Celebrating 11 Consecutive Years of Connecting Coaches and Athletes
Celebrating 12 Consecutive Years of Connecting Coaches and Athletes
June 8th/9th, 2026 Carlisle PA
The 2026 Water Polo Combine is set for June 8th and 9th, 2026. We are proud to be in our 12th year of connecting high school water polo athletes, their parents, and college water polo coaches in a unique, live, in-person event. We hope you will join us for this year’s program as we return to the Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
About the Water Polo Combine
Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Water Polo Combine. On June 8th, 2026, we will – for the 12th year in a row – connect male and female high school water polo athletes to college coaches in a unique, one-of-a-kind opportunity.
One of the biggest recruiting challenges for high school water polo athletes is gaining exposure to and connecting with college coaches and programs. At the Water Polo Combine, athletes will get the opportunity they so badly need to showcase their abilities in front of many coaches by whom they are rarely seen. This is an opportunity to shine, to make contacts, and, most importantly, to possibly open doors to the next level of education and athletic participation.
Throughout the morning and afternoon of June 8, 2026, each athlete will participate in a showcase of activities in the presence of college coaches. After these in-pool activities, parents, athletes, and coaches gather for an interactive meet-and-greet session where everyone can have face time, introductions, and discussion. Coaches that attend the Combine receive a comprehensive Combine Program, complete with athlete bios and resume-type information.
Though we cannot guarantee that athletes will be recruited because they attend the Water Polo Combine, we are certain that you will find the Water Polo Program to be one of the top recruiting opportunities in the sport of water polo.
NCAA Compliance
Like institutional camps held on an NCAA institution’s campus, this non-institutional event is open to any and all participants and is only restricted by age, grade, or enrollment numbers. No camp registrant will receive free or reduced camp tuition. The NCAA requires its member coaches to only participate in camps that are held to these standards. This includes camps held on their own campuses.
Two Ways To Participate
Combine-Only
The Combine-Only option is for participation on our main Combine Day, June 8, 2026, only. This is the day that the college coaches focus on being in attendance. All athletes, whether selecting Combine Only or Combine Plus+ will participate on the main Combine Day. The participation fee for Combine Only athletes is $275.00.
After a deck warm-up and in-pool warm-up, athletes will prepare for gameplay with their pre-assigned teams with coaches there to engage with the athletes and of course, evaluate them during the games. Coaches use a printed Combine Program to track athletes and make notes on them. All athletes will have a lunch break during the day (with lunch provided to the athletes) and will resume gameplay throughout the rest of the day
After games are completed, athletes and parents will move to an in-person Meet and Greet session with the college coaches.
Combine Plus+
For an additional $190.00, athletes can select to be part of the Combine Plus+ program. Combine Plus starts on June 9th at 8am and ends by 3pm that same day. Combine Plus gives athletes the chance to work more closely with some of the coaches in attendance. Additionally, athletes will be pre-assigned to teams that they will play with and attend film study sessions with throughout the Combine Plus Day. Scrimmages and games will be videoed and the video will be used in film study sessions where coaches advise athletes on improving team and individual play.
Program Hosts/Founders
Since coming to the United States from the water polo powerhouse of Serbia in 2006, Nikola has established himself as a premier coach at numerous levels. Through his coaching, he has established tremendous relationships at the youth, high school, collegiate, and international levels.
Nikola has developed a deep passion for creating
unique, high-value opportunities for young water polo players and works tirelessly to be involved in player development locally, regionally, and across the country through his affiliation with USA Water Polo. The Water Polo Combine is part of Nikola’s never-ending search to make sure young players are getting every chance they can to succeed in the sport of water polo.
More on Nikola
Nikola is the Head Water Polo Coach of both the Men’s and Women’s teams at Washington and Jefferson College. From 2017 through 2024 he has been the Head Coach of one of the National Teams for United States – most recently for the US Men’s Youth National Team. Nikola has also been part of the Men’s Senior National Team staff for the United States in 2019 and 2020 and 2022.
Prior to his current roles, Nikola spent 6 years as the Head Water Polo Coach at the Pittsburgh Water Polo Club and North Allegheny High School in Pittsburgh, PA where won two Pennsylvania State Championships. Prior to that, Nikola was an Assistant Coach with the US Naval Academy Men’s Team under Hall of Fame Coach Mike Schofield and an age group coach with the renowned Naval Academy Aquatics Club. Nikola started his career as a player and coach in his hometown of Nis, Serbia.
More on Jim
As a father of two water polo players who have completed their college playing careers, Jim has had firsthand experience in navigating the recruiting waters for his sons and for many of the young players he has had the opportunity to coach/interact with. For the past thirteen years, Jim has been passionate about creating opportunities in the sport of water polo for youth of all ages and skill levels, particularly in the Eastern United States where he resides.
Combining his experiences with his passion, Jim wanted to create a vehicle to help athletes and parents outside of the traditional water polo hotbeds achieve their dreams of playing collegiate water polo. He wanted to create a more direct connection between coaches, programs, athletes and parents. Hence the Water Polo Combine was created
Jim has coached at the club, High School, and National levels. Like Nikola, Jim has been on a National Team Staff for USA Water Polo since 2017. Starting in 2010, Jim coached in USA Water Polo’s ODP program for the Northeast and Great Lakes Zones and has twice earned the Top Cadet Coach award, including at the 2020 ODP National Championships.
Hotels/Travel Information
A list of lodging options will be provided after you have successfully registered. We put forth lodging providers that have established a good record of pricing and customer service.
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Universities Attending
It is early for us to publish a final list of committed Universities for this year’s Combine. However, our program annually attracts coaches and assistant coaches from 18 to 25 different Universities from across Divisions I, II and III. Listed below are Universities that are regularly in attendance. We anticipate many additional schools to be added to the list.
- Mercyhurst University
- Washington & Jefferson
- McKendree
- Gannon University
- Macalester College
- MIT
- La Salle
- St. Francis, NY
- St Francis, PA
- Long Island University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Brown
- Bucknell University
- Penn State Behrend
- University of Toronto
- Salem International University
- Grove City College
- Iona University
- Carthage College
- Mount St. Mary’s
- George Washington
- Harvard
Event Location
The 2026 Water Polo Combine will be held at the YMCA Carlisle Aquatic Center
