Paige Hauschild will be playing on the U.S. Senior National Team in a tournament in New Zealand.
It’s the experience of a lifetime for young Paige Hauschild.
On Monday, the San Marcos High sophomore was named to the 13-player roster of the USA Water Polo Women’s Senior National Team for the FINA Women’s Intercontinental Tournament this April 28-May 3 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Hauschild will be playing with the likes of Kami Craig, Melissa Seidmann and Courtney Mathewson, members of the gold-medal winning U.S. team from the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Team USA will open competition on April 28 against Brazil. They will also take on China and Kazakhstan to close out group play. The top four finishers from this event will qualify for the FINA World League Super Final.
Hauschild is considered one of the rising stars in the game. She is one of six high school players selected by national team coach Adam Krikorian. With the NCAA women’s water polo season in full swing, the USA squad will be comprised of National Team veterans and standout players from the high school game.
“When coach Krikorian approached me with the opportunity, it was very surprising, and I was overwhelmed with excitement,” said Hauschild of her reaction to the invitation.
She said it’s been a dream to play for the national team.
“I’ve looked up and aspired to be like the national team girls for such a long time, so when the opportunity came by I felt like all my hard work has been paying off,” she said.
Hauschild has been in the USA Water Polo system for a year. She played with the Cadet National Team in a competition in Hungary. This summer, she’s been invited to play with members of the Senior National Team in the Collegiate Cup against college level teams.
Hauschild is the youngest of the six high schoolers on the squad. The other prep stars are sisters Makenzie and Aria Fischer of CIF Division 1-champion Laguna Beach, Carlee Kapana of Newport Harbor, Maddie Musselman of Corona del Mar and Madison Berggren of Tualatin, Ore. Only Makenzie Fischer and Musselman have played previously with the senior team.
“I have played with and against them at one point or another,” she said of the other prep stars. “There are a few high school girls that also play for USA, so I play against them in high school and also in club tournaments. But now that I play on the National Teams I get to play with them.”
She also knows Craig, a Santa Barbara High alum who’s been on the Senior National Team since 2006.
Hauschild started playing water polo at age 9 and took to the sport right away.
“I feel like the coaches were excited about how quickly I learned to figure the sport out,” she said. “I feel like I belong in the water. If it’s swimming or polo, it just feels natural for me.”
Hauschild is raising funds to help cover expenses on the trip. You can donate by clicking HERE:
2015 FINA Women’s Intercontinental Tournament Roster (Hometown/School/USAWP Club)
1. GK – Carlee Kapana (Newport Harbor, CA/Newport Harbor HS/Newport WPF)
2. A – Colleen O’Donnell (Palos Verdes, CA/USC/NYAC)
3. D – Melissa Seidemann (Walnut Creek, CA/Stanford/NYAC)
4. A – Makenzie Fischer (Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach HS/SET)
5. D – KK Clark (Menlo Park, CA/UCLA/NYAC)
6. A – Maddie Musselman (Newport Beach, CA/Corona del Mar HS/CdM Aquatics)
7. A- Courtney Mathewson (Anaheim Hills, CA/UCLA/NYAC)
8. A – Aria Fischer (Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach HS/SET)
9. A – Madison Berggren (Tualatin, OR/Tualatin HS/Tualatin Hills WPC)
10. A – Kaleigh Gilchrist (Newport Beach, CA/USC/Trojan)
11. A – Paige Hauschild (Santa Barbara, CA/San Marcos HS/805 WPC)
12. C – Kami Craig (Santa Barbara, CA/USC/Santa Barbara)
13. GK – Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, MI/Michigan/NYA)
