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| Madeline
MUSSELMAN |
| Sport |
Water Polo |
| NOC |
United States
|
| Gender | Women |
| Born | 16 Jun 1998
in Newport Beach, CA, USA |
| Height | 1.80 m |
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General Interest |
Famous relatives |
Her father Jeff played for Major League Baseball [MLB] teams the New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays between 1986 and 1990. Her sister Alex played water polo at the University of California, Los Angeles, and her mother played football at Rutgers University. (usawaterpolo.org, 15 Aug 2015; teamusa.org, 27 Jul 2019) |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
She followed her sister into the sport. "I grew up swimming my whole life, but I wanted to play water polo because my sister did it. I think what I really like is the creativity, the mental and the physical part of it. I also liked how competitive it is and that it's a team sport." |
General Interest |
Hero / Idol |
US swimmer Jason Lezak, US basketball player Stephen Curry. (usawaterpolo.org, 15 Aug 2015; nbcolympics.com, 16 Jun 2016) |
Sport Specific Information |
Name of coach |
Adam Krikorian [national], USA |
Handedness |
Right |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She began playing water polo at age eight at the Corona del Mar Water Polo Club in Newport Beach, CA, United States of America. |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Athlete |
Languages |
English |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Cakers, Mussels (usawaterpolo.org, 11 Aug 2019) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." (usawaterpolo.org, 15 Aug 2015) |
Other information |
STUDIES
She sat out the 2020 and 2021 collegiate seasons with the University of California, Los Angeles in order to focus on preparations with the US national team for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Previously, she de-enrolled from Corona del Mar High School in 2015 and enrolled with a private online school so she could focus on training with the US senior national team. (uclabruins.com, 04 Mar 2020; dailybruin.com, 19 Feb 2021; ocvarsity.com, 12 Aug 2015; uclabruins.com, 30 Nov 2015; latimes.com, 06 Mar 2016; usawaterpolo.org, 11 Aug 2019)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
She has been part of the Sports Economics Working Group within the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee College Sports Sustainability Think Tank. Between 2018 and 2019 she was a student volunteer with the Child Life Program at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, CA, United States of America. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Aug 2020; usawaterpolo.org, 13 Nov 2020) |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Newport Beach, CA, USA |
General Interest |
Hobbies |
Reading, baking. (teamusa.org, 11 Aug 2019) |
Awards and honours |
She received the 2021 Women's Total Player Award from website Total Waterpolo following a vote of coaches, players, media representatives and the public. (total-waterpolo.com, 22 Dec 2021)
She received Swimming World magazine's 2021 Female Water Polo Player of the Year award. (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 24 Dec 2021)
She was named in the All-Star Team for the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games, and received the Most Valuable Player [MVP] award at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (fina.org, 07 Aug 2021; teamusa.org, 04 Jun 2019)
She was named MVP at the 2019 World League Super Final in Budapest, Hungary. (usawaterpolo.org, 11 Aug 2019)
She was named MVP at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. (fina.org, 28 Jul 2017) |
Further Personal Information |
Higher education |
Physiology - University of California, Los Angeles: United States |
Olympic Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 1 |
2021 |
Tokyo, JPN |
Team |
|
| 1 |
2016 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
Team |
|
World Championship |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 1 |
2024 |
Doha, QAT |
Team |
|
| 5 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
Team |
|
| 1 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
Team |
|
| 1 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
Team |
|
| 1 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
Team |
|
| 1 |
2015 |
Kazan, RUS |
Team |
|
World Cup |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 1 |
2023 |
Long Beach, CA, USA |
Team |
|
Pan American Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 1 |
2019 |
Lima, PER |
Team |
|
| 1 |
2015 |
Toronto, CAN |
Team |
|
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