PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Brown University Director of Water Polo Felix Mercado was selected as an assistant coach for the USA Water Polo Men’s Junior National Team for the 2025 World Aquatics Men’s U20 Water Polo Championship in Croatia.
One of three assistant coaches on the staff along with Pomona-Pitzer Colleges’ head coach Alex Rodriguez and University of the Pacific assistant coach Derek Clappis, Mercado will aim to aid Team USA head coach/former Pepperdine University head coach Jack Kocur in guiding the Americans to a championship victory.
“I’m honored and excited to be part of this great coaching staff with these amazing athletes,” said Mercado. “Getting an opportunity to represent our country is always a privilege I enjoy.”
The United States will compete in Group A with Hungary, Croatia and Montenegro, while Group B (Greece, Serbia, Italy, Spain), Group C (Brazil, Germany, South Africa), Group D (Kazakhstan, Islamic Republic of Iran, New Zealand), Group E (Colombia, Argentina, Australia) and Group F (Canada, China, Sinagpore) will also bid to claim the premier global age-group water polo tournament.
Additional information on the tournament is available on the World Aquatics website by CLICKING HERE.
United States Men’s Junior National Team (Hometown/School/Club)
1. Charles Mills (Tiburon, Calif./University of Southern California/San Francisco Water Polo)
2. Baxter Chelsom (Los Angeles, Calif./University of California-Davis/Los Angeles Premier)
3. Peter Castillo (Costa Mesa, Calif./University of California-Los Angeles/Newport Beach WPC)
4. William Schneider (San Clemente, Calif./Stanford University/Mission WPC)
5. Jonathan Carcarey (Santa Maria, Calif./Pepperdine University/SOCAL)
6. Gavin Appeldorn (Newport Beach, Calif./Princeton University/Newport Beach WPC)
7. Ryder Dodd (Long Beach, Calif./University of California-Los Angeles/Mission WPC)
8. Ryan Ohl (Greenwich, Conn./Stanford University/Greenwich Aquatics)
9. Landon Akerstrom (Costa Mesa, Calif./University of California-San Diego/SOCAL)
10. Connor Ohl (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor High School/Newport Beach WPC)
11. Benjamin Liechty (Newport Beach, Calif./University of California-Los Angeles/Newport Beach WPC)
12. Bode Brinkema (San Juan Capistrano, Calif./University of California-Los Angeles/Mission WPC)
13. Kiefer Black (San Diego, Calif./United States Naval Academy/La Jolla United)
14. Max Zelikov (Boca Raton, Fla./Stanford University/South Florida WPC)
15. Corbin Stanley (Yorba Linda, Calif./Long Beach State University/SOCAL)
Staff
Jack Kocur – Head Coach
Felix Mercado – Assistant Coach
Alex Rodriguez – Assistant Coach
Derek Clappis – Assistant Coach
2025 Team USA World Aquatics Men’s Junior World Championship Schedule (subject to change)
June 14 – USA at Croatia 1:00 p.m. Eastern/10:00 a.m. Pacific
June 15 – USA vs Hungary 11:30 a.m. Eastern/8:30 a.m. Pacific
June 16 – USA vs Montenegro 11:30 a.m. Eastern/8:30 a.m. Pacific
June 17 – TBD
June 18 – TBD
June 19 – TBD
June 20 – TBD
June 21 – TBD
