USC dives headfirst into new season, aiming for national championship win


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After coming up short of back-to-back championships last season, USC is hungry for another title. With the season opener coming up this weekend, the Trojans hope to start the season off right with a win. 

The Trojans have won seven total National Championship titles in their history, the first being in 1999 and the most recent back in 2021. 

Head Coach Marko Pintaric is entering his 22nd season with the Trojans and his fourth as head coach of the program. His attitude towards the game hasn’t changed since he began, despite coming up short last season to the Cardinal. For Pintaric, a recipe of hard work and communication is what he’ll stick with over the coming months. 

“It’s been like this since I’ve been involved at USC,” Pintaric said. “When you have a goal highly set – to win a national championship – you take that approach.” 

Pintaric was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the past two seasons. Pintaric consistently brings the Trojans to the final tournament of the season, and he believes this year should be no different. 

Last season, the Trojans had a second-place finish, losing to Stanford in the final of the NCAA tournament. Despite their No. 1 ranking and almost two-month winning streak going into the tournament, the Cardinal’s late kick into high gear forced the Trojans out of the running. 

“It’s a new story to write, and that story started last May,” Pintaric said. 

In the eight months since that game, however, the Trojans have not remained idle. 

In July of 2022, redshirt senior utility Bayley Weber and redshirt junior 2-meter Tilly Kearns represented the Trojans at the International Swimming Federation (FINA) World Championships, playing for the United States and Australia, respectively. 

Additionally, six Trojans were awarded All-American Honors after the 2022 season wrapped up. Redshirt senior driver Paige Hauschild and Kearns earned FirstTeam. Weber earned Second Team, followed by senior goalie Carolyne Stern who earned Third Team. Redshirt senior 2-meter Mireia Guiral and redshirt senior driver Grace Tehaney came away with Honorable Mentions. 

The kicker? All six of these players are returning for the 2023 season. 

“Kudos to our team captains, Paige and Tilly, they are really steering the ship in the right direction,” Pintaric said. 

Nine newcomers are making their first appearances as Trojans this season, and Pintaric said he is confident in the depth of his roster. 

“The team is working extremely hard,” Pintaric said. “Especially new players, they’re really earning the respect of their teammates.” 

Pintaric highlighted sophomore utility Fanni Muzsnay, freshman utility Morgan Netherton, freshman utility Maggie Johnson and freshman goalie Jada Ward as new players to look out for this season. 

Offensively, a few current Trojans are climbing towards breaking USC women’s water polo history as leading scorers. Hauschild leads the current player pack with 164 career goals, ranking 13th in USC’s history. Weber falls close behind at 18th with 143 goals, and Tehaney is tied for 23rd with 123 goals. 

In goal, Stern ranks on both all-time and single-season saves – 9th in career saves with 193 and 13th for most saves in single-season with 135. 

This season, the Trojans will face familiar foes like Stanford, Cal and UCLA, all of which are currently ranked in the top four, according to the Collegiate Water Polo Association’s preseason poll. USC is currently ranked No. 2. 

“[We are] very proud of what our seniors are doing this year, and again the team is playing for them and hopefully we will win a championship for them,” Pintaric said. 

USC’s first test of the season comes this weekend at the Lancer Joust tournament in Riverside. The Trojans will face Pacific University on Friday at 1:45 p.m., followed by Biola University later that day. On Saturday, USC will play Long Beach State and California Baptist University.