The young list, which was dominated by first-time Olympic players, with one exception, was named the U.S. Men’s Water Polo Team on Friday at the Tokyo Olympics.
The exception is 38-year-old veteran Essie Smith, who is heading to her fifth Olympic Games in Tokyo, equating her former teammate Tony Azvedo (2000-2016) with the record for the most Olympic water polo athlete in the United States. Smith is joined by Rio returnees Alex Bowen, Luca Cupido, Ben Hollock and Alex Obert, who will try to move the United States to Tokyo for more than 10th place.
Head coach Dejan Udovicic is also returning to his second Olympic Games, leading the US team, bringing with him a lot of young talent. Eight of the 13 members of the team are newcomers to the Olympics.
Former NCAA Champion Ny Հ Hooper (Cal, 2016) Da Hannes Daube (USC, 2018)’s leading dynamic attack line, while Alex Wolf և Drew Holland offer Udoviviիչ a pair of fresh options in goal.
SEE MORE. Meet ny oni Hooper, who hopes for the Olympics
“I’ve been working hard since I was about nine years old trying to make this [Olympic] “The dream came true. In order for it to finally come true, it feels really good,” said Duben. “Obviously there is still a lot more to be done, more goals to be achieved, but now this is a great achievement, check my list of buckets.”
The application was made just one day after the United States took silver in the World League Super Final on Thursday. In the semifinals, the United States defeated Italy 10-8, and then lost to Montenegro 9-8 in the final. This is the first men’s water polo medal since 2016. In 2016, the United States last won an Olympic silver medal. It has never won Olympic gold in men’s water polo.
The Olympic team kicks off its Tokyo campaign on July 25 following a Group A clash with South Africa.
Water Polo Men’s US Olympic Team
1. Alex Wolf (Huntington Beach, CA / UCLA / Bruin)
2. New Hope (Los Angeles, CA / California / LA Premier)
3. Marco Vavic (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA / USC / Trojan)
4. Alex Obert (Lumis, California / Pacific / NYAC)
5. Hannes Daube (Long Beach, CA / USC / North Irvine WPC)
6. Luca Cupido (Santa Marguerite, Italy / California / Olympic Club)
7. Ben Hollock (Westlake Village, California / Stanford / LA Premier)
8. Dylan Woodhead (San Anselmo, California / Stanford / Sleepy Hollow Aquatics & Stanford WPF)
9. Alex Bowen (Santi, CA / Stanford / NYAC)
10. Ben Stevenson (Reno, NV / Pacific / NYAC)
11. Essay Smith (Coronado, CA / Pepperdine / NYAC)
12. Max Irving (Long Beach, California / UCLA / NYAC)
13. Drew Holland (Orinda, California / Stanford / Olympic Club)