Four Santa Barbara High Water Polo Players Sign With UCSB

Dons Stay Home and Stick Together With Commitments to UCSB

The signees are accompanied by their parents, including Irene O'Brien, Jane O'Brien, Jim Drake, Luh Drake, Holly Pieretti and Casey Pieretti. | Credit: Victor Bryant

A bonus signing day ceremony took place at Santa Barbara High on Monday morning as four teammates from the water polo team — Ryan Drake, Sean O’Brien, Griffin Pieretti, and Wyatt Pieretti — cemented their commitments to UCSB.

The foursome took winding and unique roads to this point, but in the end decided to stick together and continue their academic and athletic endeavors as Gauchos.

“It’s pretty special that they started their journey together as incoming (freshman) four years ago and now the goal of playing in college, seeing it come to fruition for them,” said Santa Barbara High Mark Walsh. “I’m really excited to watch them continue their journey at UCSB. I think it’s a great place for them.”

Drake and O’Brien shared the Channel League MVP this season as the Dons were unbeaten in league play and advanced to the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals this season.

Wyatt Pieretti is a four-year varsity player who has been dominant in goal during his high school career. Griffin Pieretti is a former multi-sport athlete, who blossomed into a first team all channel league player as a senior.

“I’m not totally shocked that they were all able to pull this off, but it is hard,” Walsh said. There are not a lot of programs for boys to go to for water polo.”

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