Friday, September 19
12 p.m.
USC
vs
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Photo by: John McGillen
No. 2 USC Men’s Water Polo Targets Overnght MPSF Invitational Title
September 17, 2025 | Men's Water Polo
Trojans are the No. 2 seed in the 2025 Overnght MPSF Invitational, taking place at USC and UCLA from Sept. 19-21.
THIS WEEK
USC now turns to competition at the Overnght MPSF Invitational this week. The Trojans (7-0)open with a home game against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 12 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 19). A win there would send USC to Westwood on Saturday (Sept. 20) for an 11 a.m. match that would determine a ticket to a 6:30 p.m. semifinal that evening. On Sunday (Sept. 21), placement games are slated for Westwood, with a 1:30 p.m. third-place game preceding a 3 p.m. final at Spieker Aquatics Center. All games will be streamed on overnght.com (subscription required).
RANKINGS
USC started the 2025 season ranked No. 2 in the national preseason poll and also second in the preseason MPSF Coaches Poll. Currently 7-0 overall, USC remains at No. 2 in the nation as of the latest set of national rankings (released Sept. 17).
LAST ACTION
USC got an explosive effort from Mihailo Vukazić to help secure a 13-8 road win at No. 8 UC Irvine, with the newcomer rattling in eight goals for the Trojan cause. It was a career high for the grad student, who had six of USC's seven goals at halftime. His eight-goal outburst marked the second most goals scored in a single game by a Trojan. Vukazić set the course to his career day early, firing off the first three goals of the game. UC Irvine got on the board with a bar-in blast five minutes into the action, only to see Vukazić notch a field block on the defensive end before hammering home his fourth soon after. The Anteaters got another even score to go next, and it was 4-2 after eight minutes of play. UC Irvine's only goals in the second period came on 5-meter penalty shots, while USC freshman Gavin Conant tallied USC's fifth goal of the game with a 6-on-5 finish off a feed from Vukazić. In the final 1:30 of the half, Vukazić sandwiched one of those UCI penalty shots with to booming blasts of his own, and it was 7-4 USC at the break. The third frame saw the Anteaters creep to within one midway through the period. At 7-6, USC responded with a sizzling strike from Robert López Duart. Evan Ausmus and Luke Nelson each nabbed steals on defense, and then Vukazić went on a solo mission for his seventh goal and a 9-6 USC advantage. The Trojans held court in the fourth as three new Trojans joined the scoresheet with impressive goals. Stefan Branković had a finishing slam at the post, and Strahinja Krstić ripped in a 6-on-5 finish for the Trojan to make it 11-7 with 3:17 to go. After a Bernardo Herzer save — one of his 11 on the day — Vukazić hit his eighth goal with another ripper of a 5-meter penalty shot to go up 12-7. The last word of the day came from Zac Crenshaw with a nifty finish that topped off the game as a 13-8 USC victory.
NOTABLE:
- With eight goals scored, GS Mihailo Vukazić set a new career high and recorded the second most goals ever scored by a Trojan in a single game.
- Vukazić's previous career high was seven goals — also scored vs. UC Irvine, while he was playing with Pacific last season.
- Vukazić's eight goals were the most by a Trojan since Jack Martin scored eight last season vs. Austin College on Nov. 22
- With 11 saves, RS JR Bernardo Herzer recorded double-digit saves for the second consecutive game.
- Herzer now has recorded 428 career saves, ranking No. 11 all-time among USC goalies.
- With their goals, Robert López Duart (one goal) and Vukazić (eight) have scored in all seven USC games this season.
- USC is now 87-23 all-time against UC Irvine, with wins in the past 39 meetings.
- This was USC's third consecutive game scoring a total of 13 goals.
BY THE NUMBERS
Seven games into the 2025 season, Robert López Duart leads USC's scoring charge with 20 goals, having struck at least once in every game with multiple goals tallied in six games. Newcomer Mihailo Vukazić also has scored at least one goal in all seven games in his first action as a Trojan, and he now has 18 total goals. On the assists side, Stefan Branković and Efe Naipoglu have each served up 11 apiece so far. On the defensive end, two goalies have seen time in the cage, with redshirt junior Bernardo Herzer and redshirt sophomore Charlie Mills, combining for an average of 11.4 saves per game. As a team, USC has outscored its opponents 108-64 for an average of 15.4 goals per game offensively and 9.1 goals-against per game defensively.
