ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy water polo team (5-0) hits the road for the annual Princeton Invitational this weekend at DeNunzio Pool in Princeton, N.J. On Saturday, the Midshipmen will take on #12 Princeton (3-0) and LIU (4-2) at 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively, before concluding the tournament on Sunday with #18 Harvard (2-5) at 11:00 a.m.
 
Navy's game against tournament host Princeton will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
Social Media
For more information on Navy water polo, follow the team on Instagram (@NavyWaterPolo), X (@NavyWaterPolo), and Facebook (@NavyWaterPolo).
 
Milestone Watch
Kiefer Black began the 2026 season with 233 career goals. After four goals at the Navy open, the senior enters the weekend in third place in program history with 237 in the category behind Doug Munz ('95) who is second with 273 goals. Navy head coach Luis Nicolao ('92) is the program's all-time leader in goals scored with 282.
 
Black is the all-time leader in Navy history in career points with 443, while also sitting atop the Midshipmen annals with 206 assists. After entering the season with 198 assists, the San Diego native finished the Navy Open with eight helpers to become the first player in program history with 200 or more assists.
 
Six additional Midshipmen are also approaching some career milestones.

Junior Orion Erwin is three points shy of 100 for his career with 97, while senior Billy Zech is 15 points away from the 100-point plateau with 85. Senior team captain Connor Cashman and junior Austin Kahn enter the weekend with 83 and 80 points, respectively. Cashman is 17 points back of 100 with Kahn 20 points shy.
 
Seniors Luka Sekulic and Aiden Day have 87 and 84 career goals, individually, with 100 career scores on the horizon. Zech is 21 goals shy of his 100th career score with 79 goals entering the weekend. Quinn Bartlett is one goal behind Zech with 78 scores heading into the weekend.
 
Athletes of the Week
The MAWPC announced its weekly awards and Navy swept the league's three honors. Quinn Bartlett was named Offensive Player of the Week, while Ryan Munch claimed Defensive Player of the Week distinction. Declan Bartlett completed the sweep, taking home Rookie of the Week honors.
 
The trio helped the Midshipmen to a 5-0 record on the week at the Navy Open with the Mids defeating Mount St. Mary's (W, 15-14), Johns Hopkins (W, 13-9), Salem (W, 23-11), Austin College (W, 17-5), and Austin College (W, 15-6).
 
Despite playing in just three games, Q. Bartlett led all Midshipmen with 13 total points on a team-high eight goals to go along with five assists. He scored multiple goals in all three games played, including a hat trick.
 
Munch, Navy's starting goalie for the first three games, tallied 33 saves in 11 quarters of action, while recording 10 steals and a pair of assists. The junior registered double-digit saves in all three games played.
 
D. Bartlett finished his first collegiate weekend of water polo with nine total points on eight goals and an assist.
 
Water Polo Interview
Freshman Declan Bartlett joined Tim Nolan on the Navy Sports Magazine to recap the 2026 Navy Open and talk about his rookie campaign. Navy Sports Magazine
 
Scouting the Midshipmen
The Mids enter the weekend 5-0 overall following the Navy Open with the Midshipmen defeating Mount St. Mary's (W, 15-14), Johns Hopkins (W, 13-9), Salem (W, 23-11), Austin College (W, 17-5), and Austin College (W, 15-6)
 
Quinn Bartlett leads the team with 13 points on a team-high eight goals and five assists. Kiefer Black is second with 12 total points with four goals and a team-best eight assists. Aiden Berry and Connor Cashman are tied with 10 points apiece with both players netting seven goals and adding three assists. Declan Bartlett rounds out the top 5 for Navy with nine points. The freshman is tied with his older brother with a team-high eight goals, while adding an assist.
Defensively, Navy used three goalkeepers over the first weekend the year. Ryan Munch leads the team with 33 saves, while Oren Penning follows with 20 stops. Francis Hendrickson added in three saves in relief.
 
Munch leads the team with 10 steals with James Mulvey and Jack Mason following with five takeaways apiece. Five Midshipmen – Maximus Arnold, JB Bergstedt, Austin Kahn, Penning, and Luka Sekulic – have three steals each. Q. Bartlett leads the team with seven ejections drawn with Bergstedt, Berry, Luke Kirincich, Declan Murphy, Jack Reif, and Billy Zech following with six kickouts drawn apiece.
 
Up Next
Following the Princeton Invitational, the Midshipmen head west. Navy takes on Air Force for the Freedom Vase on Thursday, Sept. 24 before continuing to California for the UC Irvine Invitational on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26-27 to take on Santa Clara, LMU, and UC Irvine.