The Top American Women’s Water Polo Players of the NCAA Era (Part III: No. 10-No. 1)
By Jeff Moulton – Guest Editorial
In the third and final installment of this three-part series, water polo historian Jeff Moulton discusses the individuals he has ranked Nos. 1 to 10 in his unofficial list of the top 25 American women’s water polo players of the NCAA era. Parts I and II are linked below. Part I includes an explanation of the criteria Moulton used to make his selections.
Part I (No. 21-No. 25)
Part II (No. 20-No. 11)
10. Kelly Rulon – attacker, University of San Diego High School and UCLA (4x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 2x ACWPC player of the year, 2x Olympian, 1x gold medalist, 1x bronze medalist, 1x FINA world champion, Hall of Fame).
Rulon is UCLA’s second all-time leading scorer with 237 goals. She played professionally in Italy. Doug Peabody, Rulon’s coach at the San Diego Shores Water Polo Club, told me that Rulon “had zero ego. She cared as much or more about the team and common goals than anyone.” Adam Krikorian, Rulon’s coach at UCLA and on the 2012 Olympic team, speaking with a reporter from The Daily Bruin in 2007: “Kelly is a phenomenal player. One of the greatest to ever play here. The great thing about her is, as many goals as she scores, the most important thing is how the team does, and that’s (how she wants to be known).” Krikorian speaking with a reporter from The Voice of San Diego in 2007: “(Kelly’s) brilliant in every facet of the game, but what separates her from other great players is her intelligence and understanding of the game. She has great vision — the ability to see the entire pool — the same as a point guard in basketball or a running back in football.”
9. Kiley Neushul – attacker, Dos Pueblos High School and Stanford (3x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 2x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC player of the year, 1x Olympian, 1x gold medalist, 3x FINA world champion, Hall of Fame).
Photo Courtesy: Pac 12
Neushul scored 222 goals during her four years at Stanford. She played professionally for CN Sabadell in Barcelona, winning one European League championship and three Spanish League championships. Dos Pueblos High School coach Chris Parrish speaking with a reporter from The Santa Barbara Independent in 2011: “(Kiley is) the fiercest competitor I’ve ever coached, boys or girls. She has that ‘I refuse to lose’ mentality. She sometimes passes up shots she should be taking. She doesn’t want people to perceive her as a selfish player. But when a game has to be taken, when we need a goal to tie, a goal to win—get her the ball. You rarely see someone of her caliber in any sport. Her pedigree and experience are greater than anybody’s in high school. Physically, she’s faster and stronger than they are. She’s not bigger but she plays like the biggest (person) in the pool.” Maggie Steffens, Neushul’s teammate at Stanford and on the 2016 Olympic team, speaking with a reporter from The Santa Barbara Independent in 2018: “Kiley is easily one of the best players in the world; she has such an intelligent mind. She’s reading the game so much faster than anyone in the water, a step ahead of everyone else.” Stanford coach John Tanner speaking with a reporter from Noozhawk in 2024 after Neushul was inducted into the Water Polo Hall of Fame: “I saw it countless times with club, high school and our college team where we’d get to the end of the season and Kiley would explode and have her highest-producing games turn to goal scoring. It was something she could have done the whole season but she was mindful of managing the growth of the team the entire season.” After Neushul announced her retirement from water polo before the 2021 Olympics, senior national team coach Adam Krikorian was asked how he would replace her. He said: “It’s impossible. She’s one of the best players ever to play the game, and we don’t have anyone like her.”
8. Aria Fischer – center, Laguna Beach High School and Stanford (3x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC player of the year, 2x Olympian, 2x gold medalist, 2x FINA world champion).
Fischer played in the 2016 Olympics at 17, before her senior year at Laguna Beach High School. She scored 226 goals during her four years at Stanford. Now that her playing career is over, she will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Stanford coach John Tanner speaking about Aria and Mackenzie Fischer in May 2022 after they announced their retirement from the senior national team: “They’re both complete, all-around amazing players. They have the technical skills to play anywhere in the pool, play any position, and have the confidence to do that.” Adam Krikorian, Fischer’s coach on the 2016 and 2021 Olympic teams, speaking with USA Water Polo in May 2025: “What goes untold about Aria’s journey is just how much she immersed herself into the process of improvement. Not just the time and effort she put in, but the thought and intention in which she plotted out her path. Her rise from the youngest member on the 2016 Team to becoming one of the most dominant centers to play the game, was truly remarkable. The fiercest of competitors, she held each one of us to a competitive standard that kept us hungry and always striving for perfection.”
