Making a Splash
As captain of the CMS men’s water polo team, Nick Kennedy ’27 takes tremendous pride in being a reliable anchor to his teammates.
Away from the pool, the aim is the same: To keep the encouragement coming for whoever might need it on campus.
“I’d like to think of myself as a leader in the community, giving off and bringing positivity to everyone around me,” Kennedy said. “CMC can be an intense school—and I’ve found it goes a long way when you’re having a tough day and someone you know, or even an acquaintance, gives you a smile and a conversation.”
It is this ability to lift people up—along with his incredible performance in the pool—that helped earn Kennedy his teammates’ vote to become the 2025-26 captain of the water polo team, on which he’s played since his first year at CMC when they won the USA Water Polo Division III National Championship. Kennedy, who was voted SCIAC Newcomer of the Year that year, led the team in combined goals and assists to take the Stags all the way to their first national title in program history.
National Honors
Nick Kennedy ’27 capped off a stellar performance in CMC’s USA Water Polo Division III National Championship victory with National Player of the Year honors from the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC).
Kennedy finished the year with 99 goals and 76 assists, earning 175 total points, and scored at least one goal in every game this year. He was joined on the ACWPC All-America first team by Thomas Walker ’26 and Jake Taylor ’26. Greg Lonzo also earned ACWPC Division III National Coach of the Year for the Stags, who finished with a 24-5 overall record.
In December, the CMS water polo team duplicated the incredible feat, claiming their second national championship in a 9-4 win over Pomona-Pitzer—with Kennedy scoring the first and second goals, then three more, leading to Tournament MVP honors.
Remarking on how much he’s changed at CMC—“100 percent. In so many ways.”—Kennedy includes the shift from team member to leader as among the most significant.
“Before becoming captain, I was more focused on myself as an individual. Now, as captain, rather than so much emphasis on my own play, my own mentality, I focus on team cohesiveness,” said Kennedy, who was named SCIAC Offensive Player of the Year in a vote of the league’s coaches.
Kennedy’s commitment to cohesion extends beyond athletics to the broader campus community, prompting him to serve as an ASCMC senator and on the College’s former Social Life Working Group. With the latter, he and fellow members met with College leadership to “collaborate on issues that would help general cohesiveness in our community … and it was very rewarding.”
Kennedy once counted how many people he knew among those he passed on a walk across campus. The result? Significant enough to underscore his appreciation for CMC.
“I consider that a big moment because it made me realize just how unique the CMC experience is,” he said. “With the small school, and almost everyone living on campus, you truly get to know most of the student population. It is so special.”
A Science Management major with a focus in Biotechnology, Kennedy is considering a business-related career in biotechnology or pharmaceuticals. He has served as a research fellow in the Distributed Pharmaceutical Analysis Laboratory under Chemistry Professor Anna Wenzel, and additionally as a chemistry peer educator, tutoring fellow students, attending their classes, and holding office hours for drop-in support.
“Tutoring has been one of my favorite things to do. It has been super fulfilling to give back,” he said.
Underlying Kennedy’s multi-faceted CMC experience is a deep well of gratitude. A recipient of the Tina M. Daniels ’93 Alumni Fund Scholarship, he had the opportunity to express his thanks in person to Daniels—who has made significant contributions to scholarships and financial aid at the College—over lunch at ImpactCMC, an annual fall event celebrating community.
“I think it is important for everyone who benefited from a CMC education to give back to current students. Supporting impressive students like Nick is a terrific investment in cultivating future leaders,” said Daniels, a CMC Trustee and president and COO of the media measurement company, Aquila.
Displaying his trademark positivity, Kennedy reflected on the scholarship’s impact, today, tomorrow, and for years to come.
“To put it bluntly, I probably would not have been able to come here had I not received it. And then, as a result, receive some of my best friends for life, this education, the opportunities, and so much support both institutionally and from the general community. There’s nothing better I could ask for.”
—Brenda Bolinger
