Van der Woude said he transferred to Newport Harbor because of ban following arrest

Transfer Admission Amid Eligibility Concerns

Lucca van der Woude, a former U.S. national youth water polo player, admitted under oath that he transferred to Newport Harbor High School from Harvard-Westlake only after the school banned him from campus following his February 2024 arrest, according to a deposition transcript reviewed by the Southern California News Group and reported by the Orange County Register and the New York Post.

The admission raises questions about whether van der Woude was eligible to compete for Newport Harbor under California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) rules, which bar students who leave a school for disciplinary reasons from competing at their new school. The CIF Southern Section approved the transfer on Aug. 22, 2024, based on a "Valid Change of Residence," according to the Orange County Register's report.

Van der Woude's family moved to Costa Mesa in June 2024, but probation records list his home in Sherman Oaks, the Register noted, adding to the scrutiny of the transfer's validity.

The Deposition and Its Revelations

In an Aug. 6 deposition, van der Woude acknowledged using the N-word in high school, often without discipline from Harvard-Westlake coaches or administrators, according to both the Register and the Post. The deposition was part of a lawsuit filed by Alex Romain, the father of Aidan Romain, against Harvard-Westlake seeking access to his son's school records.

Harvard-Westlake President Rick Commons rejected a request from van der Woude's family to lift the ban, van der Woude recalled in the deposition, as reported by the Register.

Juvenile Court Admission and Championship

Van der Woude admitted in Los Angeles County Juvenile Division Court on Nov. 7, 2024, to sexual penetration with a foreign object (digital penetration) against a minor, according to court filings and SafeSport documents reviewed by the Southern California News Group. Nine days later, he led Newport Harbor to the CIF Southern Section Open Division championship.

He was ordered to pay $49,266 in restitution to the Romain family, according to both the Register and the Post.

Lawsuit Allegations

Aidan Romain's lawsuit alleges that van der Woude sexually assaulted him repeatedly, including grabbing his butt and digitally penetrating him during attacks underwater, as reported by the Post. The lawsuit also alleges that van der Woude and another player whipped Romain in the weight room in a "re-enactment of slavery," and that Harvard-Westlake officials failed to contact law enforcement or child protective services after being informed of the abuse.

Van der Woude's legal team is seeking to strike allegations from the lawsuit, according to the Post.

Aftermath and Career

Van der Woude had committed to UCLA, but the university rescinded his admission after a March 2025 report; he subsequently played at Golden West College, according to both the Register and the Post. He also played for a club team coached by Newport Harbor coach Ross Sinclair in the summer of 2024, the Register reported.

The question of whether Newport Harbor's championship could be affected remains unresolved, as CIF rules on transfer eligibility are at the center of the debate. Neither the CIF nor Newport Harbor has publicly commented on the matter in the provided material.