• As a Certified Financial Advisor, Walt Price, Jr. built a long career successfully managing a variety of funds for a host of clients over the last 40 plus years. He retired as a Managing Director, Senior Analyst and Senior Portfolio Manager at Allianz Global Investors at the end of 2022. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Price holds an MS and BS in Management from the Sloan School at M.I.T. He also earned a BS with Honors in Electrical Engineering from M.I.T. No stranger to the athletic arena, Price was a three-time letter winner on the wrestling team, captain of the 1969-70 team, and All New England in 1970.
• Price is an active supporter of water polo and the Olympic movement. He was introduced to the game through his daughter Olivia who captained the Harvard University Water Polo Team and played for NYAC after graduation. Olivia recently moved to Los Angeles, and she is still playing for a club in LA. Price and his wife Virginia reside in Stuart, Florida and spend time in Lafayette, California.

Maggie Steffens is captain for the USA Women's Water Polo team & 4x Olympian/3x Olympic Champion, a leader both in and out of the pool, and now a member of the USAWP Board of Directors. As a captain of Team USA, Steffens led the U.S. women's water polo team to multiple gold medals over the last 15 years, making history in the sport & cementing her legacy as one of water polo's most accomplished players, male & female. She took this success over to Hungary & Spain, where she played professionally winning 4 league championships and 2x Champions Leagues (CN Sabadell). This helped her develop her Spanish & understanding of different cultures.

A standout at Stanford University, she helped lead the Cardinal to 3 national championships while earning numerous accolades, including 2x NCAA Player of the Year. She received her B.S. at Stanford in Science, Technology, & Society and a M.S. in Management & Engineering, focusing on entrepreneurship & innovation.

Off the field, Steffens co-founded 6-8 Sports, an organization dedicated to empowering young athletes, with a focus on development, technology, & innovation. Her combination of leadership experience, entrepreneurial spirit, and passion for water polo makes her an invaluable asset to the USAWP board, where she continues to inspire the next generation of athletes.

Maggie grew up in the Bay Area but now resides in Long Beach with her husband Bobby. Her sister, Jessica Steffens, passed down the role to her & she looks forward to following in her footsteps.


Josh Samuels
Alternate Team USA AC Representative, Director – Athlete Member

Josh Samuels is a Senior Associate at CBRE, Inc. working on one of the top producing teams in California. Samuels specializes in the sales and leasing of industrial properties in his native Southern California, and the advisory of corporate occupiers across North America. Prior to joining CBRE, he spent four years at Voit Real Estate Services and ORION Property Partners, specializing in the sales and leasing of office, retail, and industrial properties.

Samuels was born and raised in Orange County, and attended Villa Park High School, where he excelled as CIF champion in both water polo and swimming. He attended UCLA to continue his water polo career, where he was a 3x All-American, and 2x National Player of the Year finalist. After graduating, Samuels took his water polo journey to Europe, playing professionally and representing Team USA in the 2016 Olympic Games before starting his career in commercial real estate.

Samuels currently resides in Costa Mesa, California, with his wife and 2 young children. In his spare time, he likes to stay connected with friends and family, go outdoors for fun/exercise, volunteer in the water polo community, and serve on the Board of Directors for USA Water Polo.

Tony Azevedo is widely regarded as one of the greatest water polo players of all time, with an illustrious career spanning both domestic and international competition. Azevedo's water polo journey began at Stanford University, where he made an indelible mark on the college scene. During his time at Stanford, he led the Cardinal to two NCAA championships and earned four prestigious Peter J. Cutino Awards, given annually to the best male water polo player in the United States. These accomplishments established him as one of the top players in collegiate water polo and set the stage for an extraordinary career.

On the international stage, Azevedo's success was even more profound. He competed in five Olympic Games, a remarkable feat in itself, with his most significant achievement coming in 2008 when he helped the U.S. team secure a silver medal in Beijing. His Olympic career was a testament to his longevity and consistency, proving that he could perform at the highest level year after year. Beyond the Olympics, Azevedo collected five gold medals at the Pan American Games, dominating the continental competition from 1999 to 2015.

Azevedo’s impact on the world water polo scene was further solidified by his performances at the World Championships, where he participated in eight tournaments, and his involvement in four FINA World Cup Tournaments. He also played in twelve World League Super Finals, continuously proving his skill and leadership in some of the sport’s most prestigious events. His versatility and international experience saw him play for five different clubs worldwide, while domestically, he was a key player for the New York Athletic Club, helping to
elevate the club to new heights.

Out of the water, Azevedo’s accomplishments are just as impressive. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University, followed by a Master’s in Business and Entrepreneurship from Harvard University. His leadership and contributions extended beyond his athletic career when he was elected as the first American representative to the Pan American Water Polo Commission. He was also named the Pac-12 Athlete of the Century, an honor that highlights his incredible impact on the sport and his legacy at Stanford.

