The Golden West College Rustlers men’s water polo team is poised to continue their dominance as they begin their Orange Empire Conference (OEC) season on September 23, 2026, against the Fullerton Hornets in Fullerton. The Rustlers have an unbroken conference championship streak dating back to 1987 and are off to a strong 6-0 start this season in pre-conference play.
Key contributors from last year’s state championship team return, including Lucca Van Der Woude, an All-Orange Empire Conference First Team selection in 2025, and teammate Ryder Tonkovich, who earned Second Team honors. Van Der Woude and Tonkovich combined for an impressive 113 goals last season. Additional offensive power comes from Gavin Abbott and Talan Costello, who scored 56 and 25 goals respectively in 2025.
In early 2026, the Rustlers defeated No. 3 Orange Coast (22-9), No. 5 Cerritos (16-2), and No. 7 Ventura (21-8) during pre-conference play. Other OEC teams entering the season above .500 include Orange Coast, Cypress, Saddleback, and Fullerton. Orange Coast, ranked No. 3 in the state, returns All-OEC Second Team selection Jack McCann and standout transfer Owen Fonua, who has scored 17 goals this season.
Cypress College’s roster features honorable mention all-conference players Phearson Rosenloff and Victor Abella along with leading scorer Christian Soto, who has 25 goals this season. Saddleback College, ranked No. 9 in California, has rebounded from an 0-3 start, benefiting from contributions by honorable mention all-conference Callum Murphy and scorers Finn Perry and freshman Erol Ibrisimovic.
The Fullerton Hornets improved from two wins last season to 6-4 before conference play, led by Christian Johnston, an OEC Second Team selection in 2025 who has 25 goals this season. Riverside City enters the conference with a 1-3 record and faces Cypress in their opener.
CSB Take
Golden West College Rustlers enter the 2026 Orange Empire Conference season as clear favorites to continue their long championship streak. Their combination of returning all-conference talent and robust offensive depth positions them well for sustained dominance. However, competitive squads from Orange Coast, Cypress, Saddleback, and Fullerton indicate a challenging conference schedule ahead. The opening games, especially Golden West’s visit to Fullerton, will provide an early indication of the dynamics shaping the conference race.
Source: Original report
