UCLA vs. USC Water Polo: A Storied Rivalry
The rivalry between UCLA and USC extends far beyond the football field, permeating various sports and embodying a deep-seated competitive spirit. In water polo, this rivalry is particularly intense, marked by historical clashes, legendary figures, and a constant pursuit of championships. This article delves into the rich history of the UCLA vs. USC water polo rivalry, exploring its origins, key moments, and the figures who have shaped its narrative.
Early Days and Olympic Beginnings
The roots of the UCLA-USC water polo rivalry trace back to the early years of UCLA's existence. One year after the university opened as the southern branch of UC Berkeley, UCLA graduate Clyde Swendsen played water polo for Team USA in the 1920 Summer Olympic Games, becoming the first of UCLA’s many Olympians. Since those games, the Bruins’ water polo program has sent at least one representative to play or coach for an Olympic team in all but two of the games. The Trojans themselves have sent coaches and players to all but five of the games, their athletes especially dominating the Olympic rosters of the 1950s.
Before the NCAA regulated collegiate water polo and before the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, the rivalry was already taking shape. In 1962, the UCLA water polo team faced the USC Trojans, who had finished in first place the previous year. Despite the odds, the Bruins fought within one goal of their archrival before falling 10-9.
The Horn Era: Building a Legacy
The 1960s marked a turning point for UCLA water polo, largely due to the influence of coach Bob Horn. Over Horn’s first three seasons, his Bruins beat nearly every team they faced on a regular basis except for the Trojans.
In 1965, the men’s water polo team traveled to the heart of Los Angeles and pulled out a 7-6 overtime conquest, marking the first time on record the Bruins beat the Trojans in USC’s home pool. Thus began a winning streak that spanned three seasons for the Bruins and, if it weren’t for a 12-5 finish in 1968, Bruin water polo fans would not have tasted a loss for over five years. In 1969, Horn’s team claimed the first NCAA Water Polo Championship and concurrently began the first men’s water polo team to finish an NCAA season undefeated. Over a 28-year tenure, Horn compiled 487 wins and three national titles. His team’s 19-8 victory over USC in 1976 remains the largest single-game difference between the two teams on record, followed by an 18-8 win scored earlier that same season.
Read also: Comprehensive Guide to UCLA Water Polo
A Rivalry Defined by Close Games
The UCLA-USC rivalry is renowned for its intensity and the frequency of closely contested matches. Sticking true to the historical closeness of rivalry games, 10 of the 20 games Krikorian’s Bruins played against the Trojans over his ten year stead ended in one-goal margins. Since Wright took over for Krikorian in 2009, 15 of his 25 games against USC have been decided by one goal, more than two goals separating the teams only six times.
Two of the more painful one-goal games have come when an NCAA title was on the line. In 2009, Wright’s first year as head coach, the Bruins lost to USC 7-6. The same happened three years later in 2012 by a score of 11-10. Those one-goal victories helped spur USC to six consecutive championship trophies, a run that would become the fourth-longest title streak in any NCAA men’s sport since 1943. That run came to an end last year when UCLA usurped the six-time defending national champions 9-8.
The Wright Era: A New Chapter
Adam Wright, a former UCLA player, has continued the legacy of the program as head coach. "UCLA came off its first championship in 20-plus years in ’95,” Wright said.
On December 6, the No. 1-ranked UCLA men’s water polo team defeated the No. 3-ranked USC Trojans, 10-7, to win the 2015 NCAA Championship. The win also marked the fifth NCAA Championship for UCLA Head Coach Adam Wright while in charge of the Men's Water Polo team, with all five titles coming against USC.
The 2015 NCAA Championship: A Defining Moment
The 2015 NCAA Championship game between UCLA and USC was a testament to the rivalry's intensity. UCLA had a total of seven players score in the contest, paced by two goals each from freshman Ryder Dodd, redshirt junior Chase Dodd, and graduate students Nico Tierney and Jack Larsen. The two teams battled to a 2-2 draw in the first period. The Bruins won the third period, 3-2, to take a 7-6 lead heading into the final stanza. Ryder Dodd would surpass the MPSF scoring mark with the final goal of the third (0:49) on a power play to increase his total to 102 goals.
