BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Hall of Fame member and championship announcer George Gross will announce the 2017 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) National Collegiate Women’s Water Polo Championship this weekend at the IU Natatorium on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
Recently named manager for the Water Polo Canada Men’s National Team that will compete at the 29th Summer Universiade, also known as FISU Games, in Taipei City (Chinese Taipei) from August 18-30, Gross is coming off announcing the CWPA Division III Championship at Macalester College, the CWPA Championship at Indiana University and the Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship at the University of Pittsburgh over the past three weekends as he becomes the first announcer in CWPA and NCAA history to announce both National Championship (club and varsity).
Among the leading voices in the game today, Gross starred at goaltender for an exceptional Yale University men’s water polo team from 1971-1973, earning All-East honors all three years. Yale ruled the East during that time, posting a 39-0 record versus eastern opponents, winning the Eastern Championship three times, and competing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship in 1972. In honor of his success, Gross was named first member of the Yale Water Polo Hall of Fame.
After graduating from Yale in 1974, Gross played for the University of Toronto men’s team for two seasons, earning the team Most Valuable Player award and leading the university league in scoring as a field player both years.
Upon returning home to Canada, Gross earned a roster spot on the Canadian Men’s National Team and enjoyed a long and successful career as an international player. He played in two Olympic Games (1976 and 1984), scoring the longest goal in Olympic water polo history versus China in 1984; five Pan Am Games (1975, 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1995), winning two bronze medals and enjoying a six-goal game; three World Aquatics Games (1975, 1978, 1986), serving as Canada’s flag-bearer at the 1986 games; and two World Student Games (1977 and 1979). All told, Gross scored 162 goals in 170 international matches.
After the conclusion of his international playing career, Gross served as Head Coach of the Canadian Men’s National Team twice, from 1987-1991 and 1994-1996. He led the unit to two World Aquatic Games, one Pan Am Games and through qualification for two Olympic Games.
In 1980, Gross founded the Toronto City Golden Jets water polo club and served as head coach/player from 1980-84 and 1986-1991. He was named a first team All-Star at the National Championship eleven times, was awarded both Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Coach honors in 1982 and was again named Most Valuable Player in 1986. Under his guidance, the club grew from 12 initial members to 125 members in men’s, women’s, junior and senior levels of play. The Men’s team won the 1982 and 1986 National Championships, five silver medals, bronze medals and numerous provincial titles.
On the pool deck, he served as the University of Toronto’s men’s water polo coach from 1987 to 1989 and guided the team to consistently impressive records. For the next 10 years, he assumed general manager duties for both the Blues men’s and women’s water polo teams, playing a key role in recruiting and fundraising. He also keeps the Blues competitive year-round by recruiting them to compete with his club team outside of the intercollegiate season.
Gross assumed the role of head coach of the Varsity Blues women’s water polo program in 2008 and quickly put the program back on the map. The Toronto native guided the Blues from two winless seasons to an OUA championship title in 2008 and followed that up with an OUA silver medal finish in 2009.
Off the pool deck, George is the president of G Squared Licensing and resides in Toronto with wife, Veronica.
About the 2017 NCAA Championship:
The 2017 National Collegiate Water Polo Championship will be held on Friday-Sunday, May 12-14, at the IU Natatorium. Indiana University and the Indiana Sports Corp are serving as hosts. The 2017 championship will be an eight-team, single-elimination tournament (seven games).
Wagner College (26-10) will play top-seeded the University of California-Los Angeles (22-1) at Noon in Game 1 on Friday, May 12. No. 4 University of California-Irvine (23-6) clashes with the University of California (15-9) in Game 2 at 1:45 p.m., University of the Pacific (21-8) faces No. 2 Stanford University (20-3) at 3:30 p.m. in Game 3. and No. 3 University of Southern California (28-3) competes against the University of Michigan (28-8) at 5:15 p.m. in Game 4.
The victors of action on Friday, May 12, advance to the semifinals as the winners of the UCLA-vs.-Wagner and California-vs.-UC-Irvine games clash at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, prior to the victors of the Stanford-vs.-Pacific and USC-vs.-Michigan games battling at 5:00 p.m.
The 2017 National Championship game will occur at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 14.
