Men's Water Polo Prepares For Battle Against UCLA
September 23, 2002 | Men's Water Polo
Sept. 23, 2002
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LOS ANGELES - The No. 6 USC men's water polo team (8-2, 1-0) will continue Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play with a key matchup against No. 4 UCLA (3-2, 0-0) on Saturday (Sept. 28) at McDonald's Swim Stadium at 1 p.m. Saturday's game will also count in the Lexus Gauntlet competition between USC and UCLA. The Bruins defeated the Trojans, 9-7, in overtime in a non-conference match on Sept. 15 at the So-Cal Tournament.
LAST WEEK - The Trojans opened MPSF play with a 9-5 win on Saturday (Sept. 21) at Long Beach State and upset No. 2 UC Irvine at home, 8-7, in a non-conference contest on Sunday (Sept. 22).
JOVAN VAVIC - In his eighth season as the head coach of the men's water polo program, Jovan Vavic has built the Trojans into a national power, which culminated with the 1998 national championship. Vavic came to USC as an assistant men's water polo coach to John Williams in 1992 and was named co-head coach in 1995. He took over the reins as head coach in 1999 when Williams retired. Vavic is also the head coach for the USC women's water polo team. During the 1998-99 season, Vavic did something no other coach has accomplished as his teams won three national championships: besides capturing the 1998 men's and 1999 women's titles, his 1999 men's club team won the Men's Senior National Club Championship. Vavic has a 30-year water polo career. In addition to his coaching experience, he was a member of a Yugoslavian club team that was a four-time junior national champion (1973-74-76-77). Jovan also played for the Monte-Negro State team, which won the Yugoslav Nationals in 1977 and 1978.
VAVIC'S CAREER RECORD - Jovan Vavic has a 155-37 (.807) record in eight years with the Trojans.
BOZIDAR DAMJANOVIC - Junior Bozidar Damjanovic (Belgrade, Yugoslavia) is the Trojans' No. 1 goalie. After recording 83 saves in 16 matches as a freshman in 2000, Damjanovic recorded 138 saves in 20 games as a 2001 sophomore. This season, he has 74 saves in 10 matches, including 12 against Pepperdine on Sept. 15 at the So-Cal Tournament.
LEADING THE WAY - Junior driver Gadi Hadar (Kibutz-Givat-Haim-Icud, Israel) leads the team with 17 goals this season. Sophomore utility transfer Stephen Lipinski (Palo Alto/Loyola Marymount) is second on the team with 15 goals. Lipinski scored five goals last weekend, including a team-high two in Sunday's 8-7 upset win against No. 2 UC Irvine. Freshman two-meter Jaraj Zatovic (Bratislava, Slovakia) is third on the team with 14 goals.
PREDRAG DAMJANOV - Junior two-meter Predrag Damjanov (Belgrade, Yugoslavia) returns for the Trojans after garnering All-America honorable mention honors last season. Damjanov was second on the team with 29 goals. This season, he is fourth in scoring with 11 goals.
