craft and relied on our ability to pass, shoot and defend rather than our ability to kick, scratch and claw. The latter came with the game; the former was the foundation of being a successful teammate on a prosperous team. I am certainly guilty of giving black eyes to teammates, or dishing out “donkey kicks” during an intersquad practice, but that’s what we all signed up for; that is why we love the game.

Next time you find yourself watching a water polo game, try to keep a close eye on what is happening below the waterline. You might not see the punch, the kick, or the suit grab, but you might see that little pause in a counter attack, or that small athlete struggle as one athlete asserts themselves over another. Continue to have appreciation for the athleticism these athlete’s possess and the hard work it takes to train for the game of water polo; but now you know the secret to the game of water polo.

Danielle Boyle Melman played water polo at UCSD from 2000-2003. Her 60 assists in 2003 ranks second all-time at UCSD and her 101 career assists puts her in the career top-10 for the Tritons.