Courtesy: USA Water Polo
IRVINE, Calif. – USA Women’s National Team Head Coach Adam Krikorian has announced the roster for the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru this August 4-10. Eleven athletes were selected for competition marking the first time Team USA has fielded a reduced roster since the announcement of a roster size reduction for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Previously a 13-athlete roster, the reduction was announced following the increase of eight teams to ten teams in women’s Olympic competition.
Fresh off a gold medal at the 2019 FINA World League Super Final, the USA Women have already earned a spot at the 2020 Olympic Games and will head to Peru looking to defend their Pan Am crown. Currently in possession of all the major titles available, Team USA has won gold at the Pan Am Games four straight times (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015). The winner of the 2019 Pan American Games will earn a qualification spot for the 2020 Games. In the event Team USA wins gold, the second-place team will earn the Olympic berth.
The USA roster is littered with familiar faces as eight of the 11 athletes were part of the gold medal effort at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and 10 of 11 helped Team USA to a World Championship in 2017 in Budapest, Hungary. Two-time Olympic gold medalist and team captain Maggie Steffens (Danville, CA/Stanford/NYAC) leads Team USA into action flanked by Ashleigh Johnson (Miami, FL/Princeton/NYAC), considered the best goalie in the world. Two-way threat and two-time Olympic champion Melissa Seidemann (Walnut Creek, CA/Stanford/NYAC) adds to the group in addition to fellow Olympic gold medalists Maddie Musselman (Newport Beach, CA/UCLA/CdM Aquatics), Rachel Fattal (Seal Beach, CA/UCLA/SOCAL), Kiley Neushul (Isla Vista, CA/Stanford/NYAC), Aria Fischer (Laguna Beach, CA/Stanford/SET) and Makenzie Fischer (Laguna Beach, CA/Stanford/SET). World Champions Paige Hauschild (Santa Barbara, CA/USC/Santa Barbara 805), Jamie Neushul (Isla Vista, CA/Stanford/NYAC) and Alys Williams (Huntington Beach, CA/UCLA/Huntington Beach WPF) will make their Pan American Games debut.
Team USA will open play in Peru against Puerto Rico on August 4. Slotted in Group A, Team USA will also meet Brazil and Venezuela in group play that concludes on August 6. A champion will be crowned on August 10.
Prior to the Pan American Games, Team USA will take part in the FINA World Championships July 14-27 in Gwangju, South Korea. Team USA has won the last two FINA World Championships and four overall. The 13-athlete roster for the FINA World Championship will be announced in the coming weeks.
2019 Pan American Games USA Women’s National Team Roster
Ashleigh Johnson (Miami, FL/Princeton/NYAC)
Maddie Musselman (Newport Beach, CA/UCLA/CdM Aquatics)
Melissa Seidemann (Walnut Creek, CA/Stanford/NYAC)
Rachel Fattal (Seal Beach, CA/UCLA/SOCAL)
Paige Hauschild (Santa Barbara, CA/USC/Santa Barbara 805)
Maggie Steffens (Danville, CA/Stanford/NYAC)
Jamie Neushul (Isla Vista, CA/Stanford/NYAC)
Kiley Neushul (Isla Vista, CA/Stanford/NYAC)
Aria Fischer (Laguna Beach, CA/Stanford/SET)
Alys Williams (Huntington Beach, CA/UCLA/Huntington Beach WPF)
Makenzie Fischer (Laguna Beach, CA/Stanford/SET)
Head Coach: Adam Krikorian
Asst. Coach: Dan Klatt & Chris Oeding
Team Manager: Liz Grimes
2019 Pan American Games Women’s Competition Schedule
August 4 vs Puerto Rico 9am pt
August 5 vs Brazil 9am pt
August 6 vs Venezuela 9am pt
August 7 vs TBD
August 8 vs TBD
August 9 vs TBD
August 10 vs TBD (finals)