UC Irvine Giving Day

The UC Irvine Athletics Mens Water Polo program has been a pillar of excellence since the university’s founding in the mid-1960s. Over the decades, the Anteaters have captured three National Championships, produced 16 Olympians, hundreds of All-Americans and All-Academic honorees, and a Cutino Award winner, cementing UC Irvine’s place among the nation’s elite programs. More recently, the program has continued its upward momentum—winning the inaugural Big West regular season and tournament championships in 2023 to secure its first NCAA Tournament berth in 30 years, followed by an undefeated Big West regular season and a second consecutive title in 2024.

Today’s student-athletes carry that tradition forward while pursuing diverse academic paths in fields such as medicine, engineering, business, public health, education, and sustainability. 2026 Giving Day provides an opportunity to invest directly in their success, with gifts supporting scholarships, travel, training resources, and essential program operations. Your support ensures these young Anteaters can compete at the highest level, represent UC Irvine with pride, and build lifelong bonds through the sport they love.

Thank you for being part of the Mens Water Polo family and for helping sustain a legacy of excellence on and off the pool deck.

Together We Zot - Mens Water Polo

As a result of the landmark settlement in the NCAA vs. House case, NCAA D1 institutions are entering a new era and now provide financial assistance to student-athletes as part of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) activities.

That's where Together We Zot comes in. The Together We Zot Fund is managed through the UC Irvine Foundation and is a 501(c)(3) organization. 

This initiative is a bold step forward. It's not just a donation — it's a targeted investment in the success of our student-athletes and the long-term strength of UC Irvine Athletics.

The Together We Zot - Mens Water Polo fund is exclusively dedicated to providing scholarships, room and board stipends, summer school, institutional licensing (NIL) directly to student-athletes, and Alston awards, ensuring UC Irvine stays at the forefront of innovation and impact in college sports.

Together We Zot is about more than just funding. It's a commitment to:

• Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent
• Maximizing each student-athlete's potential
• Keeping UC Irvine Athletics nationally competitive
• Providing transformational support as rules evolve

Mens Water Polo History of Success

UC Irvine Mens Water Polo program continued its tradition of offensive excellence in 2025 with one of the most productive seasons in program history. The Anteaters scored 364 goals across 27 matches, marking the second-highest single-season total all-time and trailing only the program-record 400 goals set the year prior. 

UC Irvine reached double-digit scoring in 22 of 27 contests, showcasing consistent firepower throughout the season. Leading the charge was sophomore Johann Thrall, who paced the team with 60 goals, further highlighting the program’s ability to develop elite offensive talent year after year.