IRVINE, Calif. — University of Florida men’s collegiate club water polo alumnus Saahil Naik is the recipient of the 2022 USA Water Polo Bryan Weaver Distinguished Male Masters Athlete of the Year National Award.
A water polo athlete and dedicated masters player for nearly a decade, he started playing masters water polo at an early age and is often the youngest player on his teams.
Naik first began playing water polo at Olympia High School, where he was a four-year letter winner graduating in the Top 10 all-time in saves and helped secure a Florida Boys High School State Championship for the first time in school history.
A graduate of the University of Florida where he was a four-year member of the UF men’s club team, he was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame due to his impact on the university through his numerous leadership positions and service to the community, including the various leadership positions he stepped into on the men’s water polo team.
A standout goalkeeper for the Gators and the starting goalie Saahil has coached alongside Olympic, National Team, and several National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) head coaches through his experience at a number of camps over the years.
He also coached the first youth water polo team and the first FHSAA high school program in North Florida.
Saahil most recently served as coach of his alma mater, guiding the Florida men’s water polo team to a Florida Division Championship and a Top 10 finish at the men’s National Collegiate Club Championship.
He has a passion for growing the sport of water polo and has helped fill the needs of new and existing clubs that did not have a goalkeeper. In doing so, Naik has provided teams the opportunity to practice and compete in tournaments they were previously unable to. Along the way, Saahil has helped boost practice attendance, increase club membership, and encourage athletes of all ages to take up the sport of water polo.
Information courtesy USA Water Polo
