Courtesy: USC Athletics
In a coaching career that has spanned 16 years at USC, Casey Moon has been developing new tools to his add to his belt at every turn.
It’s not surprising, then, as he enters his first season as full-time head coach of the USC women, that Moon has a keen eye for versatility and what he wants to build with the talented Trojans on his roster for 2024.
“I think we have a really dynamic group,” Moon said. “Our ability to have multiple players to play multiple positions is great because I think the game is changing, and it’s changing in a way where you’ve got to be a multidimensional player. And the group we have — and especially this new group coming in — fits that mold extremely well.”
Swiss Army knife references aside, it’s sharply apparent that international experience has been key to USC’s development of versatile players. The USA pipeline has crafted a number of outstanding Trojans — past, present and future, including Team USA’s Emily Ausmus, who deferred her freshman enrollment at USC in order to train for the 2024 Olympics. Many other U.S. pipeline products will be capped up for USC this season, including Morgan Netherton, Rachel Gazzaniga and Ava Stryker, who competed for the USA at Junior Worlds this past summer. Abigail Hendrix, Maggie Johnson, Meghan McAninch, Hannah Meyer, Carolyne Stern, Honnie Vandeweghe-O’Shea, Deming Wyer and Isabel Zimmerman also have capped up for the USA at the Youth level. Outside of the United States, several returning Trojans have also gathered international experience with other nations — Alejandra Aznar (Spain), Julia Janov (Slovakia), Emma Lawson (Canada), Fanni Muzsnay (Hungary), Jelena Sarac (Serbia).
“We really support the USA and international programs and value the experience that they give our athletes,” Moon said. “It’s really important to me and this program to see Trojans thrive and develop within their national teams.”
USC will be without one decorated Trojan international for 2024 as Olympian and Cutino Award finalist Tilly Kearns is training with Australia for the 2024 Olympic Games. That leaves a void at the center position for this season, but Moon has tapped into his handy toolkit in order to adjust. In addition to the proven work done at set by senior Hannah Meyer, Moon has eyes on incorporating newcomer national teamer Gazzaniga along with sophomore Alex Bonaguidi for increased action, with new addition Madison Haaland-Ford also in the mix at the center slot.
Meyer is one of nine returners from USC’s 2023 NCAA roster, which reached the NCAA final in the program’s 19th straight trip to the postseason to finish with a 29-3 overall record. Johnson and Netherton were freshmen on that squad, bringing back key lessons learned along with Meyer and the other members of the returning group that was on deck for that NCAA journey — Brooklyn Aguilera, Aznar, Glad, Hendrix, Stern, Vandeweghe-O’Shea, Jada Ward and Zimmerman.
“These returners have already experienced high-level games and experienced what the pressure feels like to play in a national championship game. I think that experience is so invaluable,” Moon said.
Goalie Stern picked up All-America honors last season, and she’s joined by Janov and Johnson as team captains for 2024. All were instrumental in USC’s NCAA run last season, and Janov and Stern are now entering their fourth season playing together. That combined experience and leadership ability gives Moon the utmost confidence in his three captains, who are charged with setting the tone and the course for the Trojans in 2024.
“Carolyne and Julia are now our senior leaders, and they truly understand the value and meaning of USC water polo,” Moon said. “For them to lead and share their story and experience and to teach this younger generation of players is incredible. Their rapport with and respect amongst the team is great. And Maggie is such a strong, mental player who has a relentless work ethic. Last year she was a leader by example, and now she has found her voice and she does a really good job of leading in both realms.”
Stern enters her final season between the pipes as USC’s No. 7 all-time saves leader. She’s been a steadying and reliable force in the cage for USC, thanks in part to the talented younger goalies in the water with her every day. Sophomore Jada Ward and redshirt sophomore Laine Hourigan both served as outstanding backups for Stern last season, and they are joined by two true freshmen this season in Anna Reed and Lauren Schneider to round out a formidable goalkeeping corps for the 2024 Trojans.
“Jada and Laine had their taste of what it means and feels like to be a starting goalie at USC. They both had solid runs last year. The competition and support between those three is really good,” Moon said of his trio of returning goalies. “And we have two new ones who were so energized in the offseason in Lauren and Anna. Their desire and their motivation is pushing the others, so I’m really happy with our goalie core with those five.”
In the field, USC is fueled by an arsenal of attackers along with deft defenders to go along with its center play. Glad, Hendrix, Lawson, Sarac Vandeweghe-O’Shea are tabbed for duty on the defensive end, while also set to take aim offensively from the perimeter. USC’s onslaught of attackers features newcomers McAninch and Stryker to go along with veterans Aznar, Janov and Muzsnay, who combined for 88 goals last season. As freshmen, attackers Johnson and Netherton pinned up a combine 34 goals. All versatile tools in Moon’s box of tricks, the USC attacking core also includes Aguilera, Hannah Carver, Caitlin Cohen, Sally McCarthy, Deming Wyer and Zimmerman.
All told, Moon is eager to get to work with his shining set of 2024 Trojans. First games are coming fast, as USC opens the season with a trip to Fullerton on Saturday (Jan. 20) to take on San Diego State and Cal State Fullerton in the Trojans’ first steps toward a look at a 20th straight NCAA appearance and potentially an eighth national title for the Women of Troy.
“USC water polo is about national championships. This is why you come here. And this is my job, as a new head coach, to teach and prepare my team to have the opportunity to get there,” Moon said. “I think this team that we have, we mesh really well. And I’m really excited to coach them and to be on this journey together.”