Maggie Steffens brings three Olympic medals into Tuesday’s women’s water polo tune-up match at UC San Diego.
That’s enough gold to make Flavor Flav proud.
The Public Enemy rapper and reality star has embraced his role as the team’s No. 1 fan since Steffens reached out on Instagram seeking . As the team’s unofficial “hype man,” Flav talks up the players on social media and has vowed to “ the whole team.” He attended the Indianapolis 500 last month wearing a USA water polo medallion around his neck.
“When I come out and I watch this water polo team … ‘USA! USA!’ Yo, I’m going to be the biggest hype man that they ever had in their life,” he told the Associated Press in May. “I’m going to be bigger than any cheerleader that they had in their life. I’m going to cheer this team on, and I’m going to cheer this team into winning a gold medal.”
The team’s most famous fan may be on the deck Tuesday, when Team USA faces Italy at 6 p.m. at the Canyonview Aquatic Center. The rapper has promised to attend the Olympics that start July 27, when the USA women begin their bid for an unprecedented fourth consecutive gold medal.
Tuesday’s match is the Americans’ first since May 6, when they defeated 12-6 at the Olympic site. In February, the revamped USA squad won the world title for the eighth time with an 8-7 victory over Hungary in Doha, Qatar.
“(The team) is a perfect balance,” Steffens said when the Olympic roster was announced on May 30. “The recipe we have with youth brings
a new perspective — that ion, that desire helps the veterans reignite the fire.”
Seven of the 13 American players are Olympic newcomers. Goalie Ashleigh Johnson and attacker Maddie Musselman, who was named most valuable player at the Tokyo Games, lead a group of veteran returners.
Temecula’s Tara Prentice, who made Olympic team on her second try, fills a void at the 2-meter center position.
The Murrieta Valley High School grad earned All-American honors at UC Irvine in 2020 and 2022 sandwiched around a redshirt season.
San Diego’s Julia Bonaguidi, who played a four-game exhibition series with the national team in Australia during her senior season at The Bishop’s School, remains in the USA player pipeline but isn’t listed on the expanded women’s national team roster.
Bonaguidi scored 14 goals in 26 games as a Cal freshman to rank eighth on the team. The Golden Bears lost in the NCAA championship game to unbeaten UCLA.
Five of the Olympic team attended Stanford, including Steffens.
Another encounter with Italy is scheduled for Saturday at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut. Then there will be a two-game series against Hungary in Northern California on July 5 and July 9, matching this year’s world championship finalist in a final Olympic tune-up.
The women’s visit to UC San Diego comes after one by Santee’s Alex Bowen and the men’s team. The Americans suffered a shootout loss to Montenegro on June 14 for a split of their two-game series. The men play Spain on Wednesday at Mount SAC.
Women’s water polo
What: USA women’s Olympic team vs. Italy
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday
Where: UC San Diego’s Canyonview Aquatic Center.
ission: $20; children 6 and under, free.
Parking: Campus rates apply.
Television: Bally Sports
