Coronado High School senior Ryan Mondzelewski will be playing water polo at the Naval Academy next year, but this won’t be the first time a family member has sported the Navy’s blue and gold.
Ryan’s mother graduated from the Naval Academy in 1999, and his father is currently serving in the Navy, so the senior has always had interest in the Annapolis, Maryland, academic center. Their top tier water polo program didn’t hurt, either, he said.
“I appreciate the culture of excellence,” Mondzelewski said. “Everyone I have talked to who attends or has attended the Naval Academy has an exceptional work ethic and strives for success in whatever they do. I knew I wanted to play for a top-tier water polo program, but it was equally important to me that the school I attended offered a challenging and rewarding academic program.”
Mondzelewski led his Islander’s squad to CIF DI championship last year with a victory over Carlsbad High School. This win came just two seasons after Mondzelewski and the Islanders finished as CIF DI runners up.
Conversations with the Navy coaches began following his junior season, and Ryan said he was offered a recruiting visit early this spring.
“My visit helped solidify my decision that Annapolis was the right fit for me,” he said. “I received a phone call from head coach Luis Nicolao in July, offering me the opportunity to play D1 water polo. I was excited and honored to accept his offer.”
As for his personal goals once he arrives on campus in Annapolis, Mondzelewski kept it simple:
“My goal is to play my best water polo. Navy has a very competitive D1 program and becoming a prominent player on their roster is not easy.”
The Islander standout named three figures in his water polo career that have guided and pushed him the most, all coaches at different points in his development. Lazlo Gyori helped him learn to swim and taught him the basics of the sport when he was just 6 years old. Arman Momdzhyan has coached him for the past three years at La Jolla United, years he credits with helping him develop into a more technical player. And Jesse Smith, a five-time Olympian and 2008 silver medalist, provided mentorship while coaching him at Coronado High School for the past year and a half.
“It is an honor to play for Coach Smith, who has played the sport at the highest level of competition there is in the world,” he said.
Mondzelewsi said he has worked a decade for the opportunity to compete, and he does not intend to back off.
“I plan on always being around water polo as it is a great way to stay in shape and has a fantastic community, especially here in Coronado,” he said. “I enjoy the culture of the town and I think there is a ton of great history here, especially when it comes to water polo. I look forward to being able to come back to a large military town for the rest of my life. I know lots of people in Coronado who are Naval Academy graduates and it makes me very excited to follow in their footsteps.”
