Women's Water Polo Preview
The U.S. women’s water polo team will travel to Tokyo as two-time defending Olympic champions and the favorite to win the gold medal once again. Currently ranked No. 1 in the world, Team USA has held the top world ranking since winning the 2014 FNA) World Cup. The U.S. women’s team is also the reigning champions of the FINA World Championships, FINA World Cup, FINA World League and Pan American Games.
Team USA won its first gold medal in women’s water polo at the Olympic Games London 2012, and has since become a juggernaut, compiling a 37-0 record in 2019. As part of the run, Team USA compiled a 69-game win streak that was snapped January 2020 in Australia, the first loss for Team USA since April 2018. The streak is believed to be a record for women’s water polo in the modern era. With great success comes great pressure, however, and Team USA is the team to beat ahead of the Tokyo Games.
Led by veteran coach Adam Krikorian, the U.S. women’s team returns eight gold medalists from the Rio Games, two of whom having also won a gold medal at the London Games. Captain Maggie Steffens won MVP honors at both the London and Rio Games, and she is joined by a cast of top-flight talent. Ashleigh Johnson, considered the best goalkeeper in the world, anchors a defense bolstered by two-time Olympic champion and two-way threat Melissa Seidemann.
The rest of the team features Olympic and world champions who have played for professional teams in Hungary, Spain, Greece and Australia. The U.S. women will battle with nine other countries in Tokyo, an increase of two from Rio, for the gold medal. The U.S. is the only nation to medal in women’s water polo at every Games since the sport was added to the Olympics in 2000.
Updated on July 6, 2021. For more information, contact the sport press officer here.