Table of contents Quick Facts U.S. MEN’S WATER POLO About USA Water Polo: . 2 Head Coach – Dejan Udovicic 1st year (Serbia) Media Information: . 3 Assistant Coach – Jack Kocur 1st year (Pepperdine) Team Leader – Rick McKee (Anderson) Social Media:. .4-5 Training Facility USA Water Polo National Training Center Men’s Outlook/Preview: . 6-7 11360 Valley Forge Avenue Los Alamitos, CA 90720 Women’s Outlook/Preview: . 8-9 Olympic Appearances – 21 Best Olympic Finish – Gold Medal 2013 Schedules: . 10-11 (1904 St. Louis, Missouri) National Teams at a Glance: . 12-13 Best World Championship Finish – 4th Place (1986 Madrid, Spain, 1991 Perth, Australia) All-Time Finishes: . .14-17 Current World Ranking - 8th (Since 2012) Highest World Ranking – 2nd (2009) Men’s National Team Roster Breakdown Goalkeeper - 3 Attacker - 7 Men’s Coaching Staff: . 20-21 Defender - 4 Center – 3 Men’s 2013 Roster: . 22-23 U.S WOMEN’S WATER POLO Men’s Bios: . 24-45 Head Coach – Adam Krikorian 5th year (UCLA) Women’s National Team Assistant Coach – Dan Klatt 5th year (UC-Irvine) Chris Oeding 1st year (California) Women’s Coaching Staff: . .50-51 Team Leader – Jen Adams (UC-Irvine) Training Facility Women’s 2013 Roster: . .52-53 USA Water Polo National Training Center 11360 Valley Forge Avenue Los Alamitos, CA 90720 Women’s Bios: . 54-78 Olympic Appearances – 4 Introduction to Water Polo: . .81 Best Olympic Finish –Gold Medal (2012 London, England) Understanding Water Polo: . 82-83 Best World Championship Finish – Gold Medal (On three occasions most recently 2009 Rome, Italy Glossary of Terms: . .84-85 Current World Ranking – 1st (Since 2012) Highest World Ranking – 1st (Multiple occasions) USA Water Polo Goals: . 86 Roster Breakdown Goalkeeper - 3 Attacker - 7 Board of Directors: . 87 Defender - 5 Center - 2 USA Water Polo Staff: . .87 Media guide credits National Team Television This media guide was assembled and edited by Greg Mescall with assistance from Jennifer Ross and Spotter Chart: . 88-91 Eric Velazquez. Photos courtesy of Getty Images, Larsen & Talbert, Kirby Lee, US Presswire, Kelley L. Cox, Jonathan Moore, Allen Lorentzen, Jeff Cable, and CJ Ramirez. 1 About USA Water Polo USA Water Polo, Inc. is a not-for- Masters Water Polo USAWP supports and pro- profit corporation that serves as the motes competition and national governing body for the events among its members domestically and internation- sport of water polo in the United ally. Membership in Masters States under authority of the United Water Polo is available to States Olympic Committee. anyone age 20 and older. Each year dozens of tournaments are held throughout the US high- lighted by the USA Water Polo Masters National Mission Statement Championships each June. Champions are The Mission of USA Water Polo shall be to grow crowned in 20+, 30+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, the sport of water polo throughout the United and 60+ age categories for men. Women con- States and win medals in Olympic, World Cham- test in the 20+, 30+, 40+, 50+, and 55+ age pionship, and Pan American Games. groups. Check out some great programs USA Water Polo US Leagues is operating in communities all over the country. US Leagues is a program of For more information visit USA Water Polo designed to www.usawaterpolo.org. provide a low cost, entry-level membership for water polo Splashball athletes and coaches all ages Splashball is designed to in- and skill levels. All US League troduce the sport of water athletes, coaches and referees will receive the polo to children 5-9 years old. basic benefits provided to all USA Water Polo The intent is to provide basic Members for the duration of the league. skills and understanding of the sport in a recreational format. This program is a flexible platform for water polo Although water polo is known for its toughness groups throughout the country to provide safe, in- and endurance, Splashball harnesses all the fun, sured, supervised water polo programming for all dynamic aspects of the game in a safe, easy to ages and playing levels. learn aquatic experience that will motivate kids to swim and stay fit. To find a Splashball program Olympic Development Program near you or to learn more visit www.splashbal- The mission of USA Water lusa.org. Polo’s (USAWP) Olympic De- velopment Program is to unify the American system of play and increase the number of ath- letes, coaches and referees in the system with an emphasis on long term im- provement. The program serves as the entry into USAWP Olympic Development Pipeline and offers incentives for USAWP athletes, coaches and ref- erees to compete for inclusion and advancement. Once accepted into the Olympic Development Program, athletes, coaches and referees will be taught the American System of Water Polo. 2 Media Information USA Water Polo athletes and coaches are available to media following approval of the USA Water Polo