Thalia Munro
Encyclopedia
Thalia Janina Munro 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 utility/driver.
ed four years at Santa Barbara High School in water polo, three years in swimming and two years in volleyball. She earned California Interscholastic Federation
Division II Most Valuable Player
in 1999 and 2000.
In her first two years at UCLA, Munro scored 40 goals, and led the team as a sophomore with 23 assists. For the 2003-2004 seasons, she redshirted to train with the US National team for the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
. Upon returning in 2005, she was named a first team American Water Polo Coaches Association All-America
n, as well as to the first All-NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
team. Munro led her UCLA Bruins
team in field saves with 19 and was second both in steals with 69 and in goals with 53.
As a senior in 2006, she was third on the team in scoring with 35 goals and second on team in steals and assists. Munro's honors again included first team All-NCAA Tournament Team, once the third-seeded Bruins (29-4) won their second consecutive national title and fourth in the six years that the NCAA has sponsored a tournament. Munro amassed 128 goals in her four-year career as a utility player and was a member of three championship teams – 2003, 2005 and 2006 – finishing sixth among UCLA's all-time leaders for goals scored.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!bgcolor="#e5e5e5"| Year !! bgcolor="#e5e5e5"| Goals !! bgcolor="#e5e5e5"| Attempts !! bgcolor="#e5e5e5"| Percentage
|-
| 2001 || 14 || 40 ||35
|-
| 2002 || 26 || 50 ||52
|-
| 2005 || 53 || 118 ||45
|-
| 2006 || 35 || 62 ||55
|-
|}
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 utility/driver.
High school and college
Munro varsity letterVarsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
ed four years at Santa Barbara High School in water polo, three years in swimming and two years in volleyball. She earned 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...
Division II Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
in 1999 and 2000.
In her first two years at UCLA, Munro scored 40 goals, and led the team as a sophomore with 23 assists. For the 2003-2004 seasons, she redshirted to train with the US National team for the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 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
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. Upon returning in 2005, she was named a first team American Water Polo Coaches Association All-America
All-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, as well as to the first All-NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
The NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship has existed since the 2001 season. Three conferences have teams competing in women's water polo, the Collegiate Water Polo Association, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference...
team. Munro led her 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...
team in field saves with 19 and was second both in steals with 69 and in goals with 53.
As a senior in 2006, she was third on the team in scoring with 35 goals and second on team in steals and assists. Munro's honors again included first team All-NCAA Tournament Team, once the third-seeded Bruins (29-4) won their second consecutive national title and fourth in the six years that the NCAA has sponsored a tournament. Munro amassed 128 goals in her four-year career as a utility player and was a member of three championship teams – 2003, 2005 and 2006 – finishing sixth among UCLA's all-time leaders for goals scored.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!bgcolor="#e5e5e5"| Year !! bgcolor="#e5e5e5"| Goals !! bgcolor="#e5e5e5"| Attempts !! bgcolor="#e5e5e5"| Percentage
|-
| 2001 || 14 || 40 ||35
|-
| 2002 || 26 || 50 ||52
|-
| 2005 || 53 || 118 ||45
|-
| 2006 || 35 || 62 ||55
|-
|}