SWEEPS WEEK
USC earned an awards sweep in the first week of 2025 action, with Robert López Duart and Strahinja Krstić recognized as MPSF Player of the Week and MPSF Newcomer of the Week honors, respectively, on Sept. 1. It's the first such honor for both Trojans. López Duart was a four-time MPSF Newcomer of the Week last season in his first action as a Trojan, and he's now kicked off year two with his first MPSF Player of the Week pick. True freshman Krstić, meanwhile, opens his Trojan career with MPSF Newcomer of the Week honors. A two-meter man hailing from Belgrade, Serbia, Krstić scored seven goals for USC at the Triton Invitational over the weekend. He had one assist in his debut outing — a 10-7 win at No. 12 UC San Diego — before pinning up back-to-back multiple-goal games on day two of competition. He had a hat trick in a 23-9 win over George Washington before upping his career high to four goals with his performance in a 16-10 win over No. 15 UC Santa Barbara. On the final day, he drew a whopping eight exclusions against No. 10 San José State to help USC finish up 4-0 with a 20-13 win over the Spartans. Along the way, he also handed out two assists and had two steals at the Triton Invite. An All-American, López Duart was USC's top scorer at the Triton Invitational with 12 goals, scoring multiple goals in all four USC wins at the event. He scored four goals each in wins over the Gauchos and the Spartans after having tallied two each in the victory at UC San Diego and over George Washington. López Duart also assisted on goals in three games, topping out with two vs. GW.
MIHAILO MAKES HIS MARK
USC senior Mihailo Vukazić exploded for a career-high eight goals — second most by a Trojan in program history in a single game — during USC's 13-8 win at No. 8 UC Irvine and was has been honored as the MPSF Player of the Week on Sept. 15. It is his first MPSF honor in his first season playing with the Trojans. Vukazić scored USC's first four goals of the game and had six of USC's seven at halftime against the Anteaters. His seventh goal would prove the game-winner, as he tugged the Trojans to a 9-6 lead at the end of the third. Vukazić finished up with eight, matching UCI's total goals scored as a team, while also adding two steals, an assist and three drawn exclusions. USC stays undefeated at 7-0 with the road win. Vukazić is now USC's second leading scorer this season with 18 goals, having scored at least one goal in all seven games as a Trojan this year.
BACK-TO-BACK
Just two weeks into his Trojan playing career, freshman Strahinja Krstić earned his second set of MPSF Men's Water Polo Newcomer of the Week honors after another big week of work that helped keep USC undefeated on the year. Krstić had two strong performances for the Trojans in wins over No. 7 Long Beach State and No. 12 Pepperdine, tallying four goals with three steals and a combined eight drawn exclusions. In USC's home opener against the Beach, he scored twice in the fourth period and accumulated seven drawn exclusions and two steal in the game to help the Trojans to a 13-9 win. At Pepperdine, Krstić scored the first goal of the game and added his second during the third quarter while finishing with another steal and drawn exclusion in the Trojans' 13-8 road win over the Waves. With 12 goals so far this season, Krstić is USC's third leading scorer.
LOCKED AND LOADED
USC returns seven players who scored 20 or more goals for the Trojans in 2024, including top scorer Robert López Duart, who was an NCAA All-Tournament team honoree along with goalie Bernardo Herzer and senior Andrej Grgurevic. López Duart's team-leading 64 goals last season was just one more than USC's incoming powerhouse — USC's third First Team All-American who also was a 2024 Cutino Award Finalist, Mihailo Vukazić, who has joined the Trojans as a grad transfer out of Pacific. He is one of three talented Serbian products to cap up in Cardinal and Gold this season. An All-American Honorable Mention recipient in his first season of action at USC, Stefan Branković now has fellow countrymen Vukazić and freshman Strahinja Krstić by his side for 2025.
SET STRENGTH
Strahinja Krstić is tabbed for duty as a member of USC's daunting two-meter crew, having served Serbia well in the past two summers while competing at the 2025 U20 and 2024 U18 World Championships. Despite the graduation of longtime hole man Max Miller, USC's two-meter depth is deep thanks to Krstić and returning veteran tough guys Jack Martin, Zac Crenshaw, Connor Cohen and Spencer Averitt.
PERIMETER ATTACK
When it comes to outside firepower, USC's proven top guns like Robert López Duart and senior captain Andrej Grgurevic get further reinforcements in the form of several returners who have upped their games as they've gained experience as Trojans. Lefties JackVort and Zach Bettino are back for more on that side of the attack, while junior Luke Nelson's shot just seems to get stronger and Evan Ausmus is primed to shine in his senior campaign. Now with a season of work under their caps, sophomores Chase Landa, Taj Whitehead and Ben Mirisch are also set to factor into USC's offensive onslaught.
