Men's Water Polo

UCLA Team Celebration
Photo by: Benjamin Hyles
Joey Fuentes
Joey Fuentes
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The UCLA men's water polo team has hired Bruin standout Joey Fuentesย to the post ofย assistant coach, head coachย Adamย Wrightย announced on July 25, 2022. Fuentesย replaced Jack Grover, who was named the head boy's water polo coach at Harvard-Westlake School. Fuentes returns to Westwood after spending the past two years as an assistant boy's water polo coach at Newport Harbor High School. He enters his second season to his current post in 2023.

Fuentes graduated from UCLA in 2017 and began serving as a head coach at SET Water Polo Club and played a key role in player development and practice planning for both boysโ€™ and girlsโ€™ย programs at the 16U and 18U age groups. He served in that capacity from 2017-20.

He was an attacker (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro HS) for the Bruins from 2012-16, winning an NCAA titleย in 2015. He was part of UCLA's most successful teams in 2015 and 2016, which established the NCAA, MPSF and UCLA all-time consecutive victories at 57. The 2015 NCAA Championship team went 30-0, becoming the first Bruin squad to go undefeated sinceย the 1969 team went 19-0. It was also the program's 10th title and the school's 113th NCAA Championship.

The undefeated season for the Bruins was just the fourth all-time in NCAA men's water polo history, joining the 2012 and 2008 USC squads and the 1992 California team.

Fuentes' final season in 2016 was his best as he finished sixth on the team in scoring with 22 goals and was second on the squad in assists with 31. At the end of his senior year, the entire class was awarded theย Dr. James Puffer Loyalty and Contribution Award.

Throughout and after his college career, Joey earned coaching experience for both girls and boys teams at all age groups. He was already coaching while playing at UCLA, serving as a head coach for the 14U team in the Los Angeles Water Polo Club from 2014-17.

Heย was born in Newport Beach, Calif., and grew up in Lake Forest, Calif., where he played at SET Water Polo Club and El Toro High School. His youth career highlights include a Junior Olympic MVP Award at the 16U level, three High School All-American selections, and a 2009 Division 1 CIF Championship.
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