June 24, 2008

Men's Water Polo Team White House Photo Gallery

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Members of the University of California 2007 NCAA champion men's water polo team were honored on Tuesday, June 24 on the White House South Lawn as President George W. Bush acknowledged NCAA championship teams from the 2007 and 2008 seasons on "Champions' Day."

It marked the second year in a row Kirk Everist's squad was honored by the President. Under the direction of Everist, the Bears finished the 2007 campaign 28-4, winning the NCAA championship for the second year in a row with an 8-6 victory over USC on Dec. 2 at Stanford's Avery Aquatic Center. Cal, which had defeated the Trojans, 7-6, in the 2006 national title match, captured its NCAA-record 13th national crown this season.

During their tour of the nation's capital, the Bears visited the White House, saw the Lincoln Memorial and saw many other sights.

Last June, Cal's 2006 men's water polo team and 2006 women's crew were part of the largest gathering of NCAA champions ever invited to the White House, as teams from 21 different campuses and 14 different states were part of the ceremony. While acknowledging the schools, President Bush mentioned Cal women's crew being a repeat national champion from 2005 and also noted the Bears' men's water polo team recording its then-NCAA-record 12th national title.

In 2007, Cal men's water polo and women's crew were the first Golden Bear squads honored at the White House since Cal's national champion women's softball team visited the White House in 2002.