Johnson Leads Men’s water Polo All-Big West Class as freshman of the Year
The UC Santa Barbara men’s water polo team concluded a successful 2025 season, finishing second in The Big west after being predicted to finish fifth in the preseason coaches’ poll. The Gauchos posted a 17-14 record and scored 421 goals, the second-highest single-season total in program history. The season was highlighted by a strong showing in conference awards, led by standout performances from several key players.
Leading the offensive charge were seniors Niko zamanian and Matia dragovic, both elite playmakers who finished atop the conference points tally. Dragovic edged out Zamanian with 83 points to Zamanian’s 81, both fueled by over 20 assists each – 21 for Zamanian and 20 for Dragovic. Dragovic, fourth in The Big West rankings, earned recognition for his dominant campaign after a remarkable freshman season in 2024 that saw him earn All-America honors despite being left off the All-Big west teams. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Zamanian concluded his career in Blue and Gold with a stellar season, finishing tied for eighth in the program’s all-time goal leaderboard with 162 goals, achieved through back-to-back 50-goal seasons.
Veteran goalkeeper Drew Lentin also enjoyed a career-defining season, finally earning First Team all-big West honors after consecutive Second Team selections in 2023 and 2024. Lentin anchored the defense as team captain and delivered crucial performances, including a 10-save, three-steal outing against then-No. 6 UC San Diego, earning him Big West Player of the Week honors. He also recorded a career-high 17 saves in the Gauchos’ signature 16-13 upset victory over then-no. 6 UC Davis. Lentin finishes his career as one of only eight goalies in Santa Barbara history to record 500 saves, ranking sixth on the program’s all-time saves chart.
On the defensive end, senior defender Jack Redoutey secured his first all-conference honor since being named to the Golden Coast Conference All-Freshman Team. Redoutey enjoyed his most productive offensive season, scoring a career-high 26 goals and adding 13 assists. He played a pivotal role in the upset of UC davis, scoring all three of his goals in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
Down low, redshirt freshman center Ethan Simoncelli made an immediate impact, scoring 31 goals in his debut season, slightly surpassing teammate Kai Ross to become Santa Barbara’s top-scoring center. Simoncelli also proved adept at drawing exclusions, accumulating 44 on the season, including four against both Loyola Marymount and UC Irvine.
The Gauchos earned a first-round bye in the conference tournament, ultimately falling to the eventual conference champions. The 2025 season marked a significant step forward for the program, showcasing a potent offense and a resilient defense led by a core of talented and experienced players.
