The UNM men’s water polo team is relatively unknown on campus, but it has made real strides in the past two seasons in the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC).
“It’s been a slow buildup over the past couple years, but since last season we have picked up a lot of momentum from our coach and having committed players,” senior Bryant Shuey said. “This season we are the best we have ever been: We have more players and have generated more funds and placed better against the top teams in the nation.”
The water polo team competes at the club level, which means it receives no money from Athletics, and because it is not a Division I team, it plays under the Collegiate Water Polo Association(CWPA).
Like many other club sports on campus, the team gets money through fundraisers, club fees, and a small amount from ASUNM.
Head coach Craig Biberston said each player pays $130 for team fees, which goes to swimsuits, practice time and CWPA fees. On top of the team fees, each player must fundraise a $100 more for the team.
The team’s basic costs are for water time, hosting tournaments and road trips. Shuey said each tournament costs about $600 to host and every road trip costs the team more than $1000.
Biberston said this team has a higher level of commitment because players pay to play.
“The dedication is something unlike any other sport or team I have seen,” he said. “You are playing because you want to be out here, so for them to be able to fundraise and pay the team dues, it shows immense dedication that you don’t always get with other teams.”
The team competes in the RMC and plays schools from Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.
The top-placing teams from the RMC tournament, which is held at the end of the season, are invited to play for the national championship.
Biberston said that while making it to the national tournament would be difficult, he hopes the teams does well in the RMC.
“We look like (were going to place) in the top five in the conference,” he said, “and that would be a place and a level we have never been at before.”
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This past weekend the Lobos hosted their season opening tournament, taking on University of Arizona and Arizona State.
On Saturday the Lobos went 2-0, beating the ASU B-team 18-7 and the U of Arizona B-team 11-7. On Sunday the team fell to U of Arizona’s A-team 16-13, and ASU’s A-team 14-2.
Junior Ruben Kimmelman said that even though the team lost both games on Sunday, it was a huge improvement from last season.
“Last year we got blown out of the water,” he said. “Both of those teams are ranked in the top 10 in the nation, and we only lost by three to U of A, and that’s the best we have ever done.”
