University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bruins Sign Three Standouts for 2019
December 13, 2018 | Men's Water Polo
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LOS ANGELES -- UCLA head men's water polo coach Adam Wright has announced the signing of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to attend UCLA in the fall of 2019. The class consists of three players from California and includesย utility Giorgio Alessandriaย (6-3, Lafayette, Calif./Campolindoย HS), center Gabe Discipuloย (6-3, Santa Cruz, Calif./Bellarmine College Preparatory),ย and attacker Tommy Gruwellย (6-4, San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic HS).
Alessandria was a four-year letterwinnerย for the Cougars as a utility in water polo for head coach Miles Price. He was named first team All-Diablo Athletic League as a senior in 2018 as Campolindoย HS won theย 2018 CIF North Coast Section Open Division Championship with a 15-3 win over San Ramon Valley in the finals. Alessandria scored three goals in the title game. He was also selected asย a third team All-American in 2017 and was named first team All-DALย and first team All-CIFNCS. Also picked up All-America honors in 2017 from the Futures Tournament and second team All-DALย honors in 2016. He was also named third team All-CIF after his junior and senior seasons andย named first team OC Registerย All-County in 2017. Tallied 40 goals as a junior and added 30 assists, 75 steals, 17 field blocks and drew nine exclusions. Also registered 14 goals, 20 assists, 57 steals, 10 field blocks and drew eight exclusions as a sophomore. The Cougars also won the North Coast Section title during his freshman season in 2015 as a six seedย (19-9), upsetting previously undefeated and top-seeded Sir Francis Drake (29-1) in the finals, 5-4. He played his club ball for Contra Costa United and is a two-time Junior Olympic All-American (2017 and 2015). His team placed sixth in the Championship Division at the 16U Junior Olympics in 2017 and fifth in 2016. CCU also placed seventh at the 14U Junior Olympics in 2015. Alessandria was a USA Water Polo ODP 16U Cadet Team member in 2016 and in 2018, was a member of the ODP Men's Youth Academy Team, winning silver at the Pan American games in Florida. His sister, Amanda Alessandria, is a freshman on the UCLA rowing team.
"Giorgio is another player who can play multiple roles for us in the pool," Wright said. "He has a defense first mentality and takes pride in defending the other team's best perimeter player.ย He will also help us offensively as he is willing to play any position and isn't afraid to step up when the game is on the line.ย Giorgio is a student of the game which will allow him to flourish in our program."
Discipulo was a four-year letterwinnerย as a center in water polo and a three-year letterwinnerย in swimming. Lettered his freshman season in both sports at Santa Cruz High School in 2015. Lettered his final three years in water polo and his last two years in swimming at Bellarmine College Preparatory. He was a three-time first team All-CIF Central Coast Section honoree (2016-18) and was also namedย first team All-West Catholic Athletic League in 2017 and 2018 as co-captain. Named second team All-WCAL in 2016 as Bellarmine won the CIF CCS D1 Championship. Named Freshman of the Year and to theย first team All-Monterey Bay League, Gabilanย Division in 2015 at Santa Cruz HS. Bellarmine finished third in the CIF Central Coast Section Open Division in 2017 with Discipulo scoringย 55 goals,ย adding a team-high 72 exclusions drawn and adding seven steals. In 2018, the Bells' CCS Championship game was canceled with Sacred Heart Prep due to bad air quality and both teams were named Co-Champions. Discipuloย scored 78 goals and also tallied 88 exclusions drawn, 14 steals and two assists. For his career, he registered 222 goals in 96 games played, drawing 247 exclusions. He played his club ball for Stanford Water Polo Club and is aย three-timeย Junior Olympic champion (2015, 2016, 2017). His team won a silver medal at the 2018 Junior Olympics. Discipuloย was a first team Junior Olympic All-American in 2015 and 2017. He participated in USA Water Polo National Pipeline teams from 2015-18 (Development in 2015, Cadet in 2016 and Youth in 2017-18). Won a gold medal in Lima, Peru at the 2017 UANAย Youth Pan-American Games and placed 9th at the 2018 FINAย Youth World Championships in Szombathely, Hungary.
"Gabe is the type of player that will immediately come in and have an impact not only in the water but with our team culture," Wright said. "He has a great attitude, work ethic, and is dedicated to to becoming the best possible player for our program. He is relentless at the center position and never stops working, which makes him very difficult to defend.ย He will be a critical piece moving forward for UCLA Water Polo."
Gruwell was a four-year letterwinnerย for the Dons in water polo for head coaches Brett Ormsby, Bojan Hrlec, and Jake Hodgensย at Cathedral Catholic High School. Led CCHS to the 2018 CIF San Diego Section Open Division Championship, scoring a hat trick in the title game, an 11-7 win over The Bishop's School. The Dons (20-7)ย fell to Loyola, 16-14, in the quarterfinals of the 2018 CIF SoCalย Division I Boy's Water Polo Championship. The CIFSDS title marked the first Open Division title for the Donsย since 2015, when CCHS (18-10) beat Coronado 11-6. In 2016, the Dons fell to Vista, 12-11, in overtime in the finals of the CIFSDS Open Division. In 2017, CCHS lost in the quarterfinals of the CIFSDS Open Division to La Jolla, 8-7.ย The Dons finished first or tied for first in the City Western League standings in three of his four seasons (2015-18).ย He was named first team All-CIF San Diego Section and first team All-San Diego City (Western) in both the 2017 and 2018 seasons.ย He played his club ball for Del Mar Water Polo Club andย was on the USA Men's 2018 FINA Youth World Championship Roster
(August) along with current Bruins Ashworth Molthen and Danny Roland and incoming Bruin Gabe Discipulo. Scored four goals as Team USA beatย Uzbekistan 26-7 in pool play at the World Men's Youth Water Polo Championships in Szombathely, Hungary. He has also competed in the National League Championship in each of the last two years (2017 and 2018).
"There is no doubt that Tommy has established himself as one of the top players coming out of this class," Wright said. "Tommy is a very diverse and dynamic player that can play many different roles in the pool.ย Tommy can play both sides of the pool and can defend the center.ย He is also an explosive offensive player who has demonstrated he can step up in pressure situations.ย We expect Tommy to come in and have an immediate impact on our program."