CAGE FIGHTERS
Two of USC's captains are capped up in red — goalies Bernardo Herzer and Charles Mills. Both spent time with Team USA over the summer, competing with the U.S. Senior and Junior national teams, respectively. Their leadership skills aside, the two also boast impressive wing spans to help control the cage. They'll be a tough tandem to crack.Their leadership in and out of the cage is sure to help develop USC's two younger goalies in Nemo Pavoggi and Luke Harris. Pavoggi is in line to see his first time in the cage as a Trojans in his redshirt freshman season, while Harris will redshirt this year.
NEW CREW
USC's 2025 roster boasts seven true freshmen, including a set of U.S. Youth National teamers Colt Bradley, Gavin Conant, Reed Hanna and Luke Harris, who competed for Team USA together at the 2024 U18 World Championships. The international experience in this freshman class expands further with the addition of Breydon Congo, who competed for Canada's Junior National Team, and Turkish talent Efe Naipoglu, who is a member of the Türkiye National Team.
PINTA'S PROGRAM
Marko Pintaric, who has been part of 14 NCAA championships during his 24 years on the USC coaching staff, is in his seventh year at the helm of the Trojan men's program. Last season, he guided the Trojans to a 20th consecutive NCAA appearance, reaching the NCAA final for the 19th time in that span after also winning a third straight MPSF Tournament title. An All-American and 1998 NCAA champion as a player at USC, Pintaric served as co-head coach for the USC men for three seasons (2016-18), most recently helping the Trojans to the 2018 NCAA Championship. His USC coaching career began as an assistant coach to both the USC men and women in 2001.
THE PLACE TO BE.
The University of Southern California is the undeniable, unequaled and unquestioned top destination for student-athletes. USC is both home to 136 national team championships and one of the top-ranked private research institutions in the world. Located in the heart of the thriving Los Angeles metropolitan area, it is situated in one of the most diverse and visible media markets in the world. USC's campus is driving distance from the beautiful beaches of Southern California, the majestic mountains range of the Sierra Nevada, the sprawling splendor of the Redwood and Sequoia national forests, and the mysterious Mojave Desert. The student-athlete experience at USC is truly unmatched. •
USC now turns to competition at the Overnght MPSF Invitational this week. The Trojans (7-0)open with a home game against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 12 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 19). A win there would send USC to Westwood on Saturday (Sept. 20) for an 11 a.m. match that would determine a ticket to a 6:30 p.m. semifinal that evening. On Sunday (Sept. 21), placement games are slated for Westwood, with a 1:30 p.m. third-place game preceding a 3 p.m. final at Spieker Aquatics Center. All games will be streamed on overnght.com (subscription required).
RANKINGS
USC started the 2025 season ranked No. 2 in the national preseason poll and also second in the preseason MPSF Coaches Poll. Currently 7-0 overall, USC remains at No. 2 in the nation as of the latest set of national rankings (released Sept. 17).
LAST ACTION
USC got an explosive effort from Mihailo Vukazić to help secure a 13-8 road win at No. 8 UC Irvine, with the newcomer rattling in eight goals for the Trojan cause. It was a career high for the grad student, who had six of USC's seven goals at halftime. His eight-goal outburst marked the second most goals scored in a single game by a Trojan. Vukazić set the course to his career day early, firing off the first three goals of the game. UC Irvine got on the board with a bar-in blast five minutes into the action, only to see Vukazić notch a field block on the defensive end before hammering home his fourth soon after. The Anteaters got another even score to go next, and it was 4-2 after eight minutes of play. UC Irvine's only goals in the second period came on 5-meter penalty shots, while USC freshman Gavin Conant tallied USC's fifth goal of the game with a 6-on-5 finish off a feed from Vukazić. In the final 1:30 of the half, Vukazić sandwiched one of those UCI penalty shots with to booming blasts of his own, and it was 7-4 USC at the break. The third frame saw the Anteaters creep to within one midway through the period. At 7-6, USC responded with a sizzling strike from Robert López Duart. Evan Ausmus and Luke Nelson each nabbed steals on defense, and then Vukazić went on a solo mission for his seventh goal and a 9-6 USC advantage. The Trojans held court in the fourth as three new Trojans joined the scoresheet with impressive goals. Stefan Branković had a finishing slam at the post, and Strahinja Krstić ripped in a 6-on-5 finish for the Trojan to make it 11-7 with 3:17 to go. After a Bernardo Herzer save — one of his 11 on the day — Vukazić hit his eighth goal with another ripper of a 5-meter penalty shot to go up 12-7. The last word of the day came from Zac Crenshaw with a nifty finish that topped off the game as a 13-8 USC victory.