7. Maddie Musselman Woepse – attacker, Corona del Mar High School and UCLA (4x 1st team All-American, 3x Olympian, 2x gold medalist, 5x FINA world champion).
Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Musselman, an exceptional swimmer, is UCLA’s all-time leading scorer with 252 goals and has scored 43 goals in the Olympics. She was the most valuable player of the women’s water polo tournament in the 2021 Olympics. Newport Harbort High School coach Ross Sinclair, Musselman’s coach at Corona del Mar High School for two years, speaking with a reporter from The Los Angeles Times in 2016: “Maddie’s the best natural athlete that I’ve ever seen, that I’ve ever coached, that I’ve ever played with. I think she (would have been) an Olympian in multiple sports, if she started playing that sport at an early level. And I don’t think she’s anywhere near her peak.” Adam Krikorian, Musselman’s coach on the 2016, 2021, and 2024 Olympic teams, speaking with a reporter after Musselman was named the World Aquatics female athlete of the year in 2022: “Deservedly so. I thought she was clearly the best player in the world. Sometimes with awards you aren’t sure if they are going to the right person. Our team won the gold, we were the best team, she was the best player. I think she is just scratching the surface, to be honest, and I am excited to see what happens going forward.” I asked Adam Wright, Musselman’s coach at UCLA, what make her a special player. His response: “Maddie is truly a special player. If you watch the way she gracefully and effortlessly moves through the water with or without the ball you will quickly realize she is one of the special ones. Maddie simply can cover more distance in the water than most as her fundamental movements are so incredible. This does not happen by chance or luck it simply happens by hard work. Maddie’s work ethic is second to none. She leads by example. Maddie’s ability to create advantages in the counter attack is truly special. While everyone knows Maddie as a prolific scorer what I loved most about Maddie was her defensive abilities. Maddie loved the challenge of defending the other teams’ best players. My hope is that we see Maddie back in the pool for one more go with team USA.” If Musselman continues playing, she is likely to play for the United States in the 2028 Olympics. However, she deserves a spot on my list even if she doesn’t play another game. Once Musselman’s playing career is over, she will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
6. Makenzie Fischer – attacker/center defender, Laguna Beach High School and Stanford (3x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 2x Cutino Award winner, 2x ACWPC player of the year, 2x Olympian, 2x gold medalist, 3x FINA world champion).
Fischer is Stanford’s all-time leading scorer with 288 goals and scored 20 goals in the Olympics. Now that her playing career is over, she will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Former Michigan coach Marcelo Leonardi speaking with a reporter from SwimSwam magazine in 2019: “Back in 2014 when Mackenzie was a high school player, she was used primarily as a defensive player that had the ability to score and would guard at 2-meters. At Youth Worlds, we used her as a perimeter defender, so if she scored goals that was a plus. But what she is doing this year, I am not surprised. She is incredible. She is one of the best field players in the country. I would also argue that she is the best two-way field player in the country. Her versatility, her length, her athleticism and her polo IQ put her at a whole different level. You have your hands full with Makenzie, not only on the perimeter – which she can play on both sides of the pool – but she can defend at the highest level and score at the highest level. She is not only matching up with other team’s elite perimeter players, but she picks them apart. She counters, she creates on the counter attack, she finishes in zones, she can beat people one on one to create other advantages and in 6-on-5, she just picks you apart.” Adam Krikorian, Fischer’s coach on the 2016 and 2021 Olympics teams, speaking with USA Water Polo in May 2025: “(Mackenzie’s) speed, length, versatility, and intelligence truly opened the door for our team to play the beautiful style of game that people across the globe were in awe of. It’s no coincidence that her growth was directly correlated with the program’s rise to prominence. Fish is one of the rare few that could change the outcome of a competition with her performance in ANY phase of the game. Matching her world-class skills with savvy intuition helped to spark numerous dominating performances.” Krikorian speaking about Mackenzie and Aria Fischer in May 2022 after they announced their retirement from the senior national team: “They’re two of the all-time greats. And they will go down as just that, as two of the best to ever play their positions, and two people who had a tremendous impact on our program. They’ll forever be a part of a team that many would say is the best to ever play the game.”
5. Kami Craig – center, Santa Barbara High School and USC (1x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 2x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC player of the year, 3x Olympian, 2x gold medalist, 1x silver medalist, 3x FINA world champion, Hall of Fame).
