WATER POLO 2024 U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo Roster Announced

 

Los Angeles, CA – May 30, 2024 -- 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 Rachel Fattal, Kaleigh Gilchrist and Tokyo MVP Maddie Musselman. These three 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.

Defender Jordan Raney is no stranger to Team USA, a winner of multiple World Championship she breaks through in 2024 to her first Olympic Team after being the final cut for the Tokyo roster. She'll lead a re-tooled group of defenders including the youngest member of the squad in 18-year-old Emily Ausmus. The standout from Riverside's King High School deferred her first year of college water polo at USC to train with Team USA and the decision paid off.

Other first-timers include a completely new center tandem following pivotal retirements after the Tokyo Olympics. Former UC Irvine standout Tara Prentice joins forces with current Princeton star Jovana Sekulic to provide a stellar combo at two meters for Team USA.

A trio of Stanford Cardinal attackers complete the newcomers. 2023 NCAA Champions Ryann Neushul, Jewel Roemer and Jenna Flynn bring some critical offensive firepower to the USA attack. The nomination marks a special moment for the Neushul family as for the third straight Olympic Games, a Neushul will cap up for Team USA following Kiley in Rio and Jamie in Tokyo

This USA squad heads to Paris as the top-ranked team in the world 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 – 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).

2024 U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo Team – Olympic Games Paris 2024 (Hometown/College/USA Water Polo Club

Ashleigh Johnson (Miami, FL/Princeton/NYAC)

Maddie Musselman (Newport Beach, CA/UCLA/NYAC)

Tara Prentice (Temecula, CA/UC Irvine/NYAC

Rachel Fattal (Seal Beach, CA/UCLA/NYAC)

Jenna Flynn (San Jose, CA/Stanford/NYAC)

Maggie Steffens (Danville, CA/Stanford/NYAC)

Jordan Raney (Manhattan Beach, CA/Stanford/NYAC)

Ryann Neushul (Goleta, CA/Stanford/NYAC)

Jewel Roemer (Martinez, CA/Stanford/680 Water Polo)

Kaleigh Gilchrist (Newport Beach, CA/USC/NYAC)

Emily Ausmus (Riverside, CA/USC/NYAC)

Jovana Sekulic (Haverford, PA & Belgrade, Serbia/Princeton/NYAC)

Amanda Longan (Moorpark, CA/USC/NYAC)

Head Coach: Adam Krikorian

Assistant Coaches: Molly Cahill and Chris Oeding

Sports Medicine Manager: Larnie Boquiren

Team Manager: Ally Beck