[Olympic Preview] U.S. women’s water polo team features seven Bruins

Burning inside each and every one of them is the will to
win.

As the gold glistens brighter by the day and as the 2004 Olympic
Games in Athens, Greece, draw nearer, 15 women will fight with
blood, sweat and tears for their country.

Side by side they stand together to represent the United States
of America. And though they may hail from all over the country,
these athletes exhibit the sheer prowess at the apex of the sport.
But within the confines of this year’s U.S. women’s
water polo team lies something remarkable and unavoidable.

Seven members of the team not only will represent the United
States. The will represent their university, UCLA.

The numbers don’t lie, nor do they hide, when speaking of
the success UCLA has experienced in the international competitions.
Since 1920 Bruins have amassed 195 total medals in the
Olympics. Since the 1976 Games, the Bruins have produced more
Olympians and Olympic medals than any other university, a feat that
likely has every director, coach, athlete and student beaming with
pride.

“We as a program, as a UCLA water polo family, take great
pride in knowing that we have so many Bruins representing our
university, our water polo program and, more specifically, our
country,” men’s and women’s water polo coach Adam
Krikorian said. “It’s an incredible feeling. It’s
a feeling that every time you look, it puts a smile on your
face.

“It means that they’ve worked so hard to get where
they are, and that means we’re doing something right,
here.”

The Olympic totals not only standout, but the 94 NCAA
championships ““ the most by any university to date ““
showcase the superior performance of UCLA’s athletes and
coaches. Even more glaring has been the success of the water polo
program ““ 13 national water polo championships, six from the
women, all coming in the past nine years.

Knowing how to develop a successful water polo program and
developing players of that stature at UCLA has come to fruition
after years of training.

“It starts with foundation and work ethic ““
it’s what we do in practice, as an individual and as a
team,” Krikorian said. “But you have to give a
lot of credit to the people who first began things.
The Nicolle Paynes and the Robin Beauregards ““ they set
the example that has made it easier for people under them to
follow in their footsteps.

“Lastly, it’s been the attitude and aura of the
program. It’s playing unselfishly and playing good team water
polo.”

Seven players return to the U.S. Olympic squad from the team
that captured silver at the 2000 Sydney Games; two are from UCLA:
goalie Payne and 2003 NCAA tournament MVP Beauregard. Joining
the veterans are five Bruin first-timers in Natalie
Golda, Thalia Munro, Amber Stachowski, Kelly Rulon and alternate
Gabrielle Domanic.

“It all starts with UCLA getting a lot of talent during
the recruiting process,” said Rulon, a sophomore. “The
program has so much prestige that players want to come here and
play.”

Coming off a disappointing 4-3 loss to Australia in the finals
of the 2000 Olympics, the U.S. women’s team members have
propelled themselves ahead of the field and now are the favorites
to snatch gold this time around.

So far the women have showed their supremacy, capturing titles
at the 2003 World Championships, 2002 Pan-American Games at
the Holiday Cup in 2004 and obtaining gold at the first-ever
FINA World League Super Finals in Long Beach last month. And, just
recently, the team added yet another first place finish in the
pre-Olympic tournament in Italy.

During their run there may have been times all seven players in
the water were Bruins, making for a “UCLA versus the
world” scenario. It may seem that way, but the players have
downplayed it.

“From an outsider’s point of view, I think someone
would say (UCLA has) a pretty darn good program,” Golda, a
senior, said. “I’m sure people take notice more than we
do.”

“Yes, most of us are playing for UCLA, but it’s not
like that. We’re playing for the USA,” Rulon added.

On the other hand, Krikorian saw it in another light when he was
at the FINA World Finals. While he wasn’t figuring the
matchups in his mind, he somewhat chuckled at what was transpiring
in the water when he noticed at times everyone playing for one team
in the pool was a Bruin.

“Oh, yeah, I’ve definitely noticed that
stuff,” Krikorian said. “Once in a while, when
you’re staring as a fan, you sit back for a couple of
seconds, and then you realize ““ and then you’re taken
back for a while ““ that’s going to be my team next
year. That’s a neat feeling.”

For some of the first-timers, being from the same school and
sharing the Olympic experience together has been special. But, more
than anything, experiencing the unfamiliarity of the Olympics with
one another has been beneficial to their play.

“Really nice, comfortable,” Rulon said to describe
it. “It’s not as shocking of an experience. If I
didn’t have my teammates, it would be
nerve-racking.”

Krikorian, in his sixth season as coach, formerly was an
assistant to current U.S. women’s water polo coach Guy Baker.
Now Krikorian has taken the UCLA water polo program to new lengths
and seemingly groomed athletes that are just to his mentor’s
liking. Many of the athletes attribute their success to both of the
coaches that have inspired them.

“I felt like it was easier for me on the team because I
was getting tips from (Krikorian),” said Munro, a junior.
“I learned a lot from Guy, but it was also nice that both of
them worked together so I could ask (Krikorian) for
advice.”

The women will meet Team Hungary in the first day of competition
Aug. 16 and then on alternate days will face Canada and Russia.
Seeding will be determined based on the results of each game, with
the championship game scheduled for Aug. 26.

When the national anthem is played before its first game,
the U.S. women’s water polo team will rise one more time
““ to pay homage to its country and to go to battle
for a shot at the coveted gold medal.

“They’ve proven in the last two years that
they’re the best team in world,” Krikorian said.
“USA and Hungary are the best two countries, and everyone
else is one step lower. I would be shocked if it wasn’t U.S.
and Hungary in the finals.”

Despite the dominance that the team has shown since 2000, Rulon
is hesitant to comment about capturing gold.

“I’m not going to say yes or no. I don’t want
to jinx it,” Rulon said. “We’re just going to
take every day slowly and not get ahead of ourselves.”

But, for some of the more adamant players, winning gold is
everything. For athletes like Golda, experiencing the celebrations
after winning gold in previous tournaments was special, but those
wins can’t be compared to winning gold at the highest stage
of the sport.

Satisfaction with any medal? Not likely.

To Golda and her teammates, leaving with anything but gold is
just unacceptable.

“We have one more job left,” Golda said. “We
definitely did well before this point, but leaving Athens without a
gold would leave an empty feeling.”