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Women’s Waterpolo Team announced for Beijing

jane — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:29:48 +0000

July 1, 2008 - USA Water Polo announced the U.S. Olympic Team for Women’s Water Polo that will compete at the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China starting August 8.

The squad qualified for the Olympics via Gold Medal victories at the 2007 Pan American Games and is fresh off a Silver Medal finish at the 2008 FINA World League Super Final.

The women will go into the games ranked No. 1 in the world. The United States took the silver in the 2000 Olympics and the bronze in 2004. Brenda Villa and Heather Petri, both three-time Olympians, will lead the U.S. women’s water polo team.

Petri, at 30 the oldest player on the women’s roster, likes the team’s blend of youth and experience, and thinks the younger players - there are 10 first-time Olympians - will really spark the team.

U.S. Olympic Roster for Women’s Water Polo

Betsey Armstrong
Heather Petri
Brittany Hayes
Brenda Villa
Lauren Wenger
Natalie Golda
Patty Cardenas
Jessica Steffens
Elsie Windes
Alison Gregorka
Moriah van Norman
Kami Craig
Jaime Hipp

Water Polo - Fun Facts

admin — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:31:49 +0000

Women’s water polo made its Olympic debut in the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
Water polo players swim up to one and a half miles during the course of a water polo game.
The water polo ball is the size and weight of a #5 soccer ball and is thrown at speeds of up to sixty miles per hour.
The USA Water Polo Women’s National team has won a medal in each Olympic water polo competition to date, silver in 2000, bronze in 2004.
Women’s water polo became a NCAA championship sport in 2001 with the University of California Los Angeles winning the first title.

Water Polo - Italy wins 9th Holiday Cup with defeat of Netherlands; USA takes third

jane — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:28:24 +0000

LONG BEACH, CA, Dec. 9, 2007 - Italy became the first ever European winner of the Holiday Cup when they topped the Netherlands 10-9.

The USA Women’s Senior National Team landed in third place after taking out Russia without much fanfare winning 17-7.

The tourney signaled the end of six straight titles at the Holiday Cup for the USA who now has some downtime before they resume action after the New Year.

Water Polo 101

admin — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 00:02:40 +0000

Rules of the Game: Water Polo can best be described as contact soccer in a pool, in which athletes use their arms, not their legs, to throw the ball through the opponent’s goal.

Each team has seven players in the pool at one time, including a goalie whose duties are the same as their soccer and hockey counterparts. They are the only players who may touch the bottom of the pool in defending the three-meter goal area. Goalies are also the only players who may touch the ball with both hands.

Play begins with both teams lined up at opposite ends of the pool and the ball is dropped from the side of the pool by the referee. Teams sprint to the center in an attempt to gain the first possession.

Players may move the ball by passing it through the air or across the water’s surface to a teammate, or by carrying the ball while swimming.

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UCLA wins title no. 100

admin — Mon, 28 May 2007 21:46:41 +0000

May 15 2007 - The UCLA Bruins have accomplished what no other NCAA member institution has done — winning 100 NCAA team championship titles in athletics competition.

UCLA won its 100th NCAA team title on Sunday when its women’s water polo team captured the national championship in Los Alamitos, Calif. UCLA beat Stanford, 5-4, to win its fifth team title in women’s water polo. UCLA’s first national title was in men’s tennis in the 1949-50 season. (more…)