Helou Leads Princeton University Water Polo

Mike Helou was hoping for a memorable senior season. So far, the Princeton University water polo standout hasn’t been disappointed. 

Helou is a center and captain for the squad, which is ranked 13th in the country. Princeton is off to an 8-0 start and Helou has become a key contributor along with several talented underclassmen.

“Everyone’s really excited,” said Helou. “We’ve had a very good start so far. We have a very good freshmen class this year which has added to our depth.  We’ve been able to wear down opponents in the third and fourth quarter because we have so many fresh bodies in there.”

With several freshmen on the roster, Helou has become a leader on the team.  

“It’s part of it being a captain and a senior,” Helou said.  “But everybody has bought into the mission.  Our goal is to get back to the Final Four and win Easterns and we’re willing to do all of the work and do what is necessary.”

Helou has already put up impressive numbers this fall.  He has eight goals and eight assists to go along with 12 forced ejections.

But neither Helou nor his teammates are worried about individual stats.  

"We get away from the notion of starters and individual numbers,” said Helou.  “The stats will come for everyone.  As long as the wins keep piling up, no one really cares about the stats.”

Throughout the first eight games, the Tigers have outscored their opponents 105-40.  The Tigers also have a victory against Santa Clara, a team ranked in the top 15 at the time of their clash with Princeton. While Princeton’s start has opened some eyes across the world of college water polo, Helou and his teammates are preparing for their first stretch of conference matchups.

“We really care about winning games at the end of the year,” Helou said.  “It will be important to get off to a good start in the league.  The league record set you up with our seed at Southerns, which in turn gets you your seeding for the Eastern Tournament.”   

Helou played high school water polo at Calvert Hall College in Baltimore.  While Helou was a standout at Calvert, he realized when he arrived at Princeton how difficult it would be to go against players from the west coast.

“There’s definitely a learning curve coming from the east coast,” said Helou.  “Almost three-quarters of our team come from California. That’s really the hotbed of water polo.  It was nice for me because these are the most talented players I’ve ever played with or against.”

Princeton was an obvious choice for Helou when it came time to choose a college. He didn't turn down the opportunity to earn a degree from a top university and he sensed he would have an easy time settling into the pool.

“I knew I wanted to go to a school with strong academics,” Helou said.  “I also wanted to continue playing water polo. I came on a recruiting trip to Princeton. What really sold me was the team chemistry. Everyone was friends and everyone was close.”

It did not take long for Helou to get pool time at Princeton. He played in 28 games as a freshman and quickly got a taste of the high level of college competition.

“My first college game was against Stanford,” said Helou.  “They were one of the top four teams in the country.  It was definitely a shock but it was great to get experience right away.  That early experience is what helped me improve and be able to take great leaps forward every year.”

With a stretch of conference games on the horizon, Helou is excited about the Tigers’ chances.  He is also reflecting on his time at Princeton now that he is in his final season.

“It’s looking very promising so far,” Helou said.  “From what I’ve seen, it looks like it could be a special year.  It’s strange looking at the season as a senior knowing it’s your last one.  I’m just trying to slow down and enjoy every second of it.”