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Senior utility Danny McClintick scored four goals and had the game-winning assist in last year's national championship game win over USC. McClintick said his favorite part of that game was the Bruins' composure when the teams were tied late. “My favorite moment of that game was when we called a timeout after the game had been tied,” McClintick said.
A Broader Perspective: The Crosstown Cup and Athletic Dominance
The UCLA-USC rivalry extends beyond water polo, encompassing a wide range of sports. The schools have been together in the same athletic conference since 1928, when UCLA joined USC in the Pacific Coast Conference, a predecessor of the Pac-12 Conference. USC had joined the PCC in 1922. When the PCC broke up after the 1958-1959 season, USC and UCLA were charter members of the newly formed Athletic Association of Western Universities. The AAWU, with expansion, would become the Pac-8, Pac-10, and then the Pac-12 Conference.
Both schools also are successful in many "non-revenue" or "Olympic" sports. Both have had success in track and field, water polo, tennis, volleyball, and golf. As of 2023, USC has won 26 NCAA championships in men's outdoor track and field, 21 in men's tennis, and 12 in baseball, the most of any school in each respective sport. Likewise, UCLA has won 20 NCAA championships in men's volleyball and 12 in softball, also the most of any school in those sports. As of June 2024, UCLA ranked second overall and USC ranked third overall in NCAA team championships behind Stanford.
The Crosstown Cup is the name given to a competition between UCLA and USC in the 19 NCAA-sanctioned varsity sports in which both compete.
The Football Rivalry: A Key Component
The football rivalry between UCLA and USC is a significant aspect of the overall athletic competition between the two universities. Quite often, the winner of the football game has won or shared the Pac-12 Conference (Pac-12) title in football. A berth in the Rose Bowl game has been on the line many times as well for both schools. Since the 1916 formation of the Pacific Coast Conference, which the Pac-12 claims as part of its history, USC had won or shared 37 conference titles and UCLA had won or shared 17 titles. Since the 1959 season, when the Pac-12 was formed as the Athletic Association of Western Universities, through the 2007 season, the schools had won or shared 33 of the 48 conference titles.
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Several titles have been applied to the football game such as: "The Los Angeles City Championship," "The Crosstown Showdown," "The Battle of L.A.," or simply the "crosstown rivalry." None have become the singular name for the game. At UCLA, the week before the game is known as "Beat 'SC Week" (officially dubbed "Blue and Gold Week"). Both schools host a number of activities on their respective campuses during the week to promote school spirit. Also, both schools take steps to prevent vandalism of two major landmarks on campus: USC wraps its Trojan Shrine (better known as "Tommy Trojan") in bubble wrap and duct tape, while UCLA covers its Bruin Bear statue with tarp stating "THE BRUIN BEAR IS HIBERNATING. BEAT 'SC.", and more recently a $5000 wooden puzzle box. Groups of UCLA students known as "Bruin Bear Security Force" also camp out in Bruin Plaza, ostensibly to protect the Bruin Bear in the event of a prank, while the USC Trojan Knights hold a week-long vigil guarding Tommy Trojan with the sign "Don't Bruin your life".
When the football teams from these schools compete against each other, the victor is awarded the Victory Bell. The Victory Bell was originally from an old Southern Pacific railroad locomotive. It was UCLA's symbol of victory until it was stolen by a USC organization called the Trojan Knights in 1941. The bell itself is brass, and the metal mounting around it is painted blue or cardinal by the school that won the football game and earned its possession. When UCLA possesses it, the UCLA Rally Committee is responsible for its protection and care. While it is in USC's possession, the Trojan Knights are responsible for hiding, protecting, and showcasing the bell (including ringing the bell during home football games).
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