Despite committing to Princeton University in August, senior Wyatt Benson has never visited the campus.

Benson, the starting center player on the boys varsity water polo team, said that he “didn’t feel like [he] needed to see Princeton to know if it was a good fit or not.”

“I’m pretty excited about it,” Benson said. “I think it’ll be a fun experience.”

With many offers from Division 1 colleges, the center player selected Princeton University over Stanford, Harvard and UCLA.

“In the pool, Wyatt is a hardworking center that never quits on the play,” said senior Billy Motherway, who is team captain and goalie for the Monarch team.

As a Princeton Tiger next fall, Benson – along with Billy Motherway – will reunite with former teammates Matt Payne, class of 2015 and Sean Duncan, class of 2016.

Princeton is currently ranked No. 12 in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division 1 and, this season, they have a record of 19-5.

“I hope to contribute in as many ways as I can,” Benson said. “Mainly getting as many wins as possible.”

After eight years of playing water polo, Benson chose to pursue Princeton to further his academic and water polo careers.

“I wanted something like Princeton, who could offer school as the focus where water polo is obviously still important, but it’s school and then water polo not water polo and then school,” Benson said.

Hoping to pursue a major in history or political science, Benson wants to take his academic aspirations into the pre-law field, following in the footsteps of his uncle who is an attorney. He has taken AP European History and AP U.S. History, and he is currently enrolled in AP Government.

“I’m a huge history nerd so definitely anything to do with that,” Benson said. “Anything history, I just love it.”

Outside the classroom, Benson completed his senior season with the boys varsity water polo team with a record of 27-5. Winning the Division 1 Championship title this November, the Monarchs ended their season ranked No. 1 in the CIF Southern Section.

Benson said his favorite memories on the team are “definitely the times we’ve won, but more than that, the friendships we’ve built with each other.”

“It’s something else… it’s almost like brotherly love that will stay with us forever,” Benson said. “Even the guys who have gone to college already still come back and we still have a great time together.”