SMC Men’s Water Polo Wraps Up a Challenging but Breakthrough Season
The Santa Monica College Men’s Water Polo team closed out their season with an 8–20 record, one that doesn’t fully reflect the growth, resilience, and breakthroughs the squad experienced over the past few months. With only eight players available for the first stretch of games, the team found themselves playing from behind early. The slow start, caused largely by low roster numbers, made the season an uphill battle.
Ideally, a water polo roster carries 18–20 athletes. With less than half of that, training intensity, rotations, and stamina all became tougher to manage. Still, the group refused to let the numbers define them. As the season progressed, the players developed stronger habits, better communication, and a work ethic that coach Brian says will pay off going into next year.
“This season was about building habits and a strong foundation,” Coach Brian explained. “It was challenging, but it was also really rewarding to watch how much this group grew.”
One of the biggest storylines of the year was the addition of Marco, who made history as the first woman to join the SMC men’s water polo team. With the women’s program unfortunately cut this season due to low numbers, Marco still wanted the chance to compete and she quickly proved she belonged.
Coach Brian admitted he wasn’t sure at first how the team would react, but the players welcomed her immediately. “She showed everyone what she could do the moment she got in the pool,” he said. Marco made a strong impact as the season went on, becoming a key contributor in some of the team’s most competitive games. Her performance was especially important in SMC’s win over Citrus College, the game many consider the highlight of the season, after the Corsairs had lost to Citrus earlier in the year.
Marco’s breakout effort earned her a nomination for Athlete of the Month, a moment she described as “an unbelievable honor.” Having not grown up playing sports, she used that as motivation to push herself. She said she focused on becoming a better version of herself every day, and her hard work paid off.
Looking back, Coach Brian described this year as “a truly great underdog story.” Despite the record, the team showed grit, progress, and heart qualities that set the tone for a stronger, deeper squad next season. And with the habits built this year, the Corsairs are poised to come back even better.
Looking foward, the waterpolo team is building on their strong returning group: Kenji Gonzalez, Ronan Mayens, Tomozo Hotta, Emeric Vercouter, Edgar Mendoza, Max Siemons, Roman Fusco Martinez, Ricardo Mendoza
The waterpolo team was recognized for outstanding performances in and out of the pool by the WSC listed below:
First Team Honors: Ronan Mayens and Mac Mckinney
Second Team Honors: Kenji Gonzalez and Landon Ito
Honorable Mentions: Masao Gonzalez and Daine Lira