Olympic Qualification Up For Grabs Again at Pan American Games

USC has six Trojans in action at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, with Olympic qualification spots on the line. The USA women have already qualified, leaving a ticket to Tokyo available for to the other seven nations competing in Peru this week. Canada — with two former Trojans on its roster — will certainly be eager to secure a spot at the 2020 Olympics after missing out on the past three Games, while Brazil — which also boasts a Trojan in its ranks — hopes to return to the Games. On the men's side, Team USA has two current Trojans in action to help the United States earn a spot for 2020. The 2019 Pan American Games run Aug. 4-10.

Canada's women have two Trojan anchors in 2010 NCAA Champion Joelle Bekhazi and two-time NCAA champ Hayley McKelvey. If Canada can qualify, both Bekhazi and McKelvey have a good chance of being selected to Canada's Olympics roster. The Canadians' last Olympic appearance was in 2004. Another two-time NCAA champion anchors Brazil's team once again. A 2016 Olympian, Victória Chamorro is capped up in the cage for the Brazilians as they aim for a second Olympic appearance. Team USA, meanwhile, qualified for 2020 Tokyo as champions of the 2019 FINA Super Final in June. The United States has 2016 NCAA champion Stephania Haralabidis in action for these Pan American Games. Current Trojan and 2018 NCAA champ Paige Hauschild had been slated for action but was sidelined for this event due to an injury sustained in an accident in South Korea after the FINA World Championships.

On the men's side, current Trojans Hannes Daube and Marko Vavic — both members of USC's 2018 NCAA championship squad — stand tall as the Trojan reps for the United States. The USA men are looking to secure Olympic qualification for the 10th straight Games.

Players Mentioned

Hannes Daube

Paige Hauschild

Hayley McKelvey

Marko Vavic