# US Men's Senior National Team 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** US Senior National Team\ **Created:** [December 13, 2025, 5:49pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053 "2025-12-13T17:49:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![polofan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/848f3c/32.png) [@polofan](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/polofan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 5:49pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/1 "2025-12-13T17:49:43Z")
Looks like the men kickoff 2026 with some games in January vs Australia on Overnght. Game 1 Jan 10. [Link](https://www.overnght.com/player/56196ece-a7c9-40bb-bc39-6839efd7e601). Should be interesting who gets called up. ---
**Author:** ![anon39560856](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce73a5/32.png) [@anon39560856](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/anon39560856)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/2 "2025-12-13T19:56:25Z")
I believe there is a series of games and a training camp happening in Spain before Christmas, so in the next week. A lot of guys are going. For now, the No. 2 goalie behind Weinberg seems to be the biggest storyline. I think the goalies will be Weinberg and Temkin if both are available. After the season, I think Temkin is ahead of Herzer and Mills, but there is still a lot of time until 2028. It will be interesting to see if Gyapjas can get citizenship—as Saveljic did—in time for the Olympics. If he can play for the U.S, I think he and Weinberg would compete for the starting spot. ---
**Author:** ![Rbpolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Rbpolo](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Rbpolo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 8:32pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/3 "2025-12-13T20:32:07Z")
Time to give Temkin a look on the big squad. He earned it. I’m skeptical Dejan will do that as he prefers size ---
**Author:** ![swimcoach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@swimcoach](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/swimcoach)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/4 "2025-12-13T20:51:51Z")
Temkin ahead of Weinberg? ---
**Author:** ![wpolo93](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bc8723/32.png) [@wpolo93](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/wpolo93)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 9:29pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/5 "2025-12-13T21:29:40Z")
Weinberg is a number one goalie. I doubt that this is up to debate. If Dejan gives Temkin a chance, and if Temkin plays well as a back up, we can revisit this conversation closer to the Olympics. ---
**Author:** ![Rbpolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Rbpolo](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Rbpolo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/6 "2025-12-13T21:45:52Z")
I think he meant to say Herzer there. Weinberg is obviously in the 1 spot ---
**Author:** ![anon39560856](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce73a5/32.png) [@anon39560856](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/anon39560856)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 9:47pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/7 "2025-12-13T21:47:52Z")
Sorry, yes. Ahead of Herzer and Mills\* ---
**Author:** ![swimcoach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@swimcoach](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/swimcoach)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2025, 11:32pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/8 "2025-12-13T23:32:38Z")
Yes, I should I figured that out myself. I was wondering if there was maybe something going on with Weinberg. ---
**Author:** ![tpolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@tpolo](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/tpolo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 8:20pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/9 "2025-12-18T20:20:35Z")
@anon39560856 do you know if Gyapjas is getting citizenship? I heard this too but can you confirm? It will most likely be him and Weinberg if so. ---
**Author:** ![polo4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@polo4](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/polo4)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 8:34pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/10 "2025-12-18T20:34:23Z")
Wonder why this is becoming more of a thing now? Saveljic first and now Gyapjas. I don’t remember another period of the National Team where there was an emphasis on naturalizing foreign players. Surely there’s been more impactful players in the euro → ncaa pipeline who could have been naturalized in decades past, but didn’t get pushed or choose to go through that process. Is this driven by Dejan? Such a curious decision to bring him back when all the key pieces loathe him, leaving a huge gap in the 2028 team. Guess the plan is to look at foreigners to fill them. ---
**Author:** ![CAWP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/67e7ee/32.png) [@CAWP](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/CAWP)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/11 "2025-12-18T20:45:23Z")
Unless the NCAA limits the number of international players in a fair, well-structured way that actually protects U.S. athletes, this is going to be the norm. College water polo is effectively becoming an international league more than ever, and USAWP has to react to the downstream consequences. If the majority of high-impact college players are foreign, it’s only logical that naturalization becomes part of the national-team strategy. You can’t have it both ways — open the NCAA floodgates to international talent at unprecedented levels and then act surprised when the senior pipeline shifts away from domestically developed players. Without guardrails at the college level, this trend isn’t just likely, it’s inevitable. The long-term question is whether anyone is willing to address that upstream problem, or whether we’re simply going to accept naturalization as standard operating procedure going forward. ---
**Author:** ![wp2024](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a5b964/32.png) [@wp2024](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/wp2024)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 8:50pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/12 "2025-12-18T20:50:58Z")
I assume both players mentioned have American parents and are therefore entitled to U.S. citizenship and eligible for the Senior National Team. This is not about taking top foreign players and recruiting them to the national team. What’s wrong with that? ---
**Author:** ![tpolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@tpolo](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/tpolo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/13 "2025-12-18T20:55:50Z")
It’s a difficult debate and I imagine that none of the “U.S.” players are happy (those who are competing for a spot). But I 100% agree that the problem (if you want to call it that), will continue if U.S. colleges continue recruiting foreign players. There should be no surprise there. If someone steps in and limits that, it will turn around. I was wondering the same thing as to why there is a bigger emphasis on getting “foreign recruitment” by Dejan. Is this what the U.S. team wants or will people stand up (if it’s even possible)? ---
**Author:** ![OneStarKelpReview](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/76d3ee/32.png) [@OneStarKelpReview](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/OneStarKelpReview)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/14 "2025-12-18T21:15:25Z")
I was unaware that current USMNT players dislike him, but I knew there were issues when he was first got the job and made cuts. please fill me in on the current situation. ---
**Author:** ![wp2024](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a5b964/32.png) [@wp2024](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/wp2024)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/15 "2025-12-19T19:26:20Z")
it is 6-1 to Spain middle of 2Q. The USA roster is : 1. A. Weinberg 2. J. Larsen 3. M. Vavic 4. N. Saveljic 5. M. Zelikov 6. P. Castillo 7. B. Leechty 8. D. Brown 9. J. Ehrhardt 10. C. Dodd 11. R. Dodd 12. M. Irving 13. W. Temkin 14. R. Ohl ---
**Author:** ![Pacificblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@Pacificblue](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Pacificblue)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 7:38pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/16 "2025-12-19T19:38:50Z")
6-1 USA winning? Damn, who is rostered for Spain? ---
**Author:** ![wp2024](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a5b964/32.png) [@wp2024](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/wp2024)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 7:42pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/17 "2025-12-19T19:42:06Z")
Spain Roster : 1. L. Aguirre 2. P. Daura 3. A. Granados 4. B. Sanahuja 5. M. de Toro 6. N. Larumbe 7. S. Cabanas 8. B. Gomila 9. T. Tahull 10. E. Valera 11. I. Bustos 12. A. Pina 13. M. Valls ---
**Author:** ![Wapomama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@Wapomama](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Wapomama)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 7:42pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/18 "2025-12-19T19:42:58Z")
Spain 10 USA 4 in the 3rd ---
**Author:** ![wpnerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/58f4c7/32.png) [@wpnerd](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/wpnerd)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/19 "2025-12-19T19:49:14Z")
They are getting picked apart, but not all that surprised with the little senior team action some of the US guys have. Good experience for them ---
**Author:** ![polofan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/848f3c/32.png) [@polofan](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/polofan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 8:01pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053/20 "2025-12-19T20:01:41Z")
IS this online anywhere? [Next page](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/us-mens-senior-national-team-2026/2053.md?page=2)