The U.S. men’s water polo team is in a strong position for the LA Games following their bronze medal performance at the Paris Olympics.

A few days before the U.S. men’s water polo team played its first game at the Paris Olympics, coach Dejan Udovicic briefly let his guard down.

Udovicic, 54, a determined Serbian who has coached extensively in his home country, reflected on how much he has evolved since taking over the U.S. program in 2013. “I realized I couldn’t immediately change the team or the culture as I wanted,” he said. “I had to change myself significantly to align with their working methods. It wasn’t easy for them to deal with me, but I’m grateful for their patience.”

This personal growth was evident as the U.S. team made an impressive run through the Olympic tournament. Although they lost 10-6 to Serbia in the semifinals, they bounced back to secure a thrilling 11-8 victory over Hungary in the bronze medal match.

This marked the U.S. men’s water polo team’s best Olympic performance since their last medal in 2008 when they won silver after falling to Hungary in the final. More significantly for Udovicic and his team, this result fuels optimism for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, where a top podium finish appears increasingly attainable, given the sport's strong presence in the U.S. 

“I think this team might never be the same,” said captain Ben Hallock. “People move on and pursue different paths, but the foundation we've built is solid and something to build on.”

The world’s leading water polo nations recognize this too.

“It’s a great generation,” said Hungary’s Denes Varga. “They can achieve even more in the next two or three Olympic cycles.”

The U.S. team has been on a steady upward trajectory since their disappointing performance in 2016, when they failed to advance past the group stage, scoring only 35 goals and finishing 10th in Rio de Janeiro.

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