University of the Pacific

The 1956 men's water polo team finished second in the nation after posting a 14-2 overall record and winning the Northern California Water Polo League with a 7-1 mark under head coach Bill Anttila, who coached water polo at Pacific from 1946 to 1963.

Counted among 1956 team's 14 wins were victories over the most highly rated water polo programs of the day, including California, USC, Cal Poly, San Jose State twice and three wins over the highly-touted San Francisco Olympic Club that went on to win the 1957 AAU National Outdoor Championship.

Bob Gaughran led the Tigers from his vantage point at forward with Stanley Pedder captaining the 1956 squad. Gaughran and John Felix were named First Team All-Conference, while Chris Greene and Pedder were honored as Second Team selections.

Gaughran, Felix and Anttila all went on to be elected to the United States Water Polo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, and all three have also been inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame. In addition, Gaughran and Anttila were honored as Charter Members of the California Community College Water Polo Hall of Fame in 1992.