Couldn’t have made it up, so we must decide it now
'Predictable' isn't a word one would utter when thinking about the Western Water Polo Association this year.
The preseason favorite is the bottom seed in the East. Two teams suffered consequential Senior Day losses that impacted their postseason positions. The top team in the East is going to play a semifinal against either the defending champion, or the 2023 champion.
All while the top team in the West arrives on the banks of Lake Erie with a consecutive-runner-up-monkey hanging on its back.
The 2025 WWPA Men's Championship kicks off Friday morning from SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.
Host and No. 1 East seed Gannon has already reached the semifinal, and will look to advance to the Final for the first time in program history. The Golden Knights, who won the East by virtue of Salem's win over McKendree at the Salem Invitational, won the East Region for the first time under third-year head coach Zarko Sadikovic.
The Golden Knights are waiting on one of two teams that are no strangers to one another, nor the WWPA Championship. No. 3 East seed Salem, the defending WWPA champion, faces off with No. 2 West seed Biola, the 2023 WWPA champion in Friday's quarterfinal (2pm ET).
The Tigers and Eagles played a barn-burning classic in the 2024 semifinal in Irvine, with Salem prevailing 19-18 en route to the program's first-ever final appearance. For those with hazy memories, even they'd be able to remember the intensity of the BU-SU match from a year ago.
On the other side of the bracket is No. 1 West seed Concordia, fresh off its back-to-back West Region titles, and who hold the unfortunate distinction of being a consecutive runner up in the conference tournament.
WWPA Coach of the Year Justin Johnson and the Golden Eagles await a McKendree-Fresno Pacific quarterfinal matchup (Friday, 12pm ET) that features two brand-new head coaches.
No. 2 East seed McKendree is seeking its second semifinal appearance in the last three seasons while No. 3 West seed Fresno Pacific looks to advance to the semifinals for the first time.
First-year WWPA program UC Merced, currently in the midst of its transition to full NCAA Division II status, will compete in four exhibition games on Friday and Saturday during the tournament.
So strap in. It's certain to be anything but predictable.
WWPA Network
All matches during the 2025 WWPA Men's Championship will be streamed live for free on thewwpa.com.
2025 WWPA Championship
Tickets now on sale!
November 21-23
SPIRE Aquatics Center | Geneva, Ohio
Hosted by Gannon University
WWPA All-Conference Teams
Twenty nine student-athletes were honored for their regular season performances on Wednesday. Concordia swept the individual awards in Pablo de Souza (Player of the Year), Hugo Wouters (Newcomer of the Year) and Justin Johnson (Coach of the Year). For the entire team, click here.
The Field
#1 East - Gannon (13-9, 3-1 WWPA)
The Golden Knights earned their first-ever East Region title after being picked to finish fourth in the WWPA in the preseason … They're led by two-time All-WWPA First Team selection Alexandros Kotskar, who became the program's all-time leading scorer earlier this year … All-WWPA selections Victor Volant (Second Team, All-Defensive), Bator Mahacsi (Second Team), Peter Markovic (Honorable Mention) and Nikiforos Liantziris (Honorable Mention) return to the fold … The Golden Knights beat Salem twice in conference play, but did fall in a non-conference affair.
#1 West - Concordia (19-12, 5-1 WWPA)
The Golden Eagles rallied for five straight wins in conference play after falling in its opener to Biola … CUI is anchored by WWPA Player of the Year Pablo de Souza and features WWPA Newcomer of the Year Hugo Wouters … de Souza, CUI's single-season record holder for saves, led the conference in saves, save percentage and goals against average … Wouters and Dimitrios Kortisas became the first freshmen to earn WWPA First Team since 2018 … Kai Young (Honorable Mention) and Porter Rosenlof (All-Defensive) were named All-WWPA.
#2 East - McKendree (11-11, 2-2 WWPA)
The Bearcats, originally picked to finish fifth in the WWPA, were in position to earn the East's top seed if not for a loss to Salem on the final day of conference play … Armand Le Goff became the Bearcats' first-ever All-WWPA First Team selection and was named Offensive Player of the Week twice … Yannick Robertson was named Second Team for the third year running … Alexandros Prokopis (Honorable Mention, All-Freshman) and Riccardo Vettore (All-Defensive) earned All-Conference.
