@fullname - Water Polo - Air Force Academy Athletics

A.J. Kuypers

Height:
6-3
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
San Diego, CA
High School:
Cathedral Catholic
Position:
G

2021 (Junior): Started 17 of the 26 games and played in 18 … posted a record of 9-9 with a team-high 152 saves … also had 28 steals and three assists on the season … ranked eighth in the league in saves, sixth in saves percentage (.456) and third in goals-against average (10.94) … career-best 15 saves against California Baptist in the WWPA tournament … made 13 saves and had five steals in a win over Santa Clara … matched his career high of five steals against Princeton … 12 saves and two steals in the win over Navy in Annapolis.

2020 (Sophomore): Played in eight of the 11 games, starting in six … posted a 3-3 record while leading the team with 63 saves … 14 steals were tied for second on the team … ranked third in the WWPA and ninth in the nation with a .385 saves percentage … third in the WWPA in saves … season-best 10 saves in first career start against fourth-ranked Pepperdine … nine saves in overtime win over sixth-ranked Loyola Marymount.

2019 (Freshman): Did not see any game action.

High School: Lettered three years in water polo … three-year starting goalie … most valuable defensive player as a sophomore … as a junior, was first-team all-league, team captain and played on ODP team … USA Water Polo honorable mention All-American and Academic All-American … as a senior, CIF Player of the Year ... CIF Champion … team captain and first-team all-league … USA Water Polo All-American and academic All-American …San Diego High School Association Male Athlete of the Year in 2018 … CSF member … graduated with a 4.0 GPA … school ambassador three years.

Personal: Son of Michael and Claire Kuypers … member of cadet squadron 28 … has one older brother and one older sister … father graduated from the Naval Academy … brother, Nathan, was a 2019 USAFA graduate and a member of the water polo team … major is biology … long-term goal is to become a pilot … something not many people know about him is that he was born in Italy … greatest individual moment was when he made 20 saves in the state finals … greatest team moment was winning the CIF Championship … one word to describe himself is adventurous … favorite sport other than water polo is volleyball … started playing water polo at the age of 13 … hobbies are playing volleyball, hiking, surfing and snowboarding.