University Southern California Trojans
March 20, 2007 | Women's Water Polo
March 20, 2007
Three current members of the USC women's water polo team are joining two recent USC graduates as members of the U.S. Women's National Team this month at the 2007 FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia. Current Women of Troy Patty Cardenas, Kami Craig and Brittany Hayes are capped up in red, white and blue for competition with Team USA from March 19-31, along with 2006 graduates Moriah Van Norman and Lauren Wenger. Former Trojan goalie Bernice Orwig also serves on the staff as USA assistant coach.
The six Trojans are in pursuit of a third medal in three World Championships for the U.S. women. The United States won gold in 2003 (Barcelona) and silver in 2005 (Montreal). In this year's competition in Melbourne, Team USA already has posted one 9-7 win over the Netherlands to open group play, with Craig and Wenger both registering goals for the USA.
Cardenas, Craig, Hayes, Van Norman, Wenger and 2007 alternate Erika Figge have been active with Team USA for at least the past year. All six Trojans helped Team USA toward a gold-medal finish at last summer's FINA Super Final. Hayes was listed as an alternate for the World Cup, having competed in the early stages of the FINA World League to help the team on to gold at the Super Final. Cardenas, Craig, Figge, Van Norman and Wenger also moved on to play with the national team at the 2006 FINA World Cup in China. Most recently, the six Trojans helped push Team USA to a gold-medal finish at the 2007 Holiday Cup. The 2007 World Championships serves as the premier international tournament leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which all six Trojans are working toward competing in as members of the U.S. National Team.
USC is also well represented outside of the U.S. squad. Germany, Hungary, Russia and Spain also each boast at least one former Trojan on its roster. On the German team are USC grads Katrin Dierolf and Nina Wengst; Hungary continues to be led by 2000 Cutino Award winner and all-time leading USC scorer Aniko Pelle; USC's second leading scorer and two-time Olympian, Sofia Konoukh, leads her Russian squad; and Spain has another 2006 USC graduate, Anna Pardo.
Cardenas, Craig and Hayes will return to the pool for USC following the World Championships, just in time for the Trojans' clash with UCLA -- set for 1 p.m. on April 7 at Sunset Rec in Westwood, Calif.
2007 FINA World Championships results are available online at: www.fina.org/events/WC/Melbourne_2007/results/index.php
More information is also available at the USA Water Polo web site: www.usawaterpolo.org/
