Bronx, N.Y. – (September 2, 2022) – The defending MAWPC champion Fordham water polo team gets its 2022 season underway this weekend at the Bruno Classic hosted at both Harvard and Brown University.
The Rams enter the 2022 season at #17 in the national top 20 poll, after winning the 2021 MAWPC Championship and making their first NCAA Championship appearance. Fordham returns 79% (347 goals) of its offense, led by 2021 MAWPC Rookie of the Year,
George Papanikolaou, who scored a team-high 74 goals,
Lucas Nieto Jasny, who had 69 tallies, and
Jacopo Parrella with 57 goals.
Fordham also returns experience in net with
Thomas Lercari, who was the MAWPC Rookie of the Championship, leading the Rams to three wins and the team title. He ended the year with 147 saves to go with 14 assists and nine steals in 2021.
The Rams will be tested in their opening tournament, the Bruno Classic, facing #16 Harvard in the opening match on Saturday, followed by MIT, while on Sunday, Fordham will face Gannon and #5 Pacific.
GAME COVERAGE
Saturday – 11:00 AM - #17 Fordham at #16 Harvard –
Live Video (ESPN+) |
Follow on Twitter at @FordhamPolo
Saturday – 2:30 PM - #17 Fordham vs. MIT –
Live Video (ESPN+) |
Follow on Twitter at @FordhamPolo
Sunday – 9:30 AM - #17 Fordham vs. Gannon –
Live Video (ESPN+) |
Follow on Twitter at @FordhamPolo
Sunday – 1:15 PM - #17 Fordham vs. #5 Pacific –
Live Video (ESPN+) | |
Follow on Twitter at @FordhamPolo
HISTORY: Fordham has history with all four opponents this weekend. Since 2000, Fordham and Harvard have played pretty much every year, with the Rams earning a 10-8 win last year at Harvard, while the Rams and Engineers have played each other since the 1960's with the last contest being a 16-5 win by Fordham in 2021.
Fordham has not seen Gannon since the 2019 season, when the Rams picked up a 16-11 victory at the 2019 MAWPC Championship held at Bucknell. The final game between Fordham and Pacific is only the second-ever meeting, as the teams played to an 8-8 tie in 2006 at the Princeton Invitational.
RAMSES CHALLENGE: As a part of a new fundraising challenge this season, fans can pledge support for the team in the Ramses Challenge for each goal the water polo team scores this season.
Be a part of the challenge by clicking here. For any questions regarding the Ramses Challenge, please reach out to Director of Athletic Development,
Kara Field, at
kfield1@fordham.edu
WHAT'S NEXT: The Rams will head to Princeton next weekend, September 10-11, for the Princeton Invitational, as Fordham will face Cal Lutheran, St. Francis Brooklyn, and Princeton over the two-day tournament.
