espite retiring four of its players, the U.S. women’s water polo team is still considered a gold medal contender in the Olympics.
Currently ranked No. 2 in the world, the U.S. women are the defending silver medalists after losing to host Australia in the final seconds of the 2000 Games. It was the first Olympics to feature women’s water polo as an official sport.
This past December, the U.S. had another heartbreaking loss Down Under when it was beaten, 8-7, by Hungary in the championship game of the World Cup.
Driver Brenda Villa, one of the sport’s leading scorers, told Aquatics International that the next Olympics should work right into the U.S. team’s newfound strengths: youth and speed.
The main reason Villa and others have such confidence is the recent move to a larger 30-meter pool for competition, matching the men. In past competitions, women played in a 25-meter pool.
“I think with our conditioning and speed, [the 30-meter pool] helps our style of game,” says Villa, who was tied for most goals (nine) at last year’s World Cup. “The World Cup was the first. In a sense, this team is now geared to playing 30 meters.
“Our counterattack is something we’ve really been working on and it should be on display next summer.”
On defense, all eyes are on goalkeeper Jackie Frank, last year’s NCAA player of the year after leading Stanford to the national title. Frank returned to the international scene after a three-year layoff to claim the starting spot at the ’02 World Cup.
After the tournament, she was being touted as one of the top goalkeepers in the world, thanks to a field-leading 52 saves in four games, including 14 in the Americans’ semifinal win over Canada.
On the men’s side, the U.S. is looking to earn its first medal since winning its second silver in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. The team’s only gold medal was in 1904.
With just three returning Olympians from the squad that finished sixth in 2000 — Ryan Bailey, Wolf Wigo and Tony Azevedo — the odds are against the Americans to win another. The U.S. is at a distinct disadvantage, considering most teams are returning at least a half-dozen players each from the 2000 Games.
Still, Bailey is one of the best centers in the world and is playing professionally in Croatia. Wigo is the team captain and was the most accurate shooter (16 for 25) for all teams at the 2000 Olympics. And Azevedo, the youngest member of the 2000 squad, is one of the best players on the planet.
Men’s coach Ratko Rudic and women’s coach Guy Baker (UCLA) will select their final squads for the Games sometime next year.
