Fordham University Announces 2024 Water Polo Recruiting Class
BRONX, N,Y. — Fordham University water polo head coach Brian Bacharach announced his recruiting class for the Fall of 2024, adding nine more players to the roster. The group joins previously announced graduate school transfer James Oriskovich (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos (University of California-Santa Barbara) for next season.
This year’s class includes Csongor Bartuszek (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich), Tyler Fahey (Darien, Conn./Darien), West Gartland (San Diego, Calif./La Jolla), Kristof Magony (Szeged, Hungary/SZTE Gyakorlo Gimnazium es Altalanos Iskola), Marco Napolitano (Naples, Italy/Istituto Sacro Cuore), Sean O’Neill (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Oaks Christian), Luca Provenziani (Rome, Italy/Liceo Scientifico Statale Isacco Newton), Reggie Robles (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos), and Andras Toth (Pecs, Hungary/Pte Babits Gyakorlo Gimnazium).
“We return a large majority of our team from last fall, but this group of recruits adds some much needed depth at almost every position,” said Bacharach. “Our coaching staff is very excited about the versatility that the group will allow us to explore. I believe this group will be the foundation of championship level athletes within the Fordham water polo program for many more years to come. We cannot wait to get them all to New York City.”
A 6-3 utility/center defender, Bartuszek played four years of water polo at Greenwich High School, where he served as team captain and was the team’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the 2023 season. He helped Greenwich to a third place finish at the 2023 Steve Pal Memorial Tournament in California. He is a club player for Greenwich Aquatics, earning a bronze medal at the 2023 ODP National Championship and the 2023 18U Club Championship, while being sixth at the 2023 Junior Olympics. In 2022, Bartuszek was named All-Tournament MVP of the 16U Club Championships, picking up a silver medal for a second place finish. The year prior, his Greenwich Aquatics team won the 16U National Club Championships. Academically, he has received USAWP All-Academic, garnering “Outstanding” accolades.
Bacharach on Bartuszek: “Csongor has a large physical presence that he combines with an strong outside shot. We believe he has a great career ahead of him as a utility player at the collegiate level. He has grown up in the Greenwich Aquatics system, playing in high level club games year around. We are confident that both his talent and experience will translate well to the college game and are excited he chose to become a Ram.”
Fahey, a 6-1 attacker, is a graduate of Darien High School in Connecticut, and a Greenwich Aquatics teammate of Bartuszek. A multiple-time team captain, he finished as the nation’s leader in assists and steals at the 2023 Junior Olympics on their way to a six place finish and was the recipient of the Coaches Award for the 2023 season. Additionally, his team finished second at the 2022 National Club Championships and received a bronze medal at the 2018 National Junior Olympics. He was also named an All-America selection at the 2017 Junior Olympics.
Bacharach on Fahey: “Tyler is another product of the great club program at Greenwich Aquatics. He has a natural balance in the water with strong legs that makes him a lockdown perimeter defender. This combined with his exceptional ability to see the game offensively has made him a talented overall player that can quickly translate those skills to the collegiate level. I am excited that Tyler decided to join us in the Bronx.”
Gartland, a 6-2 center defender, spent the last four seasons at La Jolla High School in California as a part of their water polo and swimming teams. For water polo, he was the team captain in 2023, helping the team to the D2 State Championship. Gartland was a 2023 All-CIF Second Team selection for the San Diego section after earning First Team honors in 2022. For club water polo, he has played for both the San Diego Shores Water Polo Club and La Jolla United WPC. With La Jolla United, he served as team captain of the U16 team. In 2022, he competed at the ODP National Championship, and was recipient of the 2022 Nick Johnson Inspiration Award. Academically, he was a member of the honor roll at La Jolla High School and a three-time USAWP All-Academic honoree.
Bacharach on Gartland: “West has a motor that does not quit. Every time I have had the opportunity to watch him play, he is constantly wearing down the other team. He also has strength and size that I believe will translate very well to playing center defense at the college level. We are excited that he has chosen to spend his next four years with us in New York City and believe he will be a big help to our program.”
A 6-0 goalie, Magony graduated from SZTE Gyakorlo Gimnazium es Altalanos Iskola in Hungary. He has competed in both water polo and swimming, where for swimming he was a bronze medalist at the 2024 Hungarian National Student Olympics in the 4x50m relay, after finishing fourth in the event in 2023. Magony played water polo in Hungary for Szegedi Vizipolo Suli, where he competed at the Hungarian National Championship at both the U19 and U17 levels. He won gold with the U17 team and bronze with the U19 team in 2022, while finishing fourth at the U19 Championship in 2023. Most recently, his team finished with the silver medal at the 2024 U19 Championship. Internationally, his club team won two major tournaments in 2018 – the Genoa LEN Champions League Final 8 Kids tournament and the Habawaba Europe tournament. Magony spent a season in the United States playing club for CHAWP, which finished seventh at the 2022 Junior Olympics. He has also received invitations to the Hungarian youth national team pipeline camps.
