STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford's men's water polo program is set to add six standout freshmen and a transfer student for the upcoming 2023 season, announced Monday by the Dunlevie Family Director of Men's Water Polo Brian Flacks.
Joining the Cardinal are utility player Christopher Arakelian (Studio City, Calif.), utility player Elai Ben-Gal (Herzliya, Israel), utility player Alexandru Gheorghe (Bucharest, Romania), attacker Konstantinos Mathiopoulos (Piraeus, Greece), attacker Daniel Mnatsakanian (Los Angeles, Calif.), attacker Tanner Pulice (Newport Beach, Calif.) and attacker Gavin West (Old Greenwich, Conn.).
The group joins a program that boasts 11 NCAA titles and 34 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, along with eight MPSF crowns.
"I am thrilled to introduce our incoming recruiting class to the Stanford community," said Flacks. "As a coach, I am proud to say that this group of student-athletes not only excels in the pool, but they also embody the values and characteristics that we strive for as a program. As my first official recruiting class as the head coach at Stanford, I believe the class of '23 is a great reflection of our staff's recruiting philosophy - to bring in the best student-athletes from around the world."
Christopher Arakelian • Studio City, Calif. • Harvard-Westlake • LA Premier • Utility
Top Water Polo Accomplishments »
- Team captain of the Youth National Team at Youth World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia (2022)
- CIF Southern Section champion (2019)
- One of three players to be invited to coach and mentor at USA water polo holiday camp (2022)
Flacks on Arakelian »I am ecstatic to welcome Chris up to The Farm. As a member of the USA U18 National Team, he has gained extensive international experience and has proven himself at the highest level of competition. He is a rare talent, with the ability to excel as both a center and perimeter defender. I have had the pleasure of coaching Chris at Harvard-Westlake for several years, and I have seen firsthand his relentless drive to improve, his thoughtful approach to the game, and his humility. He is a leader, not just on the pool deck, but also in the classroom. Chris is the complete package, and I am confident that he will be a valuable asset to our program and the Stanford community.
Elai Ben-Gal • Herzliya, Israel • Harishonim • ASA Tel Aviv Water Polo Club • Utility
Top Water Polo Accomplishments »
- Member of Israeli National Water Polo Team
- Top-scorer with ASA Tel Aviv Water Polo Club Senior Team (2020-2022)
- Active player with ASA Tel Aviv Water Polo Club Senior Team since age 17
Flacks on Ben-Gal »In addition to his impressive international and club accomplishments, what sets Elai apart is his versatility. He is able to play multiple positions in the pool, making him incredibly dynamic on both the offensive and defensive end. As a coach, I am always looking for athletes who can adapt and excel in different roles, and Elai fits that mold perfectly. He will be a valuable addition to our program, and I believe will be an immediate big-time player in our program.
Alexandru Gheorghe • Bucharest, Romania • Mark Twain International School • C.S.A. Steaua • Utility
Top Water Polo Accomplishments »
- Two-time best Romanian junior player
- Competed in The LEN Champions League
- Three-time Romanian champion
Flacks on Gheorghe »I am excited to welcome Alexandru to the Stanford Men's Water Polo team. As a current member of the Romanian National Team and one of the youngest players in the Champions League, he has already proven himself as an elite athlete. Alex is not just a talented player, he is also a dedicated student who understands the value of a Stanford education. I can't wait to get him on campus and in the pool – Alex is ready to make a major impact on our program.
Konstantinos Mathiopoulos • Piraeus, Greece • Athinaiki Agogi & Paideia • Ethnikos Piraeus • Attacker
Top Water Polo Accomplishments »
- Second Place at the 2021 European Men's Junior Championship in Malta
- 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 (Double) first place - gold medal at Greek Championship first division with the senior team of Olympiakos
- Record holder of the youngest scorer in history of Men's Greek First Division Championship
Flacks on Mathiopoulos »I am excited to welcome Konstantinos to the Stanford Men's Water Polo program. With an extensive resume that ranges from participation on several Greek National teams to being the youngest member of one the top Greek club teams in his country, he is one of the most decorated athletes for his age in the world. His strong frame, agility, and quickness allow him to play on multiple sides of the pool and be an elite-level scorer.
Daniel Mnatsakanian • Los Angeles, Calif. • Harvard-Westlake • LA Premier • Attacker
Top Water Polo Accomplishments »
- Played for the USA Youth National Team, competing in the Junior Pan American games and the Youth World Championships in Belgrade (2022)
- Mission League MVP (2022)
- All-CIF first team (2022)
Flacks on Mnatsakanian »In addition to Chris, Daniel joins us at the Farm following an outstanding career at Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles, California. As a skilled right-handed attacker, Daniel possesses an exceptional level of intelligence and a voracious passion for the game. Last summer, he was chosen to represent Team USA at the Youth World Championship in Belgrade, Serbia. As we strive to establish our new culture at Stanford, our coaching staff has recognized Daniel as someone who embodies a distinctive combination of talent, work ethic, and determination. We are confident that his presence will greatly contribute to the success and growth of our program, and we look forward to welcoming him to the team.
Tanner Pulice • Newport Beach, Calif. • Corona del Mar (UCLA) • New York Athletic Club • Attacker
Top Water Polo Accomplishments »
- NCAA Men's Water Polo National Champion with UCLA (2021)
- Member of USA Water Polo's Development, Cadet, and Youth National Teams and Captain of gold medal winning national team at the UANA Youth Pan-American Championships (2019)
- Competed for the USA Collegiate team in National League and trained with Men's Senior National Team prior to World Championships (2022)
- Orange County Player Of The Year after scoring 129 goals and surpassing Corona Del Mar High School single season record held by two-time Olympian John Mann (2020)
Flacks on Pulice »I am incredibly excited for Tanner to join the Stanford Men's Water Polo program. Tanner is a proven winner with a successful career at the high school, college, and national teams levels. A transfer from UCLA, Tanner is dynamic and has incredible speed, which allows him to be dangerous in transition and off of movement in the front court. Most importantly, Tanner's leadership qualities are second to none, and we know that he will be instrumental in helping us build a championship culture here at Stanford.
Gavin West • Old Greenwich, Conn. • Sacred Heart Prep • Club Natació Rubí • Attacker
Top Water Polo Accomplishments »
- Member of USA development, cadet and youth national teams
- All-league, All-section, All-CA-HI (2021)
- Junior Olympic All-America first team (2022)
Flacks on West »I am thrilled to welcome Gavin to the Stanford Men's Water Polo program. As a local talent from Sacred Heart Prep and a standout player on the Stanford/Atherton Water Polo Club, Gavin is one of the top right-handed attackers in the United States. He has a proven track record of success, leading his high school team to sectional and regional championships, and being named an All-American on multiple occasions throughout his career. Gavin is the ultimate competitor, and I have no doubt that he will be a valuable asset to our program as we strive for a championship culture at Stanford.