BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — St. Francis College Brooklyn rising junior Nikita Prokhin (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) will gain an early start on the 2017 men’s water polo season as the Terriers’ star is among 13 athletes selected to represent Canada at the 29th Summer Universiade (University Games) in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) on August 18-30.
A 2016 Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) Second Team selection, Prokhin, who holds dual citizenship in both Kazakhstan and Canada after emigrating as a 10-year old and gain citizenship in Canada in 2014, will look to lead a team that is making its inaugural appearance at the University Games since the 2013 tournament in Kazan, Russia.
Prokhin is among only two players on the Canadian roster currently competing at a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) institution along with Devon Thumwood of the University of Pacific.
Canada will compete in Pool C as the squad will take on South Africa along with perennial powers Hungary and Serbia. Competition for Canada begins on Friday, August 18, at 2:20 p.m. local/2:20 a.m. Eastern against Hungary prior to facing South Africa (Sunday, August 20) and Serbia (Monday, August 21). A crossover game against a team from another pool will occur on Wednesday, August 23, prior to the Quarterfinals (Friday, August 25), Semifinals (Sunday, August 27) and Championship (Thursday, August 30).
The tournament will feature a total of 16 teams as Taiwan, France, Korea and Great Britain compete in Pool A. Italy, Australia, the Netherlands and Argentina will play in Pool B, while the United States, Russia, Japan and Romania compete in Pool D.
