University Southern California Trojans
Women's Water Polo Opens 2003 Season This Weekend
January 27, 2003 | Women's Water Polo
Jan. 27, 2003
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LOS ANGELES - The No. 3 USC women's water polo team opens the 2003 season on Saturday (Feb. 1) against Loyola Marymount at noon and then travels to UC Santa Barbara in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match on Sunday (Feb. 2) at noon.
RANKINGS - USC is ranked No. 3 in the preseason U.S. Women's Water Polo Top 20 Poll.
JOVAN VAVIC - In his ninth 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 172-86 (.667) record in his ninth season with the Women of Troy.
SOFIA KONOUKH - The USC program received good news in the fall when senior utility Sofia Konoukh (Chelyabinsk, Russia) was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. She missed a season while participating in the 2000 Olympics. Konoukh earned first team All-America and MPSF Player of the Year honors after leading the Women of Troy with 70 goals last year. In 2001, she also earned first team All-America honors after scoring a school-record 103 goals and was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Co-Field Player of the Year.
KATRIN DIEROLF - Senior utility Katrin Dierolf (Esslingen, Germany) was tied for third last year in scoring with 53 goals. In her 2001 sophomore season, finishing third on the team in scoring with 65 goals. For her efforts, Dierolf earned All-America third team and All-MPSF second team honors.
LIZ SIMMS - Junior utility Liz Simms (Balmarm, Sydney, Australia) is one of the top USC newcomers for the 2003 season. Simms was a member of the 2002 Australian National Team.
