The U.S. women's water polo team traveled to Paris earlier this month ahead of this summer's Olympics.
Thanks to a ploy by team manager Allie Beck, the players were able to enjoy a Taylor Swift concert at the Hellas Tour, held at the same La Défense arena that will host the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of women's Olympic water polo this summer.
“It was an incredible, dream come true trip,” said team member Kaylee Gilchrist. “It makes me even more excited to go there in August and I can't wait to go back for work, not play.”
The U.S. team is seeking a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal and is hoping to avoid a tough summer for its relatively inexperienced players.
Ashley Johnson (left), Kaylee Gilchrist (center) and Maddie Musselman, both of Newport Beach, attend a news conference on Thursday.
(James Carbone)
The 13-member Olympic team was announced Thursday at a press conference at the Los Angeles restaurant Republique, with Gilchrist and Maddie Musselman, both of Newport Beach, once again selected for the team.
Gilchrist, 32, and Musselman, 25, are both seeking their third Olympic gold medal, and after years of hardship, they are back on the U.S. team looking for more glory.
Gilchrist, a former Newport Harbor High School and USC star, is the oldest player on this year's team, which has seven players making their Olympic debut. Her larger-than-fiction story revolves largely around overcoming injuries, including one she sustained in 2019 when a balcony collapsed while she was partying with teammates in South Korea.
“I don't think anybody expected her to be a three-time Olympic medalist, including herself, but it's because of her perseverance and intelligence,” U.S. coach Adam Krikorian said. “She's one of the smartest athletes I've ever coached, and that's because of her professionalism and maturity. She's a hard worker.”
Maggie Stephens, captain of the Olympic women's water polo team, answered media questions during a press conference on Thursday.
(James Carbone)
Musselman, who starred at CdM and UCLA, has been one of the best players in the world for some time and was named Olympic MVP at the last Tokyo Olympics.
Although she has always maintained a mature mindset, she also enjoys having fun with her teammates and sometimes even performs in her TikTok videos.
“I don't know what I'm doing, but it's fun,” Musselman said. “I watch people dance… I have to dance, but I'm not a good dancer. I didn't grow up dancing or anything like that, so when I put myself in that position, I feel like I'm trying something new. It's fun to have the younger generation teach me how to do it.”
Musselman, who married former UCLA water polo player Pat Oopes last fall and was diagnosed with aggressive lung cancer around that time, has also brought her fearlessness to the pool.
Maddie said Thursday that Pat's treatment is going well and he still hopes to travel to Paris to watch his wife play.
Adam Krikorian, head coach of the U.S. Olympic women's water polo team, answered media questions during a press conference on Thursday.
(James Carbone)
“I feel like I'm playing the freest I've ever played,” Musselman said. “Obviously, I worry about making mistakes. [shots] When things go wrong, it's easier to just let go and move on to the next moment. There's something bigger to come.”
Three-time gold medal winning team captain Maggie Stephens also returns to lead Team USA. Goalkeepers Ashley Johnson and Amanda Longan are other talented returnees, as is former Los Alamitos High School and UCLA star Rachel Fattal.
For some, it may feel like everything has changed. There are seven athletes making their Olympic debut, including defender Jordan Rainey, 18-year-old defender Emily Ausmus, former UC Irvine standout Tara Prentiss and current Princeton standout Jovana Sekulic.
Stanford attackmen Ryan Neuschl, Jewel Romer and Jenna Flynn are also making their Olympic debuts.
Newport Beach native Kaylee Gilchrist answered media questions after being announced as a member of the U.S. Olympic women's water polo team on Thursday.
(James Carbone)
The U.S. team lost by one point to Italy in the quarterfinals of the FINA World Championships in Japan last July, ending their hopes of winning a fifth consecutive world title. However, they made a comeback and won the World Championships in Qatar in February, and also performed well in exhibition matches earlier this year.
“These five months after the World Championships were a really important part of the evolution of our technical development,” Krikorian said. “We got better, we got closer as a team, we got a better understanding of how we want to play, and honestly, we got healthier too… For us, it's just a little bit of a bygone era now.”
With few losses on the scoreboard, the U.S. team remains the favorite to return to La Défense Arena with a shot at the title.
“It's just impossible that she was in Paris playing a concert the same week that we were there,” Gilchrist says. “It's just hard to believe that this happened.”
Maggie Stephens (left), captain of the Olympic women's water polo team, poses for a selfie with her teammates during a press conference on Thursday.
(James Carbone)
