Men’s Water Polo 2018 Update: Fighting to Extend the Season

The Water Polo program scored a big win in the offseason with the completion of the new Exercise Science and Wellness Center equipped with Olympic-sized pools. Unfortunately, that victory did not translate to victories during the season, as it took the men’s team 18 games to land in the win column.

Head coach Jorge Ortega admitted early in the season that he is more concerned with his team’s effort than wins and losses

“A successful season to me will not be defined by numbers, but from within us,” he said. “I expect us to play hard and be competitive in every game, no matter the score or result.”

With a high seed in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference tournament out of reach for the 1-18 Jaguars, Ortega said the team’s focus has turned to finishing strong and extending their season.

“The winner of that opening game against Miramar gets to play two more games, and the losing team is out of the tournament,” he said. “For us we are not ready to end the season with a loss.”

Though the program is not where they hoped to be, Ortega said he expects the new pool to ramp up recruiting for the Jags, hopefully setting them up for long-term success.

“I think the pool helps because we are going to play before the local high school games,” he said. “The way that I coach and the way we play, plus the new facilities will make this a place kids want to come and play. Not feel like I am asking them to, or they have to.”