Communications office. To request availability please contact: Greg Mescall / Director of Communications phone: 714-500-5455 email: [email protected] secondary email: [email protected] Jennifer Rottenberg / Chief Marketing Officer phone: 714-500-5438 email: [email protected] USA Water Polo is active on a variety of social media. Be sure to find us on the following: Facebook – www.facebook.com/usawp Twitter – www.twitter.com/usawp Youtube – www.youtube.com/usawp ustream – www.ustream.tv/usawp Instagram - www.instagram.com/usawp Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/usawp Google Plus - www.google.com/+usawp www.usawaterpolo.org is the official website of USA Water Polo. Find game recaps, roster informa- tion and more at www.usawaterpolo.org. Download The Counter Attack with Greg Mescall podcast released bi-monthly free on iTunes. 3 Social Media Men’s National Team On Twitter Tony Azevedo - @WaterPoloTony Bret Bonanni - @bretbonanni Shea Buckner - @SheaBuckner Alex Bowen - @AmazingBrick Tim Hutten - @THutten Jackson Kimbell - @JacksonKimbell Merrill Moses - @MerrillMoses John Mann - @BearMann4 Alex Obert - @aobert18 Chancellor Ramirez - @Chancellor04 Michael Rosenthal - @mike_rose11 Andy Stevens - @imAndyStevens Janson Wigo - @JansonWigo 4 Social Media Women’s National Team On Twitter Tumua Anae - @Tumua_AnEye Betsey Armstrong - @BetsArmstrong1 KK Clark - @KKClarkster Annika Dries - @AnniDries Sami Hill - @sami_hillsb Courtney Mathewson - @CLKMathewson Kelly Mendoza - @1KellyMendoza1 Maggie Steffens - @MaggieSteffens Melissa Seidemann - @MelSeidemann Lolo Silver - @lolosilver USA Water Polo: @USAWP 5 Men’s Outlook & Preview 013 marks a new era for the USA Water any major success. Incumbent starter Merrill Polo Men’s Senior National Team. Follow- Moses (Ranchos Palos Verdes, CA/Pepper- ing the 2012 Olympic Games longtime dine/NYAC) has anchored the net for the USA in all head coach Terry Schroeder stepped the major tournaments since 2007. A breakout star down from his post, returning to lead the of the 2008 Beijing Games and named to the 2Pepperdine University Waves. Olympic All-Star Team, Moses is a sturdy last line of With a berth in the 2013 FINA World Champi- defense, blessed with quick instincts and a solid onships still hanging in the balance, the United feel for the game. Currently an assistant coach with States turned to legendary USC Head Coach Jovan the Pepperdine Men’s Water Polo Team, Moses re- Vavic to lead the team on an interim basis. turns in 2013 with two Olympic Games under his Vavic came through, piloting the United States to belt. a Silver Medal at the 2013 UANA World Aquatic The back-up role falls to veteran Andy Stevens Championship Qualification Tournament. With a (Villa Park, CA/LMU/NYAC) or newcomer McQuin berth in Barcelona secured, Vavic returned to USC. Baron (North Tustin, CA/USC/United). Stevens Team USA found a permanent head coach on started every match for Team USA at the recent May 7 in Dejan Udovicic. A highly accomplished FINA World League Super Final and continues to im- coach who led the Serbian Men’s National Team to prove with each tournament. The 6’8” Baron brings Bronze at the 2012 Olympic Games and a World tremendous size to the goalie position and has ex- Championship in 2009, Udovicic also led VK Parti- perience with the Junior National Team. Fresh off zan to great success for nearly a decade. his junior year at Mater Dei High School, Baron has With Udovicic at the helm, Team USA has un- signed with defending NCAA Champion USC. dertaken a youth movement, as only five athletes return from the 2012 Olympic Games and six over- DEFENDERS all with Olympic experience. Well-seasoned in build- With veterans Layne Beaubien, Jeff Powers and ing and rebuilding programs, Udovicic will turn to Jesse Smith retiring from the National Team in some of the best young talent the United States has 2013, veteran Tim Hutten (Seal Beach, CA/UC- to offer to complement veterans with big-game Irvine/Newport WPF) is called upon to lead this pedigrees. group. A physical presence, Hutten has competed In addition to new athletes, the rest of the coach- for the United States at the last two Olympic Games ing staff has been altered, as Udovicic is joined by and adds an outside touch to his defensive respon- former Pepperdine Head Coach and current USC sibilities. Assistant Coach Jack Kocur, who will take on an A crop of rising stars will join Hutten in Jackson assistant coach role for Team USA. Team Manager Kimbell (Long Beach, CA/Stanford/Newport WPC) Rick McKee remains for his eighth year of service. and Chancellor Ramirez (Pasadena, CA/UCLA/ A host of athletes will (or will have an opportu- Rose Bowl). Both young men just completed their nity to) suit up for Team USA in 2013. Some 24 senior years of high school and will be headed to hopefuls were chosen to compete at the qualifica- Stanford and UCLA respectively.