BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — United States Naval Academy head coach Luis Nicolao announced 10 athletes who comprise the Navy men’s water polo Class of 2024.
Goalies:
- Caden Capobianco (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach) – Lettered in water polo (three years) and swimming (four years) at Laguna Beach High School … Named Orange County Student Athlete Character Award for 2020 … As a senior, earned First Team All-League and First Team All-CIF, while being named team captain and team MVP … As a junior, selected First Team All-League and Second Team All-CIF Southern Section … Member of the Superintendent Honor Roll (2016-19) … Volunteered with the Pacific Marine Mammal Center (2016-19) … Member of the Orange County Water Polo Club, earning Second Team Futures Water Polo League distinction
- Owen Gurich (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson) – Lettered in water polo (four years) and swimming (four years) at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, Calif. … Helped WWHS to the Moore League Championships in both water polo and swimming in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 … All-Moore League goalie as a senior … Earned All-CIF as a senior … Selected as team captain for both water polo and swim teams as a junior and senior …Sister, Paige, is two-sport athlete at Chapman University as member of the water polo and swim teams.
Attacker:
- Anthony D’Ambra (Rolling Hills, Calif./Palos Verdes) – Letterwinner from Palos Verdes High School Palos Verdes, Calif. … Earned All-CIF, All-League, and All-Bay League (2018, 2019, 2020) … Member of the SoCal Water Polo Club Team … Helped team to the California Cup Championship with a 38-2 overall record in 2018 … Finished third overall at the US Club Water Polo Championships in the 18 Boys Division … Member of the Catholic Underground, serving as a team leader … Sister, Ellie, played water polo at University of Southern California and was a member of the Trojans’ National Championship team in 2016 … Sister, Catherine, played water polo at Leeds Beckett University in the United Kingdom.
- Nathan Duchez (San Jose, Calif./Saint Francis) – Lettered in water polo (three years) and swimming (four years) at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif. … Helped St. Francis to the CIF NorCal Division II Championship in 2017 … Selected as team captain in 2018 … Member of the West Valley Water Polo Club … Helped West Valley to a sixth place finish at the 18U Boys National Junior Olympics … Selected to the CCS All-Star Senior Team and Third Team All-CCS … Member of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) Pacific Youth Team (2018) and All-Stars (2019) … Member of the school concert and marching band (2015, ’16, ’17, ’18), playing the trombone … Spent the 2019-20 academic year at the Hill School in Pottstown, Pa., which is a Naval Academy Foundation school … Brother, Nicolas (’22), currently attends the Naval Academy.
- Ivan Pang (Fr., El Monte, Calif./Temple City) – Four-year letterwinner at Temple City High School in Temple City, Calif. … Helped Temple City advance to the CIF Southern Section Division IV Semifinals (2017), while winning the Oxnard Tournament (2017, 2019) and finishing as a runner-up in the Florida International Tournament (2019) … Named First Team Rio Hondo All-League (2017, 2018, 2019), San Gabriel Area MVP (2019), Second Team All-CIF Southern Section Division III (2019), and Temple City team MVP (2018) … Earned President’s Volunteer Service Award … Member of the Youth In Action Leadership Program.
Center:
- Travis Berzins (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Los Osos) – Lettered in water polo (four years) and swimming and diving (four years) at Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. … Named Offensive Player of the Year as a senior, while earning the Coach’s Award as a junior and Most Improved as a freshman … Earned All-League honors as a sophomore, junior, and senior, while claiming First Team All-CIF distinction as a junior … Water polo team captain … Earned Rookie of the Year as part of the swimming and diving team as a freshman … Served as diving captain as a sophomore and junior and swimming captain as a senior … Member of the Foothill Club Team, serving as team captain during the 2017 and 2018 seasons … Member of Los Osos HS Associated Student Body (ASB) during sophomore and junior years … Served as an equipment manager as a junior … Member of the California Scholarship Federation (CSF), the oldest statewide honor society … Participated in Service for Heroes Club … Volunteered with Goals for Gage, Operation Community Cares, Los Osos Blood Drives, and Grizzly Games – an event for students with special needs
- Hayden Kahn (Fr., San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) – Lettered in water polo (three years) and swimming (four years) at San Clemente High School … Helped SCHS to South Coast League Championship in 2017, 2018 and 2019 … Finished as CIF Divison II Runner-Up in the 2019 Finals … Named All-League and All-CIF in 2018 and 2019 … Helped team to Sea View League Championship in swimming in 2017 … Advanced to the Division I CIF Finals in swimming in 2019 … Served as a California state beach ocean lifeguard … Father, Mitch, played water polo at Long Beach State University (1981-82).
Utility:
- Jordan Corpuz (Glendale, Calif./Hoover) – Lettered in water polo (four years) and swimming (four years) at Hoover High School in Glendale, Calif. … Helped team to Pacific League Championship in 2016 and 2018, boasting perfect 8-0 records each season … Named Pacific League MVP and Second Team All-CIF as a senior, while earning First Team All-League and Second Team All-Area as a junior … Member of the National Honor Society, American Cancer Society Youth Board, California Scholarship Federation (CSF), and Greg Krikorian School Board Campaign (over 100 hours volunteered) … Spent the 2019-20 academic year at the Hill School in Pottstown, Pa., which is a Naval Academy Foundation school.
- Spencer Shelley (Fr., Grapevine, Texas/Colleyville Heritage) – Lettered in water polo (four years) and swimming at Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, Texas … Named All-State, team MVP, and team captain as a sophomore, junior, and senior … USAWP National Team Selection (2017-19) … Received 2019 USNA Summer Seminar Iron Man Award and 2019 USAWP Nick Johnson Inspiration Award … Member of National Honor Society, Best Buddies, and Special Olympics (volunteer) … Attended the USAWP Youth Futures International Trip to Budapest in 2019 … Played club water polo with the NTX Thunder … Has one sister … Brother, Zach (’22), is a member of the United States Air Force Academy water polo team.
- Kyle Yelensky (Fr., Stamford, Conn./Brunswick School) – Lettered in water polo (four years) and swimming (two years) at the Brunswick School in Greenwich, Conn. … Helped Brunswick to the New England Championships (2015-19) and East Coast Championship (2018-19) … Named team MVP in 2018 and 2019 … Earned the Grit Award in 2019 … Member of the High Honor Roll … Father, Alex, played water polo at the University of Massachusetts (1988-91) … Sister, Kayla (’24), is a member of the Princeton University women’s water polo team.
Information courtesy United States Naval Academy Athletics Communications
