Four UCLA Bruins Headed to Paris Olympics
May 30, 2024 | Women's Water Polo
LOS ANGELES -- U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo Team Head Coach Adam Krikorian announced the 13 athletes selected to represent Team USA at the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024, earlier today at a press conference at Republique in Los Angeles. The USOPC will confirm the full Team USA roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in July. The roster for the three-time defending Olympic champions and current World Champions features six returners from the Tokyo Olympic Games, five of which also earned gold at the Rio Olympic Games. Three-time Olympic champion Maggie Steffens (captain) builds on her legendary career after golds in London, Rio and Tokyo.
Considered the best water polo player on the planet, Steffens is back for an unprecedented fourth straight attempt at gold, a feat no men's or women's water polo nation has ever accomplished. She's bolstered by a solid mix of Olympic returners and rising stars.
Two-time gold medalist Ashleigh Johnson is back in goal for Team USA, at a position where Team USA has serious depth. Her colleague in the cage is Tokyo Olympic gold medalist and fellow Cutino Award winner, Amanda Longan. Stability is a theme at the attacker spot as well as a trio of two-time gold medalists power that group including Kaleigh Gilchrist, UCLA's Rachel Fattal, and the Bruins' Maddie Musselman, who was named the MVP of the Tokyo Olympic Games. All three are making their third appearance in the Olympics and all are the total package with a large arsenal of shots and passes plus years of delivering in the biggest moments as the group has a combined 14 World Championship titles.
Team USA heads to Paris as the top-ranked team in the world after returning to form at the World Championships in Doha earlier this year with a gold medal finish. They had finished off the podium at the 2023 event in Japan, ending a run of four straight world titles. Team USA earned their Olympic berth with a gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
The roster format returns to the prior Olympic Games โ 13 athletes rostered for each match, with no need to select a gameday active roster as seen during the Tokyo Games.
Team USA is the only nation to medal in every Olympic Games featuring women's water polo. They've won gold three times (2012, 2016 & 2020), silver twice (2000 & 2008) and bronze once (2004).
Earlier this month, current Bruin Sienna Green and former UCLA standout Bronte Halligan were both named to the Aussie Stingers women's water polo team for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
It will mark the first Olympic Games for Green and the second for Halligan. Green, a 19-year-old utility will make history as the youngest Australian woman to compete in Olympic Water Polo, surpassing the previous holder Ash Southern (London 2012) by 13 days.
Coached by Olympic bronze medalist Bec Rippon, the Stingers have a string of recent top-five global finishes, including fifth at Tokyo 2020 and fourth at last year's World Championships.
The Stingers are the first Australian team sport announced for the Paris Games. Deputy Chef de Mission for the 2024 Australian Olympic Team and four-time Hockey Olympian Mark Knowles announced the team's selection at the Dawn Fraser Baths, the home of Australia's oldest water polo club the Balmain Tigers.
After making her Olympic debut in Tokyo, Halligan said she's expecting to have added motivation this time around, with her family and friends set to join her in Paris.
"In the first Olympic Games experience, there is always so much energy, and you are so excited and it's a dream of many years that has finally come true," Halligan said. "For your second Games, it can seem like it's full steam ahead but I've really tried to enjoy the moment, spend time with family and friends, and soak it all up. It's so special that our family and friends can come support us in Paris. I know a lot of people have been able to book their tickets and accommodation nowโฆit's getting close and starting to feel real. They're the people that go on the journey with you, and they have to sacrifice a lot for you to get there too, so it's a big moment for them to be there and to watch you play - I'm really looking forward to that."
The women's water polo competition will take place at the Paris Aquatic Centre (Preliminary rounds), and the Paris La Defense Arena (finals) from July 27 to August 10.
2024 U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo Team โ Olympic Games Paris 2024 (Hometown/College/USA Water Polo Club)
Ashleigh Johnson (Miami, Fla./Princeton/NYAC)
Maddie Musselman (Newport Beach, Calif./UCLA/NYAC)
Tara Prentice (Temecula, Calif./UC Irvine/NYAC
Rachel Fattal (Seal Beach, Calif./UCLA/NYAC)
Jenna Flynn (San Jose, Calif./Stanford/NYAC)
Maggie Steffens (Danville, Calif./Stanford/NYAC)
Jordan Raney (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Stanford/NYAC)
Ryann Neushul (Goleta, Calif./Stanford/NYAC)
Jewel Roemer (Martinez, Calif./Stanford/680 Water Polo)
Kaleigh Gilchrist (Newport Beach, Calif./USC/NYAC)
Emily Ausmus (Riverside, Calif./USC/NYAC)
Jovana Sekulic (Haverford, Pa. & Belgrade, Serbia/Princeton/NYAC)
Amanda Longan (Moorpark, Calif./USC/NYAC)
Head Coach: Adam Krikorian
Assistant Coaches: Molly Cahill and Chris Oeding
2024 Aussie Stingers Olympic Women's Water Polo Team โ Olympic Games Paris 2024
Zoe Arancini
Keesja Gofers
Abby Andrews
Elle Armit
Bronte Halligan
Tilly Kearns
Gabi Palm
Alice Williams
Sienna Hearn
Sienna Green
Genevieve Longman
Danijela Jackovich
Charlize Andrews
Head Coach: Bec Rippon
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