Soda Aquatics Center at Campolindo High School
MWP | Saint Mary’s Announces 2026 Inaugural Schedule
6/12/2026 11:05:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
MORAGA, Calif. — Just a few months ahead of the start of the first season in program history, the Saint Mary's men's water polo program has officially released its inaugural schedule for the 2026 campaign. The Gaels are set to begin competition at the end of August, led by head coach James Lathrop and assistant coach Jamie Steingraf, as they look to make an immediate impact in the inaugural season.
Here's a look at the full schedule, and some key games to keep an eye on:
TRITON INVITATIONAL (Aug. 28-30)
Friday, Aug. 28 vs. TBD
Saturday, Aug. 29 vs. TBD
Sunday, Aug. 30 vs. TBD
Sunday, Sep. 6 vs. Whittier
PRINCETON INVITATIONAL (Sep. 11-13)
Friday, Sep. 11 at Princeton
Saturday, Sep. 12 vs. Wagner
Saturday, Sep. 12 vs. Mount St. Mary's
Sunday, Sep. 13 vs. Bucknell
Thursday, Sep. 24 at Cal
Saturday, Sep. 26 vs. West Valley
Saturday, Oct. 3 at San José State
Saturday, Oct. 3 at UC Santa Barbara
Friday, Oct. 9 vs. *LMU
Friday, Oct. 16 vs. *Air Force
Saturday, Oct. 17 vs. *Pacific
JULIAN FRASER TOURNAMENT (Oct. 23-25)
Friday, Oct. 23 vs. Bucknell
Saturday, Oct. 24 vs. Pomona-Pitzer
Sunday, Oct. 25 vs. Harvard
Friday, Oct. 30 at *Santa Clara
Sunday, Nov. 1 at * UC Davis
Friday, Nov. 6 vs. *Pepperdine
Sunday, Nov. 8 at *San José State
Saturday, Nov. 14 at *UC San Diego
TOURNAMENT TRIALS
Saint Mary's will compete in three tournaments throughout its opening season. The Gaels begin the year down south at the Triton Invitational hosted by UC San Diego. Following their home opener, Saint Mary's will travel east for a four-match stretch at the Princeton Invitational, testing themselves against a strong national field. Later in the season, the Gaels will return to the Bay Area to compete in the Julian Fraser Tournament, co-hosted by Santa Clara and San José State.
HOME DEBUT
Following their first tournament, the Gaels will return to Moraga to open the season at home at the Soda Aquatics Center as they host Whittier College, which went 6-6 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2025. The matchup will be a familiar one for Ethan Klerck, Noah Bigara, and Zander Ortiz Montoya, who spent the 2025 season competing for the Poets. The Gaels will also host an additional five home contests between non-conference and WCC opponents at the Soda Aquatics Center.
WEST COAST CONFERENCE PLAY
Saint Mary's will open WCC play with a three-game homestand starting with LMU, who went 3-3 in conference play last season. The Gaels will then take on Air Force before closing out the homestand against reigning WCC Champions Pacific.
Just under two weeks later, Saint Mary's will travel to the South Bay to face Santa Clara as well as UC Davis to close out the weekend. The Aggies will also be entering their first season of West Coast Conference competition after previously competing in the Big West Conference, where they went 3-2 last season and finished eleventh in the RPI rankings.
The Gaels will close out WCC play hosting Pepperdine before traveling to San José State, who finished second in the WCC last season with an overall record of 14-8.
Tickets will be available in early July. Additional ticket and schedule information can be found at smcgaels.com.
#GaelsRise
Here's a look at the full schedule, and some key games to keep an eye on:
TRITON INVITATIONAL (Aug. 28-30)
Friday, Aug. 28 vs. TBD
Saturday, Aug. 29 vs. TBD
Sunday, Aug. 30 vs. TBD
Sunday, Sep. 6 vs. Whittier
PRINCETON INVITATIONAL (Sep. 11-13)
Friday, Sep. 11 at Princeton
Saturday, Sep. 12 vs. Wagner
Saturday, Sep. 12 vs. Mount St. Mary's
Sunday, Sep. 13 vs. Bucknell
Thursday, Sep. 24 at Cal
Saturday, Sep. 26 vs. West Valley
Saturday, Oct. 3 at San José State
Saturday, Oct. 3 at UC Santa Barbara
Friday, Oct. 9 vs. *LMU
Friday, Oct. 16 vs. *Air Force
Saturday, Oct. 17 vs. *Pacific
JULIAN FRASER TOURNAMENT (Oct. 23-25)
Friday, Oct. 23 vs. Bucknell
Saturday, Oct. 24 vs. Pomona-Pitzer
Sunday, Oct. 25 vs. Harvard
Friday, Oct. 30 at *Santa Clara
Sunday, Nov. 1 at * UC Davis
Friday, Nov. 6 vs. *Pepperdine
Sunday, Nov. 8 at *San José State
Saturday, Nov. 14 at *UC San Diego
TOURNAMENT TRIALS
Saint Mary's will compete in three tournaments throughout its opening season. The Gaels begin the year down south at the Triton Invitational hosted by UC San Diego. Following their home opener, Saint Mary's will travel east for a four-match stretch at the Princeton Invitational, testing themselves against a strong national field. Later in the season, the Gaels will return to the Bay Area to compete in the Julian Fraser Tournament, co-hosted by Santa Clara and San José State.
HOME DEBUT
Following their first tournament, the Gaels will return to Moraga to open the season at home at the Soda Aquatics Center as they host Whittier College, which went 6-6 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2025. The matchup will be a familiar one for Ethan Klerck, Noah Bigara, and Zander Ortiz Montoya, who spent the 2025 season competing for the Poets. The Gaels will also host an additional five home contests between non-conference and WCC opponents at the Soda Aquatics Center.
WEST COAST CONFERENCE PLAY
Saint Mary's will open WCC play with a three-game homestand starting with LMU, who went 3-3 in conference play last season. The Gaels will then take on Air Force before closing out the homestand against reigning WCC Champions Pacific.
Just under two weeks later, Saint Mary's will travel to the South Bay to face Santa Clara as well as UC Davis to close out the weekend. The Aggies will also be entering their first season of West Coast Conference competition after previously competing in the Big West Conference, where they went 3-2 last season and finished eleventh in the RPI rankings.
The Gaels will close out WCC play hosting Pepperdine before traveling to San José State, who finished second in the WCC last season with an overall record of 14-8.
Tickets will be available in early July. Additional ticket and schedule information can be found at smcgaels.com.
#GaelsRise
Monday, June 01
Sunday, May 31
Sunday, May 31
Saturday, May 30
