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Big West Connections Run Deep During 2025 World Aquatics Championship

2025 World Aquatics Championships Homepage
The Big West will be well represented on the global stage across seven different countries at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, set for July 11–August 3 in Singapore. A total of 14 current or former coaches and student-athletes will proudly compete for their respective national teams. In total, the conference boasts 9 representatives in women's water polo, three in men's water polo, and one in swimming & diving.

Tara Prentice (UC Irvine '22) makes the 2022 Big West Player of the Year's third appearance for the United States on the international stage. Rachel Fattal (Long Beach State Assistant Coach 2023-24) will also represent Team USA and join Prentice in the pool this year.  

Nine other women's water polo conference representees will compete in the 2025 World Aquatics Championships across the likes of five countries. Hawai'i boasts the largest contingent of current student athletes with four Rainbow Wahine ready for competition with Gabrielle Doyle (New Zealand), Camille Radosavljevic (France), Agatha Weston (New Zealand), and 2025 Big West Freshman of the Year Éma Vernoux. Joining the duo in New Zealand will be UH alumni Elizabeth "Libby" Gault (2018-23) and Bridget Layburn (2019-23). Overall, the Rainbow Wahine have a Big West best six representatives.  

Dan Klatt, UC Irvine's Director of Water Polo will serve as an assistant coach for the women's water polo USA Team. The Anteaters earned the No. 3 seed in last year's Championship after accumulating a 5-2 record in conference action. Klatt also coached Prentice during the utility's time at UCI.  

On the men's side, the head coaching duo of Long Beach State's Gavin Arroyo and UC San Diego's Matt Ustaszewski will act as assistant coaches for the United States in the World Championships. Arroyo was named Big West Coach of the Year in 2024, and this will be Ustaszewski's fifth stint as an assistant in the World Championships. The coaching tandem was also on the bench when the United States took home the Bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.  

Current LBSU student athlete Jason O'Donnell will round out the representatives on the men's side, playing for Canada in the upcoming Championship.  

Vili Sivec is slated to represent Cal State Bakersfield swimming & diving while competing for Croatia. Two years ago on the national stage, Sivec reset the swimmer's own CSUB record time of 52.22 in the 100-meter Butterfly, earning a bronze medal. 

The Big West at 2025 FINA World Championships
Name Sport School Country
Gabrielle Doyle Women's water polo Hawai'i (2025-) New Zealand
Elizabeth "Libby" Gault Women's water polo Hawai'i (2018-23) New Zealand
Daniel Klatt Women's water polo UC Irvine/Director of Water Polo (2023-) United States
Bridget Layburn Women's water polo Hawai'i (2019-23) New Zealand
Tara Prentice Women's water polo UC Irvine (2018-22) United States
Camille Radosavljevic Women's water polo Hawai'i (2023-) France
Isabel Riley Women's water polo Long Beach State (2018-20) Argentina
Éma Vernoux Women's water polo Hawai'i (2025-) France
Agatha Weston Women's water polo Hawai'i (2024-) New Zealand
Gavin Arroyo Men's water polo Long Beach State/Head Coach (2006-) United States
Jason O'Donnell Men's water polo Long Beach State (2022-) Canada
Matt Ustaszewski Men's water polo UC San Diego/Head Coach (2022-) United States
Karol Ostrowski Men's swimming & diving Hawai'i (2023-) Poland
Vili Sivec Men's swimming & diving Cal State Bakersfield (2022-) Croatia