USA WATER POLO 2008 OLYMPIC TEAMS MEDIA GUIDE Special Thanks to USA Water Polo Sponsors Table of Contents QUICK 2008 Olympic Schedule...........................2-3 facts Outlook & Preview ..................................4-7 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM FOR MEN’S WATER PoLO Olympic Teams at a Glance ....................8-9 HEAD COACH.....................Terry Schroeder 1st Year (Pepperdine) All-Time Finishes & Rosters ..............10-13 ASST COACHES ............................ Ryan Brown 2nd year (Pacific), Robert Lynn 1st Year (Long Beach State) Men’s Olympic Team............................14-41 Coaching Staff ..................................16-17 TEAM LEADER ........................................Rick McKee (Anderson) Roster .................................................18-19 TRAINING FACILITIES Bios .....................................................20-41 California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA Oaks Christian High School, Thousand Oaks, CA Women’s Olympic Team .....................42-75 OLYMPIC APPEARANCES .....................................................19 Coaching Staff ..................................44-45 Roster .................................................46-47 BEST OLYMPIC FINISH ......................................................Gold (1904 St. Louis, Missouri) Bios .....................................................48-75 BEST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH .............4th Place (1990) Intro to Water Polo ..............................76-77 HIGHEST WORLD RANKING ........................................2 (1988) Water Polo Rules ..................................78-79 ROSTER BREAKDOWN Glossary of Terms ................................80-81 Goalkeepers......................................................................................2 Utility ................................................................................................3 About USA Water Polo .......................82-88 Attacker ............................................................................................3 Defender ..........................................................................................3 Center ...............................................................................................2 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM FOR WOMEN’S WATER PoLO HEAD COACH..................Guy Baker 10th Year (Long Beach State) ASST COACHES ..................Kyle Kopp 8th Year (Long Beach State) Heather Moody 4th Year (San Diego State) Team Leader/Asst. Coach .......................Bernice Orwig (USC) TRAINING FACILITY USA Water Polo National Training Center 11360 Valley Forge Avenue MEDIA INFORMATION Los Alamitos, CA 90720 www.usawaterpolo.org OLYMPIC APPEARANCES ............................ 2 (2000 and 2004) MEDIA CONTACT ALTERNATE MEDIA CONTACT BEST OLYMPIC FINISH ..........................................Silver Medal Greg Mescall Christine Bird (2000 Sydney, Australia) [email protected] [email protected] BEST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH .................... Gold Medal (p) 714-500-5455 (p) 714-500-5438 (2003 and 2007) (m) 732-895-1833 HIGHEST WORLD RANKING ................................................... 1 (f) 714-960-2431 (March 2007-Present) USA WATER POLO OFFICES ROSTER BREAKDOWN 2124 Main Street, Suite 210 Goalkeepers......................................................................................2 Center ...............................................................................................2 Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Attacker ............................................................................................4 Defender ..........................................................................................4 This media guide was assembled and edited by Greg Mescall with assistance All-Around .......................................................................................1 from Christine Bird, Jennifer Ross, Eric Velazquez, and Rick Fillmon Photos courtesy of Jeff Shewmon, Sandie Orias, Kirby Lee, and Pepperdine Sports Information Proofreading and Copy Editing courtesy of Dave Urbanski Media Guide Design and Layout by Adrenalin, Inc. 1 2008 Olympic schedules 2008 OLYMPIC MEN’S SCHEDULE (subject to change) DATES DAY/ROUND/OPPONENT August 8, 2008 Day 1, USA-CHINA August 12, 2008 Day 2, USA-ITALY August 14, 2008 Day 3, USA-SERBIA August 16, 2008 Day 4, USA-CROATIA August 18, 2008 Day 5, USA-GERMANY August 20, 2008 Quarterfinal Round August 22, 2008 Semi-final Round August 24, 2008 Final Round 2 2008 OLYMPIC WOMEN’S SCHEDULE (subject to change) DATES DAY/ROUND/OPPONENT August 11, 2008 Day 1, USA-CHINA August 13, 2008 Day 2, USA-ITALY August 15, 2008 Day 3, USA-RUSSIA August 17, 2008 Quarterfinal