Santa Barbara will once again be represented on the USA Women’s National Water Polo Team in a major international tournament.
Former local high school stars Ryann Neushul and Ava Stryker have been named to the 15-player roster for the World Aquatics World Championships, July 10-23 in Singapore.
Neushul is a 2024 Olympian out of Dos Pueblos High. This spring she won a fourth NCAA Women’s Water Polo championship at Stanford, becoming the first player in program history to win four titles. She was honored as the Association of Water Polo Coaches Player of the Year.
In addition, Neushul was named the recipient of the prestigious Peter J. Cutino Award, presented to the college women’s water polo of the year. She is the second member of her family to win the award, joining older sister Kiley, who is a two-time honoree (2012, 2015).
In her international career, Ryann Neushul has played on three gold-medal winning teams at the World Championships (2019, 2022, 2024). Sisters Kiley (2015, 2017) and Jamie (2017) also have won world championship gold with Team USA.
Styker, a San Marcos alum who completed her sophomore season at USC and was a repeat All-American honoree, will be making her debut at the senior World Championships. She is one of seven newcomers coach Adam Krikorian has picked to the squad.
Stryker competed for the U.S. at the 2023 World Aquatics Junior World Championships and won a gold medal at the 2022 FINA Youth World Championships.
Team USA has been drawn into Group B where the action begins Thursday, July 10 against China at 9:10 p.m. Pacific time. They’ll also meet the Netherlands and Argentina in group play. Live streaming of the World Championships will be available on Peacock.
The roster selected for World Championships features seven returning Olympians from the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, including two-time Olympian and Tokyo gold medalist Amanda Longan. The others are Tara Prentice, Jenna Flynn, Jewel Roemer, Emily Ausmus, Ella Woodhead and Ryann Neushul.
Joining Stryker on the list of newcomers are Anna Pearson (UCLA), Julia Bonaguidi (UC San Diego), Emma Lineback (UCLA), Isabel Williams (Cal), Rachel Gazzaniga (USC) and Malia Allen (UCLA).
Santa Barbara High alum Molly Cahill is an assistant coach for Team USA.