Craig played professionally for Olympiacos in Greece. Guy Baker, Craig’s coach on the 2008 Olympic team, speaking with a reporter from The Los Angeles Times in 2005: “Kami would be the prototype that you would look for at her position. She’s lean and strong and she’s a tremendous athlete.” Adam Krikorian, Craig’s coach on the 2012 and 2016 Olympic teams, speaking with USA Water Polo after Craig was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021: “Kami’s a bad ass. Tough, physical, so strong and explosive at the center position. She’s one of the most consistent players I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach.” More from Krikorian after Craig announced her retirement from the senior national team in December 2016: “Kami will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, center to have ever played this game. Her combination of strength, explosiveness, and skill were a nightmare for our opponents to deal with, not to mention for our very own defenders on a daily basis. We knew we could always count on Kami. Every game, every possession. Her consistency provided us with some comfort and confidence to be able to play freely and was a byproduct of the professionalism she carried throughout her entire career, spanning a remarkable three separate quadrennials. Behind the scenes, she worked hard to build relationships and make connections with and between people that helped us become the strongest TEAM in the world. She held us all accountable, staff included, for doing things with a purpose, striving to be better daily, being more open and honest with each other, and quite simply, doing things the right way.”
4. Melissa Seidemann – center defender/center, College Park High School and Stanford (1x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 2x 1st team All-American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC player of the year, 3x Olympian, 3x gold medalist, 3x FINA world champion, Hall of Fame).
Seidemann is Stanford’s second all-time leading scorer with 239 goals. She played professionally for CN Sabadell in Spain for two years. Seidemann and Maggie Steffens are the only women to win three Olympic water polo gold medals. Seidemann is one of the very few male or female water polo players to be among the best players in the world at two positions. Stanford coach John Tanner speaking with a reporter from The Stanford Daily in 2013 about Seidemann’s performance during the 2012 Olympics: “In the semifinal game against Australia, which was the one really close, intense game at the Olympics, she controlled the tempo of the overtime periods almost singlehandedly.” Kiley Neushul, Seidemann’s teammate at Stanford and on the 2016 Olympic team, speaking with a reporter about Seidemann: “She was an amazing player. The backbone of our defense at Stanford and on the national team.” Courtney Mathewson, Seidemann’s teammate on the 2016 and 2021 Olympic teams, speaking with USA Water Polo earlier this year after Seidemann was inducted into the Water Polo Hall of Fame: “In the best way, she was a beast in the water. All you had to do was get the ball to her and something good was going to happen.” Adam Krikorian, Seidemann’s coach on the 2012, 2016, and 2021 Olympic teams, speaking with USA Water Polo after Seidemann announced her retirement from the senior national team in 2023: “For more than a decade, Melissa played the toughest positions in the pool on the best team in the world. Her combination of exquisite skill and unmatched strength at both the defender and center position will be impossible to replace. Her versatility in the middle of the pool not only impacted those areas but also freed others up to maximize their strengths and helped put our team in the best position to have success.”
3. Brenda Villa – 5’4” attacker, Bell Gardens High School and three years at Stanford (1x NCAA champion, 3x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC player of the year, 4x Olympian, 1x gold medalist, 2x silver medalist, 1x bronze medalist, 3x FINA world champion, Hall of Fame).
Photo Courtesy: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE
Villa, once dubbed the “Wayne Gretzky of water polo” by Stanford coach John Tanner, scored 172 goals during her three years at Stanford. She was the FINA player of the decade in the 2000s. Villa and Heather Petri are the only women to win four Olympic medals in water polo. Villa scored 31 goals in the Olympics. She played professionally for Geymonat Orizzonte in Italy, winning two LEN Champions League titles. Listed at 5’4”, Villa shows us that a “shorter” athlete can play at the highest levels of water polo. I asked Hall of Fame coach Doug Peabody about Villa. He said that Villa was “a phenomenal player at age 13 when she was playing club water polo against 13-year-old boys.” Guy Baker, Villa’s coach on the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympic teams, told me that Villa was “a generational player.” Stanford coach John Tanner speaking with a reporter from SFGATE in 2003: “Brenda’s a wonderful goal scorer and a very strong, creative player, but she’s 5’4” in a sport dominated by 6-footers. She’s fast but not overwhelmingly fast and quick but she doesn’t have a significant advantage in quickness. And there’s no substitute for long arms in water polo, and her arms are not long.” The reporter then asked Tanner why Villa was so good. He replied: “It’s because she has always had this incredible sense of the game, an almost unreal ability to anticipate what’s going to happen. She puts herself in a position where the ball can find her. She’s able to see the game from a low angle in the water and she also seems to have a feel for what’s going on as if she were standing above the play. That’s extremely rare, a real gift. She has perspective to the point where it looks as if she was born to play water polo.” Tanner reminiscing about Villa after she was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018: “Brenda is one of the most decorated and admired water polo athletes ever. The thing that separates her from others is how much better she made everybody around her.”