Round August 19, 2008 Semi-final Round August 21, 2008 Final Round 3 MEN’S Outlook & Preview Twenty years have passed since the last GOALKEEPERS time the USA Men’s Olympic Team won a The men guarding the cage bring a host of medal. Back then their team captain was experience as well and a great deal of potential Terry Schroeder; now, two decades later, for the future. Incumbent starter Merrill Moses (Ranchos Palos Verdes, CA/Pepperdine) he’s their head coach and is hoping to bring has anchored the net for the USA in recent back some of those winning ways. competition, as well as all the major tournaments The U.S. Olympic Team for Men’s Water Polo in 2007, including the World Championships, is comprised of 13 members, a group that has World League, and Pan American Games. been whittled down from 26 athletes for 2008 Blessed with quick instincts and a solid feel for Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. the game, Moses provides an experienced last Among this group are a wide range of athletes, line of defense. including multiple-time Olympians as well Returning to action with the men’s team this year as those fresh out of the college ranks with no is the starter from the 2004 Olympic Games, Olympic experience to speak of. Brandon Brooks (Honolulu, HI/UCLA). After The challenge is great for this group of 13 as it spending the last couple of seasons as a coach tries to restore the glory days of men’s water polo at his alma mater, UCLA, Brooks reenters in the United States. Recent history shows strides training with the men’s team, bringing a wealth are being made. Following an upset victory over of experience and knowledge to the position. At #1 ranked Croatia on May 31, the team followed 6’6” and 240 pounds, he possesses prototypical with a Silver Medal finish at the 2008 FINA size to the position. World League Super Final, their highest ever finish at that event. Prior to that competition UTILITY/DEFENDERS has produced a ninth-place finish at the 2007 This group brings a solid core to Team USA as FINA World Championships last March along three players have prior Olympic experience. with a fifth place finish at the 2007 FINA World Leading the way are Layne Beaubien (Coronado, League last August. Sandwiched in between was CA/Stanford) and Jeff Powers (San Luis Obispo, a gold medal victory at the 2007 Pan American CA/UC-Irvine). Beaubien is a solid defender but Games which clinched a berth for this group at also a big offensive threat. Boasting a great deal the upcoming Olympics. of international experience, he was an Olympian in 2004. He’s playing in France and is a pure With their place in the games secured, the team shooter who’ll be sure to keep defenses honest now has the right mix of athletes who will be when he’s in the game. Powers is a versatile the key to returning to the victory platform. player who’ll also see time at center and utility, Schroeder will lean on his years of experience that boasting the strongest shot on the team. At 6’7” saw him selected to four Olympic teams, two of he adds good size to the pool. which won silver medals, as well as a run as head coach of Pepperdine University’s men’s team, One of the rising stars in this group is Jesse Smith which netted a national title in 1997. To help aid (Coronado, CA/Pepperdine). Smith, who plays the cause, Schroeder has assembled a staff full of professionally in Croatia, has developed into a water polo experience. Robert Lynn, a veteran of prototypical international player. As versatile as the national team and former Olympian in 2000, they come, Smith can play any position outside is an assistant coach. Joining him is Ryan Brown, of goalkeeper and will look to build upon his a standout goalie at the University of Pacific, as play at the 2004 Olympics. well as a former coach in the college ranks. Rick Not to be overlooked is Peter Hudnut (Encino, McKee serves as team leader. A veteran coach CA/Stanford) who’s been gaining international and referee in the Southern California area, experience playing overseas in recent years. The McKee rounds out the group with a good deal of former Stanford star also boasts good looks and water polo years under his belt. was recently named Cosmopolitan magazine’s 4 most eligible bachelor for the state of California. ATTACKERS Alongside Hudnut is another first-time Olympian While all the field players are capable of putting who has been with the Senior National Team for the ball in the cage, the attackers (or drivers) the last two years in Rick Merlo (Fresno, CA/ specialize in doing just that. Arguably the best UC-Irvine). Merlo brings a solid offensive game driver on Team USA is Tony Azevedo (Long to the pool as well as tremendous leadership Beach, CA/Stanford). Azevedo, who burst qualities. on the Olympic scene back in 2000 just a few The remaining defender represents an injection months