Who is returning to play for the U.S. water polo teams in Paris?
The U.S. women's team revealed its 13-player Olympic roster on May 30. The team includes the return of key players and veterans such as goalies Ashleigh Johnson and Amanda Longan, attackers Maddie Musselman, Rachel Fattal and Kaleigh Gilchrist and captain Maggie Steffens. The full roster can be seen below.
Goalies
- Ashleigh Johnson
- Amanda Longan
Defense
- Jordan Raney
- Tara Prentice
- Emily Ausmus
- Jovana Sekulic
Offense
- Maddie Musselman
- Rachel Fattal
- Kaleigh Gilchrist
- Jenna Flynn
- Maggie Steffens
- Ryann Neushul
- Jewel Roemer
The U.S. men's team announced its 13-player Olympic roster on June 18. Alex Bowen, Alex Obert, Luca Cupido and team captain Ben Hallock were included in the roster and will all be going to their third Olympics. The full roster is included below:
Goalies
- Adrian Weinberg (Los Angeles, California)
- Drew Holland (Orinda, California)
Defense
- Dylan Woodhead (San Anselmo, California)
Offense
- Johnny Hooper (Los Angeles, California)
- Marko Vavic (Rancho Palos Verdes, California)
- Alex Obert (Loomis, California)
- Hannes Daube (Long Beach, California)
- Luca Cupido (Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy)
- Ben Hallock (Westlake Village, California)
- Alex Bowen (Santee, California)
- Chase Dodd (Long Beach, California)
- Ryder Dodd (Long Beach, California)
- Max Irving (Long Beach, California)
Who is not competing for the U.S. water polo teams in Paris?
Compared to its 2020 Olympic roster, seven players will not return to the Games for the women's team. Melissa Seidemann, Makenzie Fischer and Alys Williams announced their retirements from the sport prior to the 2024 Games. Other players from the previous Olympic roster, such as Paige Hauschild, Stephania Haralabidis, Jamie Neushul and Aria Fischer, did not get called up.
For the men, only three players who were on the 2020 Olympic roster will not be returning to the 2024 Games. Jesse Smith retired from the sport in May, while Alex Wolf and Ben Stevenson did not get called up.
Who is playing in their first Olympic water polo games in Paris?
About half of the players on the women's team will be playing their first Olympic water polo games in Paris. The biggest standout is the youngest player on the team, Emily Ausmus. The 18-year-old phenom began representing the senior team while she still attended Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California.
Other players who will play in their first Olympic water polo games are Jordan Raney, Tara Prentice, Ryann Neushul, Jewel Roemer, Jovana Sekulic and Jenna Flynn.
The men's team will have a family affair on its roster. Brothers Chase Dodd and Ryder Dodd, along with goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg, will be playing in their first Olympic Games this summer. The Dodd brothers will be the first brothers on the same U.S. Olympic water polo team since 1988. Dodd, 18, will also be the youngest U.S. Olympic men's water polo player since 1964.