NCAA reprimands USC men’s water polo team

The USC men’s water polo team has been reprimanded for “inappropriate and dangerous behavior and unsportsmanlike conduct” following last season’s NCAA championship, the NCAA announced Thursday.

USC won its record sixth consecutive men’s title by defeating Pacific, 12-11, in double overtime at Stanford in December.

In a release announcing the reprimand, the NCAA men’s water polo committee said that despite warnings to the crowd not to rush the pool for safety reasons, “nonparticipating members” of USC’s team caused $2,144 in damage by jumping from the stands to the pool deck and into the pool for the victory celebration.

“While the committee understands the excitement of winning a national championship, it was disappointed in the University of Southern California men’s water polo team’s actions and disregard for safety precautions,” committee chair Matthew Glovaski said in a statement.

USC Coach Jovan Vavic, in a statement released through USC’s sports information office, said: “We have apologized to all parties and made amends, and we talked more than once to those involved from our program about their overexcited and inappropriate behavior after winning the men’s championship.

“We want our program to represent our university with class and dignity, and we regret that this occurred.”