HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Jackson Loyd (So., San Diego, Calif.), Adam Monroe (Gr., San Diego, Calif.) and Ben Hecht (Jr., Palm Springs, Calif.) all scored three times to share Player of the Game status as Southwest Division Champion/No. 2-ranked San Diego State University topped Texas Division Champion/No. 7 Texas A&M University, 15-11, to make the title game of the 2026 Men’s National Collegiate Championship at the Huntsville Aquatics Center.
The Aztecs -which previously placed First (2017), Second (2014, 2025) and Third (2016) at the Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship – will return to the water to battle Pacific Coast Division Champion/No. 1/defending National Champion California Polytechnic State University at 12:45 p.m. Central on Sunday, November 8. for the National Championship.
Texas A&M – which previously claimed Third (2025), Seventh (2024), Ninth (2008), 13th (2007, 2016) and 15th (2001, 2002) at Nationals – will take on Sierra Pacific Division regular season champion/No. 3 California State University-Chico at 11:30 a.m. for Third Place.
SDSU never trailed in the game as the Aztecs opened up a 3-0 margin with 2:52 left in the first quarter and never looked back to gain leads of 4-1, 9-5 and 12-9 by the conclusion of the first, second and third quarters.
Travis Thames (Pearland, Texas) led the Aggies with five goals to accompany a pair of tallies by Logan Kraft (Pearland, Texas). Petar Simovic (Montenegro), Mason Mote (Cypress, Texas), Elijah Hernandez (Denton, Texas) and Leyton Kraft (Pearland, Texas) accounted for solo strikes to support a 12 save effort by goalkeeper John Pawsat (Houston, Texas).
Barrett Satre (Jr., San Diego, Calif.) tacked on a pair for SDSU to go along with single markers by Joey Asaro (Sr., San Diego, Calif.), Miles Boone (Jr., San Diego, Calif.), Robert Merrick (So., Santa Rosa, Calif.) and back-up goalkeeper Mitchell Peyton (Jr., San Diego, Calif.).
Ben Ostrowski (Gr., San Jose, Calif.) made six saves in the first half to earn the win for SDSU. Ian Manson (Sr., Temecula, Calif.) stopped one shot in the third quarter before Peyton came on in the fourth quarter to turn aside three shots and toss in a score at the buzzer.
San Diego State University’s Robert Merrick (#13) evades Texas A&M University’s Leyton Kraft (#2)
Texas A&M University’s Leyton Kraft (#2)
San Diego State University’s Ben Ostrowski (#1)