Bacharach on Magony: “Kristof is a talented goalkeeper from Hungary. With only one goalie currently on our roster that is returning, we are really excited to add an athlete of Kristof’s talent level. He has quickness both around the cage as well as coming out of it, which is imperative to be successful at the collegiate level. We are excited to get him to New York.”
Napolitano, a 6-1 attacker, is a graduate of Instituto Sacro Cuore in Naples, Italy. He grew up playing club water polo for 11 years with Posillipo and is a long-time teammate of current Rams, Jacopo Parrella and Luca Silvestri. He eventually rose to the Posillipo Senior Team, competing in the Serie A1, one of the highest level leagues in the world. During his high school years with Posillipo, he won three gold, two silver, and three bronze medals at the various youth levels as well as spent time training with the Italian Youth National Teams. Most recently, he has competed for Ischia Marine Club (2022-24) in Serie A2, averaging several goals a game, while also completing his undergraduate degree simultaneously.
Bacharach on Napolitano: “Marco will be an experienced addition to our line up. He has spent several seasons playing in the highest leagues in Italy as well as several training camps with the Italian Youth National Team. He has a proven track record of winning, having earned three gold medals with his youth club team at Posillipo. Finally, he has played with several of our team members for much of his life, in Jacopo Parrella and Luca Silvestri. It is also unique for us to have a graduate student that has two years of eligibility left. We are excited he decided to become a Ram.”
O’Neill, a 5-10 attacker, was a three-year varsity water polo player at Oaks Christian in Westlake Village, California. This past season, he earned First Team All-Marmonte League honors. O’Neill also has international experience as a part of the U17 and U18 Canadian Youth National Team, participating at the U18 Youth World Championship in Serbia in 2022 and the U17 Youth PanAm Championship in Brazil in 2023.
Bacharach on O’Neill: “Sean comes to us from Oaks Christian High School and Pride water polo club, two of the top programs in the country at the high school level. He was a key member of the Oaks Christian team the last few years. He also is a Canadian citizen and has been a member of the Youth National team system in Canada for several years. He brings a wealth of experience to us both domestically and internationally and we look forward to that translating well to our Fordham program.”
A 6-0 utility player, Provenziani has plenty of international experience, playing in major youth national team tournaments for Italy since he was 15. A 2019 bronze medalist at the European Men’s U15 Championship in Bulgaria, he also took part in the U17 Championship in Malta in 2021. While at the U19 Championship in 2022 in Montenegro, he was named Best European assist man. Most recently, Provenziani took part in the FINA World Men’s Youth U18 Championship in Serbia in 2022 and the U20 Championship in 2023 in Romania, being one of the youngest athletes competing. In addition to his national team play, he also played regionally for Team Lazio, winning three regional trophies, and club for Roma Vis Nova, where he has medaled six times at various Italian National Championships. He was named the Top Player of the Italian U18 National Championship following his performance in 2023 as well as the Top Player of the Italian U16 National Championship in 2021.
Bacharach on Provenziani: “Luca is one of the top 2005-born players coming out of Italy this year. His accolades and accomplishments are extensive. However, what excited me most about Luca through the recruitment process was his alignment with the mission of our Fordham water polo program. We want to develop young men that excel in the pool, in the classroom, and go on to great careers and are valuable members within the community. Luca resonated with that message immediately and I have no doubt will fit into our Fordham water polo family very well.”
Robles is a 6-0 goalie, who spent the last four seasons at Dos Pueblos High School in California. Playing for the varsity team his final two seasons, he was a First Team All-Channel League performer and MVP for the 2023-24 season, helping the team to the CIF Division II Final. He was also First Team All-CIF Division II and named to the All American team. Robles played club for Channel Islands United, which competed at the U18 Junior Olympics (17th – Platinum Division) and U16 Junior Olympics (14th – Platinum Division). Academically, he is a member of the National Honor Society and a two-time USAWP All-Academic honoree.
Bacharach on Robles: “Reggie is a talented goalie from Santa Barbara, playing for one of the top club teams in California. His high school team has had great success as well, with Reggie leading them to the DII CIF title this past season. He plays with a lot of passion and has quick reflexes to help him react to different situations. We look forward to Reggie joining us in the Bronx.”
A 6-2 attacker, Toth is a graduate of Pte Babits Gyakorlo Gimnazium in Hungary. A member of the Hungarian National Team, he was a part of the U15 European Championship team in 2021 and the 2022 U16 World Champion team, where he netted the game-winning goal of the Gold medal match against Greece and finished as the tournament’s leading scorer. He also played in the U17 European Championship in 2023, garnering fourth place. With his local team in Pecs, Toth helped the team to a third place finish at the 2023 Hungarian Championship and was recipient of the Pecs Young Talent Award.
Bacharach on Toth: “Andras has been a consistent member of the Youth National Team system in Hungary, winning gold medals on both the European and World stage. He has a great shot, incredible length, and a strong ability to cover water. He combines this with top level speed and it is easy to see why he has been a consistent winner at all levels, both in Hungary and internationally. I believe he is going to make the transition to college water polo very quickly and we are excited for him to join us.”
Release courtesy Fordham University Athletics Communications
