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UCLA’s Natalie Golda will play the final home game of her prolific Bruin career today again

When the top-ranked UCLA women’s water polo team squares off against fifth-ranked Long Beach State this afternoon at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center, it will signify the final home game for one of collegiate women’s water polo’s most celebrated players.

Senior Natalie Golda, UCLA’s third all-time career-goal scorer with 146 goals, will be making her last regular season appearance as a Bruin in front of the home crowd.

Golda, who helped lead UCLA (26-0, 11-0 MPSF) to two national championships in 2001 and 2003 and hopes to add a third next month, has left an impact on not only the UCLA water polo program, but also on the UCLA athletic department as a whole.

“She’s really kind of gotten to know everyone and is a big part of this community, not just the water polo community, but the UCLA athletic community,” UCLA coach Adam Krikorian said. “Anybody who really gets to know Nat will say nothing but incredible things about her, and that speaks volumes.”

Krikorian believes the reason Golda’s popularity extends beyond the small community of water polo fans is because of her unmistakably unique talents.

“Some of the things that she does are exciting not just for us, but for the normal or regular fan to watch,” Krikorian said. “The aggressiveness that she plays with, her offensive ability, her creativity and her ability to shoot the ball are unlike any player that’s ever played women’s water polo.”

As for what Golda thinks of herself, she remains modest about her achievements.

“I’ve been lucky enough to win two national championships, and hopefully we get another one this year and I can finish my career on a high note,” Golda said. “I never could have imagined that all these great things would’ve happen to me. I just worked because I had these aspirations to become an Olympian and that ended up happening. I can’t say enough about my experience here.”

Kelly Rulon, who has been Golda’s teammate as a Bruin and as a member of the 2004 Olympic team, acknowledged that she knows the senior’s presence will be sorely missed.

“Natalie is a one-of-a-kind person,” Rulon said. “She’s definitely going to be missed. She’s definitely someone you want on your team and not the other team because you definitely don’t want to play against her.”