Amber Stachowski
Encyclopedia
Amber Val Stachowski (born March 14, 1983 in Mission Viejo, California
) is an American water polo
player for the UCLA Bruins
and the US National Team, who won the bronze medal
at the 2004 Athens Olympics
. Her position is center defender.
n (1999–2001) and 2001 California Interscholastic Federation
Player of the Year. In club
play she was a member of the 2001 Golden West team that won the Winter Junior Nationals, and was named MVP of the tournament.
As a UCLA freshman
in 2002, Stachowski scored a goal in her first collegiate game against UC Irvine, and recorded first collegiate career hat trick against Stanford. In her first year, she had 29 goals on 43 attempts.
in Athens, Greece. But in 2003, Stachowski sustained a concussion in a motor vehicle accident on a Los Angeles freeway
, which kept her out of the water for a few weeks. She recovered and qualified for the Olympic team 6 months later.
After Team USA earned first place in the 2003 Pan American Games and 2003 FINA World Championships, Stachowski scored two goals in the Olympics in games against Russia and Australia, helping win the bronze medal for the United States.
Mission Viejo, California
Mission Viejo is a city located in southern Orange County, California, U.S. in the Saddleback Valley. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities ever built under a single project in the United States, and is rivaled only by Highlands Ranch, Colorado, in its size...
) is an American water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
player for the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
and the US National Team, who won the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
at the 2004 Athens Olympics
Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Olympic Aquatic Centre where women competed for only the second time in the event at the Summer Olympics....
. Her position is center defender.
High school and college
At Capistrano Valley High School, Stachowski was a three-time First-Team All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n (1999–2001) and 2001 California Interscholastic Federation
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
Player of the Year. In club
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
play she was a member of the 2001 Golden West team that won the Winter Junior Nationals, and was named MVP of the tournament.
As a UCLA freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
in 2002, Stachowski scored a goal in her first collegiate game against UC Irvine, and recorded first collegiate career hat trick against Stanford. In her first year, she had 29 goals on 43 attempts.
International and Olympics
At the fourth FINA Junior World Women's Water Polo Championships in 2001, UCLA freshman Amber Stachowski led the US to a gold medal. Stachowski led the US team with four goals in the 10-9 overtime victory over Australia. Stachowski redshirted during the 2003-2004 season to train with the United States National Team and play in the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens, Greece. But in 2003, Stachowski sustained a concussion in a motor vehicle accident on a Los Angeles freeway
Interstate 405 (California)
Interstate 405 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in Southern California. It is a bypass of Interstate 5, running along the western areas of the Greater Los Angeles Area from Irvine in the south to near San Fernando in the north...
, which kept her out of the water for a few weeks. She recovered and qualified for the Olympic team 6 months later.
After Team USA earned first place in the 2003 Pan American Games and 2003 FINA World Championships, Stachowski scored two goals in the Olympics in games against Russia and Australia, helping win the bronze medal for the United States.