Shea Buckner named to Olympic team
USC graduate Shea Buckner was selected as a member of Team USA’s Olympic men’s water polo team for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, making him the 27th Trojan to do so.
London calling · Former Trojan Shea Buckner will play for the United States water polo team for the first time in 2012. During his time at USC, he scored 110 goals and won a pair of national titles. - Photo courtesy of Dan Avila
Buckner will be an attacker for Team USA in his first Olympic Games. His previous international appearances include the 2011 FINA world championships and the 2011 and 2012 FINA World League Super Finals.
Buckner served up 110 goals during his three seasons at USC.
He was a member of USC’s 2008 and 2009 NCAA championship teams, the former of which went undefeated and started USC’s current historic run of four straight titles.
He stands as USC’s No. 23 all-time leading scorer and a three-time All-American, including as a first-teamer in his junior and senior seasons.
Buckner’s selection marks the second USC representative in this year’s Olympic men’s water polo field.
Goalie Joel Dennerley, Buckner’s teammate on the 2008 and 2009 NCAA championship teams, will be competing as a member of Australia’s Olympic squad.
Buckner and Dennerley will be competing in the Olympics for the first time, and their selections mark the fourth straight time that Trojans have participated in Olympic water polo.