University Southern California Trojans
Women's Water Polo Opens 2002 Season
January 30, 2002 | Women's Water Polo
Jan. 30, 2002
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LOS ANGELES - The No. 3 USC women's water polo team will open the 2002 season on Saturday (Feb. 2) against Loyola Marymount at McDonald's Swim Stadium at 10 a.m.
RANKINGS - USC is ranked No. 3 in the preseason U.S. Women's Water Polo Top 20 Poll.
THAT CHAMPIONSHIP FEELING - USC will get a double dose of a championship atmosphere as McDonald's Swim Stadium will be the host site for the 2002 NCAA and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships. The MPSF Championships will take place Friday-Sunday (April 26-28) while the NCAA Championships will be held Saturday-Sunday (May 11-12). Ticket information for both events can be obtained by calling the USC Athletic Ticket Office at (213) 740-GOSC (4672).
JOVAN VAVIC - In his eighth season as the program's only head coach, Jovan Vavic has built the Women of Troy into a national power, which culminated with the 1999 national championship. He oversaw the program's move from Division II to Division I in 1996. In 1997, the Trojans made their first-ever Division I National Championships appearance with a seventh-place finish while the 1998 team finished in fifth place. In 2000, USC finished second in the nation and placed third in MPSF conference play in 2001. In 1999, Vavic, a native of Yugoslavia, was named the National Coach of the Year and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year. Vavic is also the head coach for the USC men's water polo team, which won the 1998 NCAA championship.
VAVIC'S CAREER RECORD - Jovan Vavic has a 146-82 (.640) record in his eighth season with the Women of Troy.
ANIKO PELLE - Senior utility Aniko Pelle (Budapest, Hungary) is the school's career leader with 197 goals. Pelle is a three-time All-American and won the Peter J. Cutino Award in 2000 as the nation's top female water polo player.
SOFIA KONOUKH - Senior utility Sofia Konoukh (Chelyabinsk, Russia) earned first team All-America honors last year after leading the Women of Troy in scoring with a school record 103 goals. Konoukh was also named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Co-Field Player of the Year and earned All-MPSF first team honors.
NINA WENGST - Senior two-meter Nina Wengst (Krefeld, Germany) is a two-time All-American and was fourth on the team in scoring last year with 57 goals. She is second on the USC all-time list with 160 goals.
KATRIN DIEROLF - Junior utility Katrin Dierolf (Esslingen, Germany) is coming off a breakout season, finished third on the team in scoring with 65 goals. For her efforts, Dierolf earned All-America third team and All-MPSF second team honors.