2. Ashleigh Johnson – goalie, Ransom Everglades High School in Miami and Princeton (4x All-American, 1x 1st team All American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 3x Olympian, 2x gold medalist, 4x FINA world champion).
Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Johnson, considered by some to be the greatest female goalie of all time, has recorded 211 saves in the Olympics. She played professionally for Ethnikos Piraeus and NC Vouliagmeni in Greece and Ekipe Orizzonte in Italy. Luis Nicolao, Johnson’s coach at Princeton, speaking with a reporter from the Associated Press in 2016: “Ashleigh’s a freak. She’s just athletic. I often joke she could probably start for our basketball team, track team, and swim team. She just has that natural ability to succeed at anything she does.” Nicolao speaking with a reporter after Johnson was inducted into the Collegiate Water Polo Association Hall of Fame in May 2025: “Coaching Ashleigh Johnson was an absolute privilege. She’s a once-in-a-lifetime player, and I was the lucky one who got to watch her greatness unfold every day.” Adam Krikorian, Johnson’s coach on the 2016, 2021, and 2024 Olympic teams, speaking with an NPR reporter in July 2024: “Ashleigh’s an incredible athlete. She’s got great hand-eye coordination, great reflexes and reactions. And then she’s fiercely competitive – fiercely. You would never know it by her demeanor or by the huge smile on her face. But to us, on the inside, we know how driven she is to be one of the best ever to do it.” If Johnson continues playing, she is likely to play for the United States in the 2028 Olympics. However, she deserves a spot on my list even if she doesn’t play another game. Once Johnson’s playing career is over, she will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
1. Maggie Steffens – attacker/center defender, Monte Vista High School and Stanford (2x NCAA champion, 4x 1st team All-American, 2x ACWPC player of the year, 4x Olympian, 3x gold medalist, 5x FINA world champion).
Photo Courtesy: USA Water Polo
Steffens is considered by many to be the greatest women’s water polo player of all time. She scored 229 goals during her four years at Stanford and is the leading scorer in women’s Olympic water polo history with 64 goals. Steffens was named the most valuable player of the women’s water polo tournaments in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Steffens and Melissa Seidemann are the only women to win three Olympic water polo gold medals. Steffens has played professionally in Hungary and Spain, winning two LEN Champions League titles with Spain’s CN Sabadell. Steffens was a water polo child prodigy. She started playing for Diablo Alliance Water Polo in Concord when she was 8. Maureen O’Toole Purcell, Steffens coach at Diablo Alliance and a member of the Hall of Fame, told a reporter from The Seattle Times that Steffens’ skills were apparent right away: “She had that ‘it’ factor. I knew that she was going to be great. You just knew it.” Hall of Fame coach Guy Baker told me that he predicted Steffens would become the best player in the world after watching her play when she was 14. Adam Krikorian, Steffens coach on the 2012, 2016, 2021, and 2024 Olympic teams, speaking with a reporter in 2012: “I have seen Maggie play since she was 12. I knew she was special at 12. It was no surprise. I knew from before, from watching her, before ever coaching her, that she was incredibly talented, she was coachable and she was tough as nails. That was why I wanted her from the get-go.” Krikorian speaking with a reporter after the United States won the gold medal in the 2012 Olympics: “Just like the greatest athletes in the world — Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan — Maggie makes everyone else around her better.” Stanford coach John Tanner speaking with a reporter from The Stanford Daily after Stanford won the 2017 NCAA championship: “I’ve known (Maggie) since she was 10. Maggie’s always been charismatic, energetic, enthusiastic, eternally optimistic and incredibly skillful and passionate about competition. All those things combine to make her the best leader I’ve ever been around.” More from Tanner in 2017: “Maggie’s brilliant in every phase of the game. There’s nobody like her. There hasn’t been either, in women’s water polo. On the men’s side, you see some people have greatness in certain areas. Maggie has every piece of the game wired.” If Steffens continues playing, she is likely to play for the United States in the 2028 Olympics. However, she deserves the top spot on my list even if she doesn’t play another game. Once Steffens’ playing career is over, she will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
