Lauren Wenger
Position: Defender
Height: 6-3
Birthday: March 11, 1984
Birthplace: Anaheim, Calif.
Hometown: Long Beach, Calif.
Residence: Long Beach, Calif.
Education: USC (2006)
Club: New York Athletic Club
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
INTERNATIONAL/CLUB: Hit for five goals during 2007 Holiday Cup...Tied for team lead with 12 goals at 2007 Pan American Games...Led team with seven goals at Super Final 2007...Scored 11 goals for the USA at 2007 FINA World Championships and named MVP for her solid performance...Instrumental in gold-medal finish at 2006 Holiday Cup and FINA World League...Played key role in USA's silver medal finish at 2005 FINA World Championships in Montreal, Canada...Scored first goal against Hungary in the gold-medal match of 2005 World Championships...Among the top 20 scorers in the 2005 World Championships...Wenger has worked her way up through the National Team Program since 2000...Known as one of the top defenders in the country...Spent two years on the Youth National Team, one year on the Junior National Team, and has been on the Senior National Team since 2005...Made her international debut at the 2003 Junior World Championships where Team USA brought home silver.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS
2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China, 2nd place
2007 Pan American Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1st Place
2007 FINA World League Super Final, Montreal, Canada, 1st Place
2007 FINA World Championships, Melbourne, Australia, 1st Place
2006 Holiday Cup, Los Alamitos, Calif., 1st Place
2006 FINA World League, Cosenza, Italy, 1st Place
2005 FINA World Championships, Montreal, Canada, 2nd Place
2003 FINA Junior World Championships, Calgary, Canada, 2nd Place
PROFESSIONAL: Played her first international season for Olympiakos in Greece in 2006-07 before returning home for the World Championships.
COLLEGE: Led USC to a NCAA second-place finish during her senior season (2006)...Named 2006 Peter J. Cutino Award Winner, collegiate water polo's most valuable player award...Eighth in all-time scoring for USC with 127 career goals (37 in 2006)...Selected to the 2006 All-MPSF First Team, the NCAA All-Tournament First Team, and the ACWPC All-American First Team...As a sophomore in 2004, Wenger scored 19 goals...Earned NCAA second team All-Tournament honors...Wenger finished fifth on the team in scoring with 27 goals in her 2003 freshman season...Led team with two goals in a 7-6 overtime loss against UCLA at the MPSF Championship...Scored three goals in an 11-9 win against UC Santa Barbara.
HIGH SCHOOL: She earned All-America honors at Wilson High in Long Beach, Calif...Earned All-CIF and all-league first team honors...Trained with the 2002 Youth National Team...Earned scholar-athlete award all four years.
PERSONAL:
She majored in policy, planning and development...Parents are Steve and Janet...Her sister, Jana, also played for USC...Brother is a Marine Safety Sergeant for Long Beach Fire/Lifeguard Department...Supports the campaign for Breast Cancer Research (grandmother passed away from breast cancer)...Best thing about water polo are the friendships and relationships that are made...The tough times and good times make new and old friendships that much better...Father played water polo and introduced her and her siblings to the game...Thought of being an Olympian motivates her, in addition to playing at a high level and traveling the world.
- Favorite Food: Sushi
- Favorite Movie: "Top Gun"
- Favorite Actor: George Clooney, Joaquin Phoenix
- Favorite Actress: Julia Roberts
- Favorite Songs: "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi
- Personal Theme Song: "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey
- Favorite Musicians: Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, Mary J Blige, and The Outfield
- Favorite Color: Red
- Facebook or MySpace: Facebook
- Coolest People You Know: Older brother and younger sister
- Best Present Ever Received: Father surviving a heart attack
- Best Halloween Costume: Purple Care Bear at age 5
- Magical Power if Available: To control time, speed up or slow down
- Famous Friends or Relatives: Sister dates Lou Ferrigno Jr. (son of the Incredible Hulk)
- Sport to Play Other Than Water Polo: Beach Volleyball
- Words to Live By: "Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision!" - Muhammad Ali