Azevedo’s storied career has earned him numerous accolades, including induction into both the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame and the Stanford University Hall of Fame. His influence on the sport continues through his co-founding of 6-8 Sports, an organization dedicated to growing & developing the sport of water polo. Throughout his career, Azevedo has been a trailblazer, both in the pool and beyond, inspiring future generations of athletes and leaving a lasting legacy in the world of water polo.

Courtney Mathewson is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a celebrated leader in the world of water polo. With an illustrious career spanning both collegiate and international competition, Morinello brings a wealth of experience, dedication, and passion to the sport.

A standout athlete from an early age, Morinello played collegiate water polo at UCLA, where she led the Bruins to four consecutive NCAA National Championships. In her senior year, she was honored with the prestigious Peter J. Cutino Award, recognizing her as the nation’s top collegiate water polo player.

As a key member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, Morinello played an instrumental role in securing Olympic gold medals at both the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Her contributions extended beyond the Olympics, with gold medal victories at the FINA World Cup, FINA World Championships and the Pan American Games. Known for her versatility and calm presence under pressure, Morinello became a cornerstone of Team USA’s dominance in international water polo.

Morinello currently resides in Southern California with husband Chris and children, where she continues to inspire through her leadership, advocacy, and dedication to the sport she loves.

 

Ben Hallock is a 3x Olympian and has been a member of the Men’s National Team since his debut in 2014. His career is highlighted by the recent Bronze Medal at the Paris Olympic Games. He also helped the team win Pan American Gold in 2023 and World League Silver medals in 2021 and 2022. As a 2x Cutino Award winner and All-American at Stanford, Hallock helped the Cardinal claim the 2019 NCAA Championship.

Professionally, Ben competed in the Italian National League for Pro Recco from 2020-25. Hallock was part of three consecutive LEN Champions League titles with Pro Recco in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Ben attended Stanford University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in 2020. Hallock is currently back at Stanford in the Graduate School of Business with plans to graduate in 2027.

Considered one of the greatest women's water polo players of all-time, Brenda Villa led Team USA to medals in four different Olympic Games culminating with gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The longtime captain of Team USA, Villa helped bridge the gap from the pioneer era of women's water polo prior to inclusion in the Olympic Games to the present-day success that has seen consecutive Olympic titles.
 
Hailing from the largely Hispanic community of Commerce, CA, Villa played high school water polo with the boys before girl's water polo was widely available and became the first person from her high school (Bell Gardens) to attend Stanford University. An NCAA Champion while at Stanford there isn't an area of water polo where Villa hasn't succeeded. Named FINA's Player of the Decade at the end of the 2000s, Villa was also recognized as the Pac-12 Conference Women's Water Polo Player of the Century in 2016.
 
Since her retirement from International water polo, following the 2012 Olympic Games, Villa has pursued another passion, giving back. At the helm of Project 2020, a non-profit organization committed to providing aquatic opportunities for those in under-resourced communities, Villa has helped pave a road for the next generation's involvement in the game of water polo. Working within the Northern California community of East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park, Villa paired high school coaching with Project 2020 efforts hoping to mirror the offerings she received as a youth where sports were available regardless of financial status. Project 2020 came to a close in 2020 and Villa shifted to a new project with a wider reach in the Brenda Villa Foundation. Instead of being limited to one region, this new foundation will have the opportunity to grant and sponsor nationwide.
 
As of late Villa added an additional focus on the promotion of female athletics overall, joining the athlete advisory board of the Women's Sports Foundation. She is also a member of the Unión Americana de Natación (UANA) executive committee, where she is the liaison for water polo in the Americas. Working at Castilleja School, an independent school for girls in grades six through twelve, Villa serves as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Currently, Villa also co-chairs the Racial Equity & Reform Task Force of USA Water Polo.
 

Tokyo and Paris Olympian Dylan Woodhead has been a member of the Men’s National Team since his debut in 2018. His career is highlighted by the recent Bronze Medal at the Paris Olympic Games. He also helped the team win Pan American Gold in 2023 and World League Silver medals in 2021 and 2022. As an All-American at Stanford, Woodhead helped the Cardinal capture the 2019 National Championship.

Professionally, Dylan has competed exclusively in the Greek National League, debuting for ANO Glyfada and competing for the last three years with NC Vouliagmeni. Woodhead was part of a historic finish with NOV in 2023 when they placed 4th in the Champions League Final 8 Tournament. Domestically, Woodhead proudly represents The Olympic Club.

A native of Northern California, Woodhead attended Stanford University, where he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Product Design and Manufacturing. Alongside his water polo career, Woodhead has interned at a venture capital firm, a data science startup, and founded his own company. He currently serves on the Athlete Committee for Pan American Aquatics and contributes to the Men’s National Team’s scouting and data analysis efforts. 

MEETING MINUTES OF THE USA WATER POLO BOARD OF DIRECTORS