USA Men’s Water Polo Cuts Olympic Training Roster to 18

THOUSAND OAKS, California, May 28. THE USA Men's Senior National Team dropped their training roster from 24 to 18 athletes Head Coach Terry Schroeder has announced following competition in the America's Cup last week in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Cut from the roster is goalie Chay Lapin along with field players Kevin Witt, Juan Delgadillo, Matt Sagehorn, Dreason Barry, and Jeff Tyrell. It was a difficult decision for Coach Schroeder to make. "These players have helped to bring the Men's program to a new level. We now have 24 athletes that are national team caliber players. Each of these players has a great future with the Men's team and I would expect them all to be around in 2012," Schroeder said. He then added, "They have put their heart and soul into making the Olympic team and unfortunately fell a little short this time around. When we stand on the podium in Beijing each one of them should know that they played a role in our success. They are a part of our Olympic Water Polo family".

This leaves the current roster with 18 athletes including Tony Azevedo, Ryan Bailey, Jesse Smith, Peter Hudnut, Jeff Powers, Layne Beaubien, Adam Wright, Peter Varellas, Merrill Moses, Brandon Brooks, Genai Kerr, Tim Hutten, JW Krumpholz, Adam Hewko, John Mann, Rick Merlo, Thomas Hopkins, and Brian Alexander.

This group of 18 has a big week ahead as they welcome in the number one team in the world in Croatia for common training and two exhibition games. Team USA will take on Croatia on Thursday evening at Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, CA at 7pm. Then on Saturday night at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, CA the two teams will do battle again at 6pm. Tickets for both games will be available at the door.

An added bonus to the game on Thursday will be a ‘Meet and Greet' with Team USA prior to the start of the contest at 5pm. Sign-ups are available at usawaterpolo.org.

There will be no rest for the weary as Team USA will then welcome Australia in for common training and will take on the Aussies in three exhibition games on June 7, 8, and 10. The game on June 7 will coincide with the USA Water Polo Masters National Championships held at the SODA Aquatic Center in Moraga, Calif. Then on June 8 the two teams will meet at Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, Calif., and finish things up on June 10 at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Current Training Roster
Tony Azevedo
Ryan Bailey
Jesse Smith
Peter Hudnut
Jeff Powers
Layne Beaubien
Adam Wright
Peter Varellas
Merrill Moses
Brandon Brooks
Genai Kerr
Tim Hutten
JW Krumpholz
Adam Hewko
John Mann
Rick Merlo
Thomas Hopkins
Brian Alexander

Special thanks to USA Water Polo for contributing this report.

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