2025 Season Preview: Southwestern Men’s Water Polo
CHULA VISTA, CA – Southwestern has assembled a solid non-conference schedule, both home and on the road, to prepare for league play and the conference championships this fall.
The Jaguars are set to face off against five teams that made the 2024 Southern California Regional Championships. The month of September is highlighted by two marquee tournaments that feature matchups against powerhouse and the defending state champion Rustlers of Golden West College and state semifinalist Orange Coast College.
The season officially begins for the Jags on Friday, September 12 as the team will head to Huntington Beach to take part in the Golden West Invitational along with LA Valley, Cerritos, Orange Coast, Saddleback, Mesa, and host Golden West.
Southwestern opens 2025 against Golden West at 7:30 a.m. this Friday. The second match of the day is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. with opponents yet to be determined. The Jags will compete in two additional games on Saturday, Sept 13 at 8:40 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. respectively.
Southwestern College will again host the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championships (Friday, 11/7 and Saturday, 11/8).
In addition, the 2025 3C2A Men's and Women's Water Polo SoCal Regional Champsionships will also be held at Southwestern College (Thursday, 11/13 - Saturday, 11/15).
It is an opportunity to pursue both a conference and regional championship in the state-of-the-art Jaguar Aquatics Wellness & Sports (JAWS) facility.
Sokil Elevated
Stuart Sokil has been elevated to Interim Head Coach for the 2025 season, Southwestern College announced. A former water polo player at Hilltop High School and Southwestern College, Coach Sokil returned to assist the Jags in 2022 after head coaching stints with both the Eastlake High School Girls' and Boys' Water Polo teams from 2014-2021, as well as helping with the Eastlake Swim & Dive team from 2018-2021.
The JAGS
SWC returns 6 familiar faces from a season ago, including Jake Garcia, Sebastian Cadena, Kristian Gutierrez, Christian Giorgi, Nathan Crosby and Santiago Salinas.
The state's leading returning goal scorer and the 2024 PCAC player of the year, Sebastian Cadena (La Paz, Mexico) fired in 134 goals last year while adding 32 assists. Entering the 2025 campaign, he is arguably the top offensive threat in California Community College Water Polo. Nathan Crosby returns to the starting lineup and will be counted on for production at both ends of the pool.
The Jaguars welcome 14 newcomers with David Samad, Elijah Hutchins, and Blake Wilson expected to play a pivotal part in Southwestern's efforts, offensively and defensively this season.