
Former El Toro All-County water polo player Brett McCleave (Golden West College/Long Beach State) has signed a pro deal with a European club, Chargers coach Don Stoll said in an e-mail.
McCleave, a first-team All-County pick as a senior center in 2000, has signed a one-year deal with an option for a second year with Nautical Club of Chania, a club in Greece, Stoll said.
Back in 2000, Stoll called McCleave the best center he has coached, and I suspect that is still the case. McCleave scored 148 goals as a senior.
The player who could challenge McCleave's status would be Zach White, now at Cal, but I'd pick McCleave, though I certainly respected Zach White, too.
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Brett is one of the best centers I've seen, and it is our loss USAWP didn't place him on the senior national travel team, even though they had the opportunity to. He is an asset to their team.
Congratulations Nautical Club!