Photo by: Yannick Peterhans
USC Women’s Water Polo Welcomes New Class Of Talent To Troy
November 01, 2022 | Women's Water Polo
USC boasts nine newcomers for the coming 2023 season.
As the USC women's water polo team sets its focus on the coming 2023 season, head coach Marko Pintaric is happy to have a depth charge of nine newcomers to the program. The balanced bunch is in the water and working well with USC's returning talent pool, giving Pintaric reason to be pleased with what he's seeing in his Women of Troy.
"This is a well rounded class where we are supported in every position," Pintaric said of the nine newcomers, which includes eight true freshmen and one transfer.
Considering the veteran talent already teeming on the USC roster, international experience is a key asset that several of those new Trojans possess. Before checking in for classes at USC, true freshmen Morgan Netherton and Maggie Johnson each capped up for Team USA — Netherton as a member of the Senior National Team at the FINA Intercontinental Cup and Johnson with the Youth National Team at FINA World Championships. More international experience comes from Hungarian Fanni Muzsnay and Serbia's Jelena Sarac. Muzsnay comes to Troy as a sophomore transfer out of Fresno State, where she was the GCC Newcomer of the Year and ACWPC All-America Honorable Mention recipient as a freshman.
"Our expectation is for Morgan and Fanni to jump into the picture for playing time immediately," Pintaric said of Netherton and Muzsnay. "Morgan is a very crafty, intelligent player, with great vision. great vision and water polo IQ. She's a very good defender as well. And Fanni comes from the Hungarian National Team pipeline. She's an extraordinary shooter and is intelligent. She's a great offensive threat.
"Maggie's ability to read and adjust to the game will greatly help us," Pintaric said of Johnson. "She's a student of the game and has been able to absorb our system fast."
Further offensive balance from USC's freshman depth charge comes in the form of Hannah Carver, Caitlin Cohen and Deming Wyer on the perimeter, with Alex Bonaguidi offering a deft touch out of 2-meters.
"Deming is showing herself as an extraordinary shooter as well, and Alex — be on the lookout for her. With her athletic ability and good hands, she is a finisher in the hole set position," Pintaric said of Wyer and Bonaguidi, who — along with Johnson — were teammates at The Bishop's School in La Jolla.
"Hannah is one of our faster incoming players who has the ability to develop into a key role, and Caitlin is a utility who can also become a strong player for our program," Pintaric added of Carver and Cohen.
And as USC's young unit of field players finds their groove, the Trojans also have a key force in the trenches with the addition of 6-foot-2 goalie Jada Ward.
"Her height looks great in the goal, and as her movement improves Jada is in position to become an impact goalie for us," Pintaric said of Ward.
"This group is already making great strides," Pintaric said. "I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for this team."
"This is a well rounded class where we are supported in every position," Pintaric said of the nine newcomers, which includes eight true freshmen and one transfer.
Considering the veteran talent already teeming on the USC roster, international experience is a key asset that several of those new Trojans possess. Before checking in for classes at USC, true freshmen Morgan Netherton and Maggie Johnson each capped up for Team USA — Netherton as a member of the Senior National Team at the FINA Intercontinental Cup and Johnson with the Youth National Team at FINA World Championships. More international experience comes from Hungarian Fanni Muzsnay and Serbia's Jelena Sarac. Muzsnay comes to Troy as a sophomore transfer out of Fresno State, where she was the GCC Newcomer of the Year and ACWPC All-America Honorable Mention recipient as a freshman.
"Our expectation is for Morgan and Fanni to jump into the picture for playing time immediately," Pintaric said of Netherton and Muzsnay. "Morgan is a very crafty, intelligent player, with great vision. great vision and water polo IQ. She's a very good defender as well. And Fanni comes from the Hungarian National Team pipeline. She's an extraordinary shooter and is intelligent. She's a great offensive threat.
"Maggie's ability to read and adjust to the game will greatly help us," Pintaric said of Johnson. "She's a student of the game and has been able to absorb our system fast."
Further offensive balance from USC's freshman depth charge comes in the form of Hannah Carver, Caitlin Cohen and Deming Wyer on the perimeter, with Alex Bonaguidi offering a deft touch out of 2-meters.
"Deming is showing herself as an extraordinary shooter as well, and Alex — be on the lookout for her. With her athletic ability and good hands, she is a finisher in the hole set position," Pintaric said of Wyer and Bonaguidi, who — along with Johnson — were teammates at The Bishop's School in La Jolla.
"Hannah is one of our faster incoming players who has the ability to develop into a key role, and Caitlin is a utility who can also become a strong player for our program," Pintaric added of Carver and Cohen.
And as USC's young unit of field players finds their groove, the Trojans also have a key force in the trenches with the addition of 6-foot-2 goalie Jada Ward.
"Her height looks great in the goal, and as her movement improves Jada is in position to become an impact goalie for us," Pintaric said of Ward.
"This group is already making great strides," Pintaric said. "I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for this team."
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