POSITION:
Center
HEIGHT:
6’6’’
WEIGHT:
245
lbs.
EDUCATION:
UC-Irvine 1998
CLUB:
Panionios
BIRTHDAY:
08/28/1975
BIRTHPLACE:
Los Angeles, CA.
HOMETOWN:
Long Beach, CA.
Earned a Silver Medal at 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China scoring six goals and handing out one assist...One of the premier centers in the water polo world...Physical presence at two meters and a key to success for Team USA.
INTERNATIONAL/CLUB: Posted five goals in a fourth place finish at the 2009 FINA World Championships, his sixth World Championship, most among USA players...Tallied seven goals in Silver Medal finish at the 2008 FINA World League Super Final...Score twice in upset victory over #1 Croatia on May 31...Tied for team lead with seven goals at 2007 FINA World League Super Final… Second on team in scoring with 10 goals at 2007 Pan American Games… Tallied eight goals at 2007 FINA World Championships… MVP of 2006 ASUA Cup... Only American to play in final four in European League... Outstanding Offensive Player at 2006 Premier League Championships… Key player on US offense for 2005 FINA World Championships in Montreal, Canada…Scored in two games at 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece... Scored in six games at 2003 Pan American Games, including two in USA’s 13-7 win over Brazil for the gold medal and a spot in Athens Olympics... Scored six goals in last four games of 2003 World Championships... Named 2003 American Water Polo League Outstanding Offensive Player after helping Newport to championship over New York… Finished with 15 goals in four games, including five in tournament opener at AWPL… Named USOC Water Polo Male Athlete of the Year in 2001 and 2002… Scored 12 goals in 2002 FINA World League season from center position… Scored a season-high three goals in USA’s upset over Hungary in Moraga (CA)… Corecipient of Chuck Metz MVP in 2002… Most Valuable Offensive Player in debut season of American Water Polo League (18 goals)… Scored eight goals, including winning goal in final seconds to beat Croatia at 2001 World Championships… Scored three goals in his Olympic debut in 2000 Sydney Games… Holds team record in bench press (385 lbs.) and has fastest recorded shot on team (54 mph).
PROFESSIONAL: Played for Partizan in Serbia in 2008-2009...Played for Panionios in Greece in 2006... Played for Jadran in Split, Croatia, in 2005-2006… Played for Dynamo Moscow in 2004-2005... Played for JUG Dubrovnik in Croatia and in two European Championships in 2004.
COLLEGE: Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Year in 1998... Four-time All-American at UC Irvine.
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Millikan High School in Long Beach, CA.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS:
2009 FINA World Championships, Rome, Italy, 4th Place
2009 FINA World League Super Final, Podgorica, Montenegro, 4th place
2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China, 2nd place
2008 FINA World League Super Finals, Genoa, Italy, 2nd place
2007 FINA World League Super Finals, Berlin, Germany 5th place
2007 Pan American Games, Rio de Janiero, Brazil, 1st place
2007 FINA World Championships, Melbourne, Australia, 9th place
2006 ASUA Cup, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1st place
2006 FINA World League Super Finals, Athens, Greece, 5th place
2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece, 7th place
2003 FINA World League Super Finals, New York, NY, 3rd place
2003 Pan American Games, Dominican Republic, 1st place
2003 FINA World Championships, Barcelona, Spain, 6th place
2003 U.S. Cup, Stanford, CA, United States, 2nd place
2002 FINA World Cup, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 7th place
2002 Eight-Nations Tournament, Nice, France, 3rd place
2001 FINA World Championships, Fukuoka, Japan, 7th place
2001 Pan American Qualification Tournament, Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep., 1st place
2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia, 6th place
1999 Pan American Games, Winnipeg, Canada, 1st place
1998 FINA World Championships, Perth, Australia, 7th place
PERSONAL: Australia is his favorite vacation spot... Cites Ted Newland, his former coach at UCI, as his biggest influence in water polo… Best moment in a game was when he scored the opening goal at the 2004 Olympics… favorite movie is Wedding Crashers… Began playing water polo after his older brother, Joe, began playing for Wilson High School.
Fun Facts:
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Movie: Kung Fu Hustle
Favorite Actor: Will Smith
Favorite Actress: Jessica Alba
Favorite Color: Blue
Best Present Ever Received: A Car
Special Power: To breathe underwater, would help with water polo
Etcetera: Would play football if not for water polo… best thing about water polo are the guys on the team and the chance to travel… got involved with the sport through his brother and followed in his footsteps… keeps playing because of the guys on the team.