Earning a 2024 Olympic berth in men’s water polo with a gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Team USA will be looking to stand on the podium for the first time since 2008, when it claimed silver. It is one of 14 sports for the U.S. to boast a roster composed entirely of athletes with NCAA connections. The team boasts a combined 10 NCAA national championships, 36 All-America honors and athletes who have since gone on to play professionally in Europe.

Meet the team

• Alex Bowen (Stanford).
• Luca Cupido (California).
• Hannes Daube (Southern California).
• Chase Dodd (UCLA).
• Ryder Dodd (UCLA incoming freshman).
• Ben Hallock (Stanford).
• Drew Holland (Stanford).
• Johnny Hooper (California).
• Max Irving (UCLA).
• Alex Obert (Pacific).
• Marko Vavic (Southern California).
• Adrian Weinberg (California).
• Dylan Woodhead (Stanford).

NCAA connections

All the athletes on the men’s water polo team have competed or committed to compete at the NCAA Division I level. Team USA captain Ben Hallock, who won an NCAA title with Stanford in 2019, stressed how crucial the Stanford athletics department was to his and others’ success.

“Once I had the opportunity to go to Stanford, the academic and athletic prestige that this university brings was an opportunity that I could not pass up,” Hallock said. “The Stanford athletic department has done and continues to do an unbelievable job for me and many other athletes pursuing national team dreams. They help you communicate with professors, help you prepare for upcoming trips in the spring. My favorite part of being a part of Stanford men’s water polo is being able to go through this experience, go through the hardships, go through the fun times and pursuing a national title with your best friends.”

International experience

The men’s water polo team comes into the Olympics with significant international experience, with 10 of the 13 players having also competed at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Hallock, who will play in his third Olympics, is one of the elite centers in the world, winning three Champions League titles with Italian club Pro Recco. Joining Hallock in their third Olympic Games, Luca Cupido, Alex Bowen and Alex Obert are expected to bolster Team USA’s attack.

The team will also feature brothers Chase and Ryder Dodd, who will be playing in their first Olympics and are the first brothers to play together on the same U.S. Olympic water polo team since 1988.

Hallock has been with the team since the 2016 Rio Olympics, but this is his first Olympics as captain of the team. This team is younger than previous Olympic teams, but several players play professionally for European teams, which will help in understanding how other teams play.

“It’s valuable for the other guys who played in different leagues to know our opponents,” Hallock said. “One of my teammates plays in Greece; another plays in Spain. We all kind of come together and discuss what we learned.”

Many of the players will have support in Paris from their friends and family. After having no fans allowed in Tokyo, they hope the crowds will fuel the team as they strive to make a deep run.

“I’m looking forward to having my family in Paris, especially after the absence in Tokyo, and also for my teammates whose first Olympic Games were in Tokyo and now they will have everyone there in Paris,” Hallock said. “I’m just dreaming about the moment and having the privilege to have your team standing on the podium.”

Tune in

The men’s water polo competition runs July 28-Aug. 11. Matches will be broadcast on NBC, USA Network and E! and will stream on Peacock and NBC Olympics platforms. The men’s gold medal final will stream on Peacock at 8 a.m. Aug. 11.

Team USA has won seven Olympic medals in men’s water polo history; one gold medal, three silver medals and three bronze medals.