Courtesy: USA Water Polo
Irvine, CA – February 28 – The USA Water Polo Men’s & Women’s National Teams return to major competition next week in Lima, Peru at the upcoming FINA Intercontinental Cup. It’s the first tournament for both teams since the Tokyo Olympic Games last summer. The action begins on March 7 in the same city where both teams claimed gold at the 2019 Pan American Games. The event serves as a qualifier for the upcoming FINA World League Super Final with the top four teams securing spots for the event later this year.
Due to club commitments in addition to the ongoing women’s collegiate season, the rosters will feature a mixture of returning veterans and pipeline athletes. Men’s Senior National Team Head Coach Dejan Udovicic has selected 15 athletes featuring four members of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic roster including Hannes Daube, Drew Holland, Ben Stevenson and Dylan Woodhead. Longtime pipeline National Team Head Coach Ethan Damato will lead the women’s squad anchored by Olympic gold medalist Amanda Longan and a host of rising talent across the high school ranks.
See below for complete rosters and schedules. Live streaming access (if offered) will be shared as soon as it is available.
USA Water Polo Men’s National Team
Tyler Abramson (Orinda, CA/Stanford/Stanford WPF)
Evan Cain (Riverside, CA/Long Beach State/SOCAL)
Hannes Daube (Long Beach, CA/USC/NYAC)
Chase Dodd (Long Beach, CA/UCLA/Vanguard)
Thomas Dunstan (New Canaan, CT/USC/Regency)
Jake Ehrhardt (Camarillo, CA/USC/Pride)
Matt Farmer (La Grange, IL/UCLA/Windy City WP)
Tommy Gruwell (San Diego, CA/UCLA/LAWPC)
Drew Holland (Orinda, CA/Stanford/Olympic Club)
Benjamin Liechty (Newport Beach, CA/Newport Harbor HS/Newport Beach Water Polo)
Sawyer Rhodes (Santa Barbara, CA/UCSB/NYAC)
Ben Stevenson (Reno, NV/Pacific/NYAC)
Adrian Weinberg (Oak Park, CA/California/Pride)
Dylan Woodhead (San Anselmo, CA/Stanford/SHAQ)
Quinn Woodhead (San Anselmo, CA/Stanford/SHAQ)
Staff
Head Coach: Dejan Udovicic
Assistant Coaches: Gavin Arroyo and Brian Flacks
Team Manager: Lori Verdegaal
Sports Medicine Manager: Chris Bates
Video Coordinator: Balsa Nikolic
Team Doctor: David Gazzaniga
USA Water Polo Women’s National Team
Emily Ausmus (Riverside, CA/ML King HS/SOCAL)
Julia Bonaguidi (La Jolla, CA/The Bishop’s School/San Diego Shores)
Christine Carpenter (Yucaipa, CA/Yucaipa HS/CHAWP
Jenna Flynn (San Jose, CA/Leland HS/San Jose/Almaden Water Polo)
Rachel Gazzaniga (Orange, CA/Orange Lutheran HS/North Irvine Water Polo)
Margaret Hawkins (Moraga, CA/Campolindo HS/Lamorinda)
Ava Knepper (Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach HS/SET)
Amanda Longan (Moorpark, CA/USC/NYAC)
Morgan Netherton (Newport Beach, CA/Newport Harbor HS/Newport Beach Water Polo)
Anna Pearson (Irvine, CA/Orange Lutheran HS/North Irvine Water Polo)
Genoa Rossi (Laguna Beach, CA/Mater Dei HS/Vanguard)
Taylor Smith (Newport Beach, CA/Newport Harbor HS/Newport Beach Water Polo)
Ava Stryker (Santa Barbara, CA/San Marcos HS/Santa Barbara 805)
Ella Woodhead (San Anselmo, CA/Sacred Heart Prep/Stanford WPF/SHAQ)
Staff
Head Coach: Ethan Damato
Assistant Coaches: Molly Cahill and Andrew Silva
Team Manager: Lori Verdegaal
Sports Medicine Manager: Larnie Boquiren
Team Doctor: Wazim Buksh
USA Women’s National Team Schedule – FINA Intercontinental Cup
March 7 vs Brazil 6:30am pt
March 8 vs Colombia 11:00am pt
March 9 vs Kazakhstan 9:30am pt
March 10 TBD (Quarterfinals)
March 11 TBD (Semifinals)
March 12 TBD (Finals)
USA Men’s National Team Schedule – FINA Intercontinental Cup
(round robin format)
March 7 vs Argentina 3:30pm pt
March 8 vs Canada 2:00pm pt
March 9 vs Colombia 2:00pm pt
March 10 vs Kazakhstan 3:30pm pt
March 11 vs Brazil 7:00pm pt
March 13 vs Australia 9:00am pt