NOTABLE:
- With eight goals scored, GS Mihailo Vukazić set a new career high and recorded the second most goals ever scored by a Trojan in a single game.
- Vukazić's previous career high was seven goals — also scored vs. UC Irvine, while he was playing with Pacific last season.
- Vukazić's eight goals were the most by a Trojan since Jack Martin scored eight last season vs. Austin College on Nov. 22
- With 11 saves, RS JR Bernardo Herzer recorded double-digit saves for the second consecutive game.
- Herzer now has recorded 428 career saves, ranking No. 11 all-time among USC goalies.
- With their goals, Robert López Duart (one goal) and Vukazić (eight) have scored in all seven USC games this season.
- USC is now 87-23 all-time against UC Irvine, with wins in the past 39 meetings.
- This was USC's third consecutive game scoring a total of 13 goals.
BY THE NUMBERS
Seven games into the 2025 season, Robert López Duart leads USC's scoring charge with 20 goals, having struck at least once in every game with multiple goals tallied in six games. Newcomer Mihailo Vukazić also has scored at least one goal in all seven games in his first action as a Trojan, and he now has 18 total goals. On the assists side, Stefan Branković and Efe Naipoglu have each served up 11 apiece so far. On the defensive end, two goalies have seen time in the cage, with redshirt junior Bernardo Herzer and redshirt sophomore Charlie Mills, combining for an average of 11.4 saves per game. As a team, USC has outscored its opponents 108-64 for an average of 15.4 goals per game offensively and 9.1 goals-against per game defensively.
SWEEPS WEEK
USC earned an awards sweep in the first week of 2025 action, with Robert López Duart and Strahinja Krstić recognized as MPSF Player of the Week and MPSF Newcomer of the Week honors, respectively, on Sept. 1. It's the first such honor for both Trojans. López Duart was a four-time MPSF Newcomer of the Week last season in his first action as a Trojan, and he's now kicked off year two with his first MPSF Player of the Week pick. True freshman Krstić, meanwhile, opens his Trojan career with MPSF Newcomer of the Week honors. A two-meter man hailing from Belgrade, Serbia, Krstić scored seven goals for USC at the Triton Invitational over the weekend. He had one assist in his debut outing — a 10-7 win at No. 12 UC San Diego — before pinning up back-to-back multiple-goal games on day two of competition. He had a hat trick in a 23-9 win over George Washington before upping his career high to four goals with his performance in a 16-10 win over No. 15 UC Santa Barbara. On the final day, he drew a whopping eight exclusions against No. 10 San José State to help USC finish up 4-0 with a 20-13 win over the Spartans. Along the way, he also handed out two assists and had two steals at the Triton Invite. An All-American, López Duart was USC's top scorer at the Triton Invitational with 12 goals, scoring multiple goals in all four USC wins at the event. He scored four goals each in wins over the Gauchos and the Spartans after having tallied two each in the victory at UC San Diego and over George Washington. López Duart also assisted on goals in three games, topping out with two vs. GW.
MIHAILO MAKES HIS MARK
USC senior Mihailo Vukazić exploded for a career-high eight goals — second most by a Trojan in program history in a single game — during USC's 13-8 win at No. 8 UC Irvine and was has been honored as the MPSF Player of the Week on Sept. 15. It is his first MPSF honor in his first season playing with the Trojans. Vukazić scored USC's first four goals of the game and had six of USC's seven at halftime against the Anteaters. His seventh goal would prove the game-winner, as he tugged the Trojans to a 9-6 lead at the end of the third. Vukazić finished up with eight, matching UCI's total goals scored as a team, while also adding two steals, an assist and three drawn exclusions. USC stays undefeated at 7-0 with the road win. Vukazić is now USC's second leading scorer this season with 18 goals, having scored at least one goal in all seven games as a Trojan this year.
