Fordham water polo is the lone undefeated team in the NCAA with a 24-0 record and stands tied as second in the nation.
In the pool, Fordham water polo is unstoppable and has yet to face an opponent that matches their precision and ability.
On Oct. 27, the Rams wrapped up a perfect sweep out west at the Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament. The team faced University of the Pacific, University of California-Merced, and The Air Force Academy in San Jose, California, and finished the trip 6-0.
The team arrived in California ranked fifth in the nation and returned to New York City ranked second, tied with Stanford University and University of Southern California. The only team to score higher was University of California, Los Angeles.
The youthful talent on the roster has an experienced presence that mirrors the veteran skill of their team leaders.
The stars of the weekend featured two first-year players: Luca Provenziani, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’28, and Andras Toth, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’28.
Following their powerful performances out west, Provenziani earned the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) player of the week and Toth was titled co-rookie of the week.
The youthful talent on the roster has an experienced presence that mirrors the veteran skill of their team leaders.
This year’s roster has eight senior athletes, many of whom have been playing together since their first year. Head Water Polo Coach Brian Bacharach believes the leadership from this group has aided the team through their undefeated season.
Despite their perfect season so far, the Rams are hungry for the first place slot.
“That core group of seniors have been together for a longtime. They have been through a lot together. They know the ropes of what it takes to be successful over a multi-month period of time and now a multi-year period of time,” Bacharach said.
Mark Katsev, GSBRH ’25, an attacker for the team, said that the core group of seniors have led the team’s drive for success.
“We are a big group of seniors so we have a lot of leadership. We know this is our last chance and we are super happy, but at the same time we want more,” Katsev said.
Despite their perfect season so far, the Rams are hungry for the first place slot.
The team’s total domination this past weekend is evidence of the team’s mentality.
“We want to be number one and we want to win the whole thing and we really think we can. We know that we are the hardest working team in the country,” Katsev continued.
The team’s total domination this past weekend is evidence of the team’s mentality.
On the road again, the Rams took down George Washington University, The Naval Academy and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) to improve to 24-0 on the season and 10-0 in the MAWPC.
Provenziani led the offense again in scoring alongside a relentless showcase of skill from upperclassman players. In the game against JHU, 18 Rams connected the ball with the back of the net, a challenging feat.
The ups and downs are a natural part of any athletic team, but Luca Silvestri, GSBRH ’25, a defensive player on the team, highlighted how the team has made a conscious effort to improve not only in the pool, but outside of it as well.
The team’s ability to work together to maintain their perfect streak is accredited to their dynamic, according to Kastev.
“We are all fighting the whole time in the water, but the second that the scrimmage ends, we are all a family again and we all love each other. It is like a battle everyday inside (the pool),” he said.
The team’s commitment to each other and to excellence is something that Coach Bacharach said has been cultivated over time.
“We have been through a lot together. We have had a lot of ups and downs. It hasn’t happened overnight,” he said.
The ups and downs are a natural part of any athletic team, but Luca Silvestri, GSBRH ’25, a defensive player on the team, highlighted how the team has made a conscious effort to improve not only in the pool, but outside of it as well.
“Everyone is so selfless to take a step back that everyone is willing to sacrifice a little bit of their own playing time so our team is better overall.” Mark Katsev, GSBRH ’25
“After having communicated extensively among ourselves and analyzing all the solutions, we rolled up our sleeves and started working all together towards a single goal. This work is still ongoing today and up to now the fruits have been seen, but at the same time there is still a lot of work to do and many goals to achieve, but I think that we are on the right track,” Silvestri said.
Part of staying on the “right track” has meant evolving the way the team plays. Katsev said that every athlete on the team prioritizes team success before their own at all times.
“Everyone is so selfless. The coach plays 14 guys deep and there are teams that only play 10 guys deep, nine guys deep. Everyone is so selfless to take a step back that everyone is willing to sacrifice a little bit of their own playing time so our team is better overall,” Katsev said.
The water polo team’s dominant performance in the pool is not the only incredible thing about this team. Bacharach shared that the team has a culturally diverse set of athletes.
“There are literally kids from all over the country and all over the world on our team. So it makes for a very unique roster,” Bacharach said.
The team features 13 international students from countries all over the world including Hungary, Italy, Greece, South Africa, Spain and Malta. Provenziani, from Italy, and Toth, from Hungary, are examples of two of the talented younger international players on the team.
Silvestri, who is also from Italy, said that the cultural diversity of the water polo team is one of his favorite parts about playing for Fordham’s program.
The Rams look to maintain their flawless record with unyielding consistency against Wagner College in Staten Island on Nov. 8 at 5:00 p.m.
“I have the pleasure to be in a team which has people from all around the world. Having the opportunity to learn all of these different cultures is something that not everyone has,” Silvestri said.
As the team looks to the last five weeks of the season Katsev said that the Rams are working to continue their success all the way to the end.
“I am excited to see the full potential of this team,” he said.
The Rams look to maintain their flawless record with unyielding consistency against Wagner College in Staten Island on Nov. 8 at 5:00 p.m.
It is not too late to support the Rams on their journey to continuing their streak. Katsev said that the support from the Ramily during their games and throughout the season fuels the team’s competitive spirit.
“Just electric, the way the guys feed into it, when you have your friends and families, people watching and cheering for you, you play a different way. You play with such a different energy, a different mentality, you want to do it for your school and obviously you want to defend your home pool,” he said.
The men’s water polo team’s incredible performance this season is reflective of the athletes unyielding determination for excellence. Our water polo powerhouse will be on full display during their final triple-header on Nov. 9 at Rose Hill.
