PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Brown University men’s water polo will welcome six incoming freshmen to the program for the 2020 season as part of the Class of 2024, Brown head coach Felix Mercado announced on Tuesday, April 7.
The class comprises student-athletes from three U.S. states – California, Connecticut, and Florida – and one international student from Serbia. The players in the group play a variety of positions with three attackers, one utility, one center defender, and one goalkeeper.
The Bears’ Class of 2024 includes attacker Filip Aleksic (Belgrade, Serbia), center defender Max Boucher (Coconut Grove, Fla.), attacker Connor Enright (Atherton, Calif.), goalkeeper Joe Gallagher (Lost Altos Hills, Calif.), attacker Thomas Hoffmeister (Greenwich, Conn.), and utility Evan Moore (Ventura, Calif.)
Filip Aleksic
Position: Attacker
Height | Weight: 6-foot-2 | 220 lbs.
Hometown: Belgrade, Serbia
High School: MICDS (Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School
Club Teams: Daisy Water Polo Club, St. Louis Area Polo, and Jungle Cats Water Polo Club
Prep Accolades: Earned Missouri Player of the Year in 2018-19 … Gained Conference Player of the Year, First Team All-District, and First Team All-Conference in 2018-19 … Stood as Missouri’s top goal scorer with over 150 goals in 2018-19 … Served team as captain … Won the Most Valuable Player award at the “Keep Cup” tournament in Serbia in 2018; won the Best Young Player award at the event in 2017 … Played for coaches Milos Ciric, Stefan Ciric, Zoran Kontic, and Aleksandar Nikolic … Competed on the club level for Daisy Water Polo Club, St. Louis Area Polo, and Jungle Cats Water Polo Club … Played for the South All-Stars Team at the ODP National Championship in 2019 … Competed on the Midwest Team at the East Regional ODP Tournament in 2019 … Earned First Academic honors in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Why Brown? “I chose Brown mainly because of the academic rigor and the opportunity to play water polo. I am confident that the open curriculum will allow me to forge my own path and do the things that I am passionate about, while being surrounded by ardent people. In addition, I believe that the water polo team will be a great fit for me, since the team’s values align to those that I live by.”
Max Boucher
Position: Center Defender
Height | Weight: 6-foot-0 | 175 lbs.
Hometown: Coconut Grove, Fla.
High School: Coral Reef Senior
Club Team: Raider Water Polo Club
Prep Accolades: Selected as a 2020 ODP All-Star … Played for head coach Eric Lefebvre and Petar Solomon … Competed on the club level for Raider Water Polo Club … Also competed in swimming for head coach Carol Hunnwell … An AP Scholar with Distinction … Principal honor roll student.
Why Brown? “I chose Brown because of the freedom the open curriculum afforded me in pursuing my academic and intellectual interests.”
Connor Enright
Position: Attacker
Height | Weight: 5-foot-11 | 170 lbs.
Hometown: Atherton, Calif.
High School: Menlo School
Club Team: Stanford Water Polo Club
Prep Accolades: Earned Third Team All-America accolades as a senior … Garnered First Team CIF All-Central Coast Section laurels as a senior … Gained First Team All-League honors as a junior and senior … Helped team win four straight league titles … Played for head coach Jack Bowen … Competed on the club level for Stanford Water Polo Club … Won a Junior Olympic championship in 2019 … An AP Scholar with Honors and honor roll student.
Why Brown? “I chose Brown because of the combination of academic and athletic rigor. I wanted to continue to play water polo, while still studying at a great school, and Brown for a fantastic choice.”
Joe Gallagher
Position: Goalkeeper
Height | Weight: 6-foot-4 | 190 lbs.
Hometown: Los Altos Hills, Calif.
High School: Saint Francis
Club Team: West Valley Water Polo
Prep Accolades: Earned Fourth Team California All-America honors in 2019 … Gained First Team All-CIF Central Coast Section and Second Team All-WCAL in 2019 … Collected Honorable Mention All-CIF CCS and Second Team All-WCAL in 2018 … Played for coaches Gabor Sarusi and Terry O’Donnell … Competed on the club level for West Valley Water Polo … Gained NJO All-American accolades in 2019 … Earned USA Water Polo Academic All-American honors all four years … High honor roll student.
Why Brown? Joe is the son of Anne Marie and Fred Gallagher … Has three siblings, Kieran, Anneliese, and Audrey; Kieran ran track & field at Harvard and Anneliese competed in crew at Columbia … Born on February 7, 2002 … Entered Brown undecided on a concentration.
Thomas Hoffmeister
Position: Attacker
Height | Weight: 6-foot-0 | 180 lbs.
Hometown: Greenwich, Conn.
High School: Greenwich
Club Team: Greenwich Aquatics
Prep Accolades: Helped lead team to 26-3 record in 2019 … Tallied 40 goals, 30 assists, and 33 steals as a senior … Captained team as a senior … Won school’s Sportsmanship Award … Played for coaches Jimmy Ramaley, Chris Vidale, and Ulmis Iordache … Competed on the club level for Greenwich Aquatics; gained Team MVP honors in 2017 … Also competed in swimming for head coach Terry Lowe … Earned USA Water Polo All-Academic honors … National Honor Society and AP Scholar with Distinction student.
Why Brown? “Brown immediately felt like home to me with its welcoming community and beautiful campus. I chose it for both the great water polo program and the open curriculum, which will allow me the opportunity to dig more deeply into my interests as well as discover new passions.”
Evan Moore
Position: Utility
Height | Weight: 6-foot-2 | 190 lbs.
Hometown: Ventura, Calif.
High School: Ventura
Club Team: Pride Water Polo Academy
Prep Accolades: Earned First Team Ventura County as a senior … Gained Pacific View League MVP honors in 2019 … Gained First Team Pacific View League in 2018 and First Team Channel League in 2017 … Won Team MVP honors as a junior and senior … Collected Team Defensive MVP accolades as a sophomore … Captained team for two years … Played for coaches Spencer McGrath, Jack Kocur, and Jennifer Jamison … Competed on the club level for Pride Water Polo Academy … Helped team place fourth in the Junior Olympics Platinum Division as a junior … Played on the ODP Coastal Zone Team … An AP Scholar and USA Water Polo All-Academic.
Why Brown? “I chose Brown because of the broad spectrum of opportunities, welcoming community, academic excellence, and chance to further my water polo career.”
