Friday, August 28
San Diego, CA
12:10 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
UC Santa Barbara
Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
MWP | No. 20 Saint Mary’s Set for Historic Debut at Triton Invitational
8/25/2026 1:00:00 PM | Men's Water Polo
MORAGA, Calif. — History is just days away, as the Saint Mary's men's water polo team prepares to make its official debut this weekend at the Triton Invitational.
The Gaels will appear in six matches, with two on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Invitational marks the beginning of the team's inaugural season, with Saint Mary's set to compete for the first time in program history.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. No. 15 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Friday, August 28 at 12:10 p.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. No. 2 USC Trojans
Friday, August 28 at 5:30 p.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. No. 1 UCLA Bruins
Saturday, August 29 at 9:20 a.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. No. 7 Long Beach State Beach
Saturday, August 29 at 1:20 p.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Bucknell Bison
Sunday, August 30 at 9:20 a.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Mercyhurst Lakers
Sunday, August 30 at 12:00 p.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
GAELS OUTLOOK
Making History…
As the Gaels head into their games this weekend, they enter the history books for Saint Mary's athletics as the first-ever Gaels men's water polo team. Head coach James Lathrop, along with assistant coach Jamie Steingraf, spent the past year building the program's inaugural roster. The team features athletes from across California and the United States, along with international talent from Italy, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Canada.
Gaels enter Season Ranked No. 20…
Saint Mary's enters the inaugural season already receiving national recognition after being ranked No. 20 in the 2026 CWPA Preseason Poll. The Gaels are one of eight West Coast Conference programs represented in the top 20 and will face 14 of the 20 nationally ranked teams throughout the first season of competition.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
The Gaels will be tested early in their inaugural campaign, facing six different opponents across the three-day Triton Invitational. Four of Saint Mary's six matchups will come against teams ranked in the CWPA Preseason Poll, with three programs within the top ten.
Saint Mary's will face UC Santa Barbara first on Friday afternoon. The Gauchos enter the 2026 season ranked No. 15 in the CWPA Preseason Poll after finishing the 2025 campaign with a 17-14 record to place second in the Big West Conference. The Gaels will then take on No. 2 ranked USC in the evening. The Trojans are coming off a 23-4 campaign which ranked them second in the MPSF.
On Saturday, the Gaels will begin the day facing the No. 1 ranked team in the UCLA Bruins, who earned the 2025 NCAA Championship Title after defeating USC. The Bruins finished 27-2 last season, falling only to USC during the regular season and in the MPSF Championship. Saint Mary's will then battle No. 7 Long Beach State, who finished atop 2025 Big West Conference standings with a record of 17-9.
To close out the Triton Invitational, the Gaels will face Bucknell who finished last season 12-16, before taking on Mercyhurst in the final game of the weekend. The Lakers closed the 2025 campaign with a 2-23 overall record.
Saint Mary's will begin the action on Friday, August 28 at 12:10 p.m. All games will be streamed live on Overnght and more information can be found at smcgaels.com.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
The Gaels will appear in six matches, with two on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Invitational marks the beginning of the team's inaugural season, with Saint Mary's set to compete for the first time in program history.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. No. 15 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Friday, August 28 at 12:10 p.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. No. 2 USC Trojans
Friday, August 28 at 5:30 p.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. No. 1 UCLA Bruins
Saturday, August 29 at 9:20 a.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. No. 7 Long Beach State Beach
Saturday, August 29 at 1:20 p.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Bucknell Bison
Sunday, August 30 at 9:20 a.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
No. 20 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Mercyhurst Lakers
Sunday, August 30 at 12:00 p.m.
Canyonview Aquatic Center – San Diego, Calif.
WATCH
GAELS OUTLOOK
Making History…
As the Gaels head into their games this weekend, they enter the history books for Saint Mary's athletics as the first-ever Gaels men's water polo team. Head coach James Lathrop, along with assistant coach Jamie Steingraf, spent the past year building the program's inaugural roster. The team features athletes from across California and the United States, along with international talent from Italy, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Canada.
Gaels enter Season Ranked No. 20…
Saint Mary's enters the inaugural season already receiving national recognition after being ranked No. 20 in the 2026 CWPA Preseason Poll. The Gaels are one of eight West Coast Conference programs represented in the top 20 and will face 14 of the 20 nationally ranked teams throughout the first season of competition.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
The Gaels will be tested early in their inaugural campaign, facing six different opponents across the three-day Triton Invitational. Four of Saint Mary's six matchups will come against teams ranked in the CWPA Preseason Poll, with three programs within the top ten.
Saint Mary's will face UC Santa Barbara first on Friday afternoon. The Gauchos enter the 2026 season ranked No. 15 in the CWPA Preseason Poll after finishing the 2025 campaign with a 17-14 record to place second in the Big West Conference. The Gaels will then take on No. 2 ranked USC in the evening. The Trojans are coming off a 23-4 campaign which ranked them second in the MPSF.
On Saturday, the Gaels will begin the day facing the No. 1 ranked team in the UCLA Bruins, who earned the 2025 NCAA Championship Title after defeating USC. The Bruins finished 27-2 last season, falling only to USC during the regular season and in the MPSF Championship. Saint Mary's will then battle No. 7 Long Beach State, who finished atop 2025 Big West Conference standings with a record of 17-9.
To close out the Triton Invitational, the Gaels will face Bucknell who finished last season 12-16, before taking on Mercyhurst in the final game of the weekend. The Lakers closed the 2025 campaign with a 2-23 overall record.
Saint Mary's will begin the action on Friday, August 28 at 12:10 p.m. All games will be streamed live on Overnght and more information can be found at smcgaels.com.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Sunday, August 23
Sunday, August 23
Thursday, August 20
Thursday, August 20
