CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Harvard University men’s water polo will add three student-athletes to its roster this fall as announced by Ted Minnis, the Friend of Harvard Water Polo Head Coach. The trio hails from the Southern California area and joins a Harvard team that spent the entirety of the 2021 season ranked in the top-20 nationally.
“I am very excited to have James, Mason and Tanner join our Harvard water polo family,” said Minnis. “They are not only going to help us achieve our goals in the pool, but they are also going to be leaders on our campus. They have had a lot of success in high school and club water polo, and I feel that this will transcend to their college career.”
The Crimson is poised to make a run for the Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) Championship in 2022, returning its top 12 goal scorers from the 2021 campaign, including the All-America trio of Noah Hodge, Alex Tsotadze and Gabe Putnam.
Find out more about the Class of 2026 below:
Tanner Furtak | Goalie | San Diego, Calif. | Patrick Henry
Played for San Diego Shores Water Polo Club (2016-22) and Patrick Henry High School… Team Captain of Patrick Henry Water Polo… Patrick Henry Team MVP 2020 and 2021, Defensive MVP 2019… Led team to 2020 D2 CIF Championship… 2021 Junior Olympics All-America Honorable Mention.
Mason Hunt | Attacker | Newport Beach, Calif. | Newport Harbor
Played for Newport Beach Water Polo Club (2012-22, captain in 2021-22) and Newport Harbor High School (2018-22) in Sunset League… Member of swim team at NHHS (2018-22)… Led water polo team to CIF-SS Open Division Championship and CIF Regional Championship (2021)… Named to All-CIF Southern Section First Team (2021)… Selected to Orange-County Dream Team (2021)… All-Sunset League Second Team (2021)… Junior Olympic All-American Second Team Selection (2021)… Orange County Athletic Directors’ Association Athlete of Character Award (2021)… Gray Lunde Legacy Memorial Award from Newport Harbor High School Water Polo (2021)… Earned Valedictorian honors… National Merit Finalist… National Honor Society member… AP Scholar with Distinction… Chapter President of National League of Young Men Philanthropic Organization… USA Water Polo All-Academic… Mother, Jill, ran track at the University of California-Santa Barbara.
James Rozolis-Hill | Utility | Huntington Beach, Calif. | Huntington Beach
Played for Vanguard Aquatics Club (2010-22, captain 2013-22) and Huntington Beach High School in Sunset League (2018-22)… All-Sunset League Second Team (2019)… All-CIF Team Division 1 Southern Section (2019)… All-CIF First Team Open Division Southern Section (2021)… Sunset League MVP and Champion (2021)… CIF Open Division Runner Up (2021)…Huntington Beach High School Team MVP (2021)… Four-time All-Sunset League Scholar Athlete (2018-22)… Six-time First Team All-America at Junior Olympics (2014, 2016-19, 2021)… Three-time Tournament MVP at Junior Olympics (2014, 2016, 2018)… Four-time Gold Medalist at Junior Olympics (2013-16, 2018)… Three-time Silver Medalist at Junior Olympics (2015, 2017, 2021)… Two-time Bronze Medalist at Junior Olympics (2012, 2019)… Member of USA Water Polo Senior National Team… Olympic Development Program Cadet National Team member and 2021 captain… LEN Volturno Cup International Fair Play Award Winner (2019)… USA Water Polo All-Academic (2020-22)… Father, Thomas, played water polo at Long Beach City College for coach Monte Nitzkowski… Sister, Julia, plays collegiate water polo at the University of Southern California.
Release courtesy Harvard University Athletics Communications