BACK-TO-BACK
Just two weeks into his Trojan playing career, freshman Strahinja Krstić earned his second set of MPSF Men's Water Polo Newcomer of the Week honors after another big week of work that helped keep USC undefeated on the year. Krstić had two strong performances for the Trojans in wins over No. 7 Long Beach State and No. 12 Pepperdine, tallying four goals with three steals and a combined eight drawn exclusions. In USC's home opener against the Beach, he scored twice in the fourth period and accumulated seven drawn exclusions and two steal in the game to help the Trojans to a 13-9 win. At Pepperdine, Krstić scored the first goal of the game and added his second during the third quarter while finishing with another steal and drawn exclusion in the Trojans' 13-8 road win over the Waves. With 12 goals so far this season, Krstić is USC's third leading scorer.
LOCKED AND LOADED
USC returns seven players who scored 20 or more goals for the Trojans in 2024, including top scorer Robert López Duart, who was an NCAA All-Tournament team honoree along with goalie Bernardo Herzer and senior Andrej Grgurevic. López Duart's team-leading 64 goals last season was just one more than USC's incoming powerhouse — USC's third First Team All-American who also was a 2024 Cutino Award Finalist, Mihailo Vukazić, who has joined the Trojans as a grad transfer out of Pacific. He is one of three talented Serbian products to cap up in Cardinal and Gold this season. An All-American Honorable Mention recipient in his first season of action at USC, Stefan Branković now has fellow countrymen Vukazić and freshman Strahinja Krstić by his side for 2025.
SET STRENGTH
Strahinja Krstić is tabbed for duty as a member of USC's daunting two-meter crew, having served Serbia well in the past two summers while competing at the 2025 U20 and 2024 U18 World Championships. Despite the graduation of longtime hole man Max Miller, USC's two-meter depth is deep thanks to Krstić and returning veteran tough guys Jack Martin, Zac Crenshaw, Connor Cohen and Spencer Averitt.
PERIMETER ATTACK
When it comes to outside firepower, USC's proven top guns like Robert López Duart and senior captain Andrej Grgurevic get further reinforcements in the form of several returners who have upped their games as they've gained experience as Trojans. Lefties JackVort and Zach Bettino are back for more on that side of the attack, while junior Luke Nelson's shot just seems to get stronger and Evan Ausmus is primed to shine in his senior campaign. Now with a season of work under their caps, sophomores Chase Landa, Taj Whitehead and Ben Mirisch are also set to factor into USC's offensive onslaught.
CAGE FIGHTERS
Two of USC's captains are capped up in red — goalies Bernardo Herzer and Charles Mills. Both spent time with Team USA over the summer, competing with the U.S. Senior and Junior national teams, respectively. Their leadership skills aside, the two also boast impressive wing spans to help control the cage. They'll be a tough tandem to crack.Their leadership in and out of the cage is sure to help develop USC's two younger goalies in Nemo Pavoggi and Luke Harris. Pavoggi is in line to see his first time in the cage as a Trojans in his redshirt freshman season, while Harris will redshirt this year.
NEW CREW
USC's 2025 roster boasts seven true freshmen, including a set of U.S. Youth National teamers Colt Bradley, Gavin Conant, Reed Hanna and Luke Harris, who competed for Team USA together at the 2024 U18 World Championships. The international experience in this freshman class expands further with the addition of Breydon Congo, who competed for Canada's Junior National Team, and Turkish talent Efe Naipoglu, who is a member of the Türkiye National Team.
PINTA'S PROGRAM
Marko Pintaric, who has been part of 14 NCAA championships during his 24 years on the USC coaching staff, is in his seventh year at the helm of the Trojan men's program. Last season, he guided the Trojans to a 20th consecutive NCAA appearance, reaching the NCAA final for the 19th time in that span after also winning a third straight MPSF Tournament title. An All-American and 1998 NCAA champion as a player at USC, Pintaric served as co-head coach for the USC men for three seasons (2016-18), most recently helping the Trojans to the 2018 NCAA Championship. His USC coaching career began as an assistant coach to both the USC men and women in 2001.
THE PLACE TO BE.
The University of Southern California is the undeniable, unequaled and unquestioned top destination for student-athletes. USC is both home to 136 national team championships and one of the top-ranked private research institutions in the world. Located in the heart of the thriving Los Angeles metropolitan area, it is situated in one of the most diverse and visible media markets in the world. USC's campus is driving distance from the beautiful beaches of Southern California, the majestic mountains range of the Sierra Nevada, the sprawling splendor of the Redwood and Sequoia national forests, and the mysterious Mojave Desert. The student-athlete experience at USC is truly unmatched. •
Players Mentioned
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