#2 West - Biola (8-20, 4-2 WWPA)
Took the West Region lead midway through the conference slate, but an untimely loss at home against Fresno Pacific moved the 2023 winners down to the second seed … Graduate student Gavin McKenzie came on strong late in the year and earned First Team honors … They'll lean on the experience of Caleb Hernandez (Second Team), Joshua Dachenhausen (Honorable Mention) and Adam LaVoy (All-Defensive) … Noah Ryznar earned All-Freshman honors.
#3 East - Salem (15-14, 1-3 WWPA)
The Tigers are equipped with the conference's two leading scorers in Marko Zivojinovic and 2024 WWPA Newcomer of the Year Danko Kesic … Zivojinovic is a three-time First Team selection and multiple-time all-American … Freshman Nandor Voros was the only player to be named to three All-Conference teams (Honorable Mention, All-Defensive, All-Freshman) … The defending champion and the top overall seed in 2023 went on to beat McKendree on the final day of conference play which handed the East No. 1 seed to Gannon.
#3 West - Fresno Pacific (4-18, 2-4 WWPA)
The Sunbirds opened West Region play with a win over newcomer UC Merced and then dealt Biola a crucial blow on the road on the final weekend of conference play … Forrest Gray (Second Team), Chase Hammes (Honorable Mention) and Tristan Fox (All-Defensive) represented the Sunbirds on the All-Conference Team.
UC Merced (5-18, 1-5 WWPA)
The WWPA's newest member put together a historic season, surprising Fresno Pacific on the road to earn its first-ever conference victory … Andrew Jones (Second Team) and Christian Soto (All-Freshman) became the first Bobcats to earn All-Conference … Jones and goalkeeper Matthew Lloyd earned WWPA Player of the Week awards during the regular season.
WWPA Offensive Player of the Week
Biola's Gavin McKenzie ended the regular season on a high note with six goals over two matches. The graduate student scored five in a Senior Day win over UC Merced, a contest in which he also drew four exclusions. Twenty-four hours before, he drew six exclusions and scored against FPU.
Nominees: Kaliq Khan, Concordia; Gavin McKenzie, Biola; Danko Kesic, Salem; Christian Clark, Fresno Pacific; Andrew Jones, UC Merced
Aug. 25-31, 2025: Dimitrios Koritsas, Concordia
Sept. 1-7, 2025: Victor Volant, Gannon
Sept. 8-14: 2025: Andrew Jones, UC Merced
Sept. 15-21, 2025: Alexandros Kotskar, Gannon
Sept. 22-28, 2025: Armand Le Goff, McKendree
Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2025: Hugo Wouters, Concordia
Oct. 6-12, 2025: Victor Volant, Gannon
Oct. 13-19, 2025: Kai Young, Concordia
Oct. 20-26, 2025: Armand Le Goff, McKendree
Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2025: Alexandros Kotskar, Gannon
Nov. 3-9, 2025: Andrew Jones, UC Merced
Nov. 10-16, 2025: Gavin McKenzie, Biola
WWPA Defensive Player of the Week
Fresno Pacific goalkeeper Chase Hammes closed out the regular season with 19 saves over two matches in Southern California. In Friday's disruptive win over Biola, Hammes made eight saves, stole three balls and registered two assists. He shutout the Eagles in the final quarter and limited BU to 3-of-13 on the power play.
Nominees: Pablo de Souza, Concordia; Chase Hammes, Fresno Pacific; Matthew Lloyd, UC Merced
Aug. 25-31, 2025: Mateja Cerovic, Salem
Sept. 1-7, 2025: Pablo de Souza, Concordia
Sept. 9-14, 2025: Pablo de Souza, Concordia
Sept. 15-21, 2025: Nandor Voros, Salem
Sept. 22-28, 2025: Bator Mohacsi, Gannon
Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2025: Pablo de Souza, Concordia
Oct. 6-12, 2025: Chase Hammes, Fresno Pacific
Oct. 13-19, 2025: Joshua Dachenhausen, Biola
Oct. 20-26, 2025: Nandor Voros, Salem
Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2025: Pablo de Souza, Concordia
Nov. 3-9, 2025: Matthew Lloyd, UC Merced
Nov. 10-16, 2025: Chase Hammes, Fresno Pacific
2025 WWPA Preseason Poll
1. Salem 28 (4)
2. Concordia 27 (3)
3. Biola 20
4. Gannon 13
5. McKendree 9
6. Fresno Pacific 8
*UC Merced
*UC Merced will play a WWPA conference regular season schedule, but is ineligible for WWPA/NCAA postseason official competition due to NCAA Division II transition.