Swail Is Kept Off New U.S. Water Polo Roster

Julie Swail of Placentia, captain of the U.S. women’s water polo team that won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, was not among 13 players selected to compete at the world championships later this month in Fukuoka, Japan.

Guy Baker, coach of the U.S. national team, announced the team Monday at a news conference at the team’s training headquarters at the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Center, site of this week’s Holiday Cup women’s water polo tournament.

Baker said it was a difficult decision “emotionally and personally,” but a recent commitment toward identifying and developing younger players made the selection process very competitive. One of the team’s new players is Amber Stachowski, who last month graduated from Capistrano Valley High.

“There’s a lot of great, young athletes competing out there,” Baker said. “They’re picking up on things a lot faster.”

Swail, 28, a national team member since 1994 and the coach of the new program at UC Irvine, was among four players who won’t return. Maureen O’Toole, Ellen Estes and Rachel Scott have retired.

Heather Moody, assistant women’s coach at Golden West College, is the new team captain. In addition to Stachowski, the new team members are Margie Dingeldein of Merced and Catherine von Schwarz of Annapolis, Md.

The team will makes its debut Wednesday in the opening round of the fourth annual Holiday Cup, playing Canada at 7 p.m. The tournament runs through Sunday.