Two Bruins secure spots on men’s water polo national team for Rio 2016
Alex Roelse clinched a roster sport for the 2016 Olympics. The rising junior is a first-time Olympian and two-time NCAA champion. (Aubrey Yeo/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By TuAnh Dam
July 7, 2016 10:18 a.m.
Two UCLA water polo players clinched a ticket to Rio de Janeiro, USA Water Polo announced Thursday morning.
Aboard the USS Midway, alumnus Josh Samuels and rising junior Alex Roelse made the 13-man roster as first time Olympians.
Samuels, who played for the Bruins from 2009 to 2012, led the team to three NCAA finals. The attacker scored 176 goals in his collegiate career finishing fourth in program history. The Villa Park, California native earned All-MPSF honors in 2011 and 2012 and All-American honors in 2010, 2011 and 2012. In international play, Samuels scored 12 goals en route to Team USA’s gold medal at the 2015 Pan American games.
His teammate, Roelse, chipped in three goals during the Pan American games to help the U.S. secure their 22nd Olympic berth.
A Dutch native, Roelse previously competed with the Netherlands National Team in 2013 and 2014. The defender led UCLA to back-to-back national championships as a freshman and sophomore. The All-American played in all 30 games in an undefeated season for the Bruins tallying 25 goals, 26 assists, 26 steals and 11 field blocks.
The men’s water polo events for the 2016 Summer Olympics start Aug. 6 at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center in Rio de Janeiro. Team USA’s first game will be against Croatia, the 2012 water polo gold medalists.
