May 27, 2009

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF. - Kirk Everist, who in March was named the head coach of the United States team that will compete at the 2009 World University Games, July 1-12 in Belgrade, Serbia, has selected his squad. Everist's team consists of 11 field players and two goalies, including four athletes and an alternate with direct ties to Cal.

On the USA squad will be current Golden Bear team members Mike Sample and Zach White. Other players with Cal connections include Trent Calder (2005-08) and Zac Monsees (2004-07). One of the two alternates is former Bear standout John Mann (2003-06), who will join Everist's squad if he is not a member of the USA World Championship squad. The rest of the Team USA roster for the World University Games consists of goalies Jimmie Sandman (Stanford) and Andy Stevens (Loyola Marymount), and field players Tommy Corcoran (USC), Jacob Murphy (UCLA), Shea Buckner (USC, played at Cal in 2005), Collin Mello (UC Irvine), Matt Sagehorn (USC), JP MacDonnell (Pepperdine) and Thomas Hale (USC).

Sample, who will be a senior next fall, was recently the recipient of the Walter A. Haas, Jr. Community Service Award given annually to a student-athlete for outstanding contribution to community service. He is also a two-time member of the ACWPC All-Academic Team, finishing the 2008 season with 13 goals, 26 assists, 19 steals, 16 ejections earned and four field blocks. White will be a junior for Cal next season after scoring 25 goals in 27 matches in 2008. He added 32 ejections earned, 12 steals, five field blocks and four assists.

Both Calder and Monsees were key players for Everist during the Bears' NCAA title runs in 2006 and 2007. Calder was a 2008 honorable mention All-American after finishing third on the team with 33 goals and leading Cal with a team-high 14 field blocks. He added 21 steals, 18 assists and six ejections earned. Calder concluded his career with 96 goals and was a team captain in both 2007 and 2008.

Monsees was a 2007 first-team All-American as well as first-team All-NCAA Tournament, first-team All-MPSF and MPSF All-Tournament, scoring two goals with three assists in the NCAA title match versus USC. He was third on the team with 36 goals in 31 matches. Monsees led the team with 53 assists and finished with 32 steals, 18 ejections earned and 11 field blocks. He concluded his Cal career with 96 goals.

Mann was the winner of the 2006-07 Peter J. Cutino Award as the nation's top male collegiate water polo player. One of the top players in school history, Mann led the Bears to both the NCAA and MPSF titles in 2006. He was a three-time first-team All-American, 2006 first-team NCAA All-Tournament selection, 2006 MPSF Tournament MVP, 2006 All-MPSF first team and Cal's 2006-07 Pac-10 Medalist. During the 2006 season, Mann was the Bears' leading scorer with 80 goals in 33 matches and was instrumental in Cal's 6-5 win over USC in the MPSF Tournament final, and the Bears' 7-6 victory over the Trojans in the NCAA title match. He finished his college career with 218 goals.

Besides the five players with Cal connections, Everist's staff has a Golden Bear feel. Assistant coach Gavin Arroyo, who just completed his third season as head coach of both the men and women at Long Beach State, is a 1994 Cal graduate. Arroyo was a first-team All-American in 1993 and was a part of three NCAA Championship squads (1990, 1991, 1992). Arroyo was a member of the U.S. National Team for eight years (1993-2000) and competed in the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games.

Everist's trainer will be Cal Assistant Athletic Trainer Brian Schulman, who has worked with the Bears' men's water polo program for the past five years.

Everist recently concluded his seventh season coaching Cal (159-49, .764), winning back-to-back NCAA titles in 2006 and 2007. As a player he propelled the Bears to national championships in 1987 and 1988, earning All-America honors from 1986-88 and NCAA National Player of the Year honors in 1988. Everist went on to play for the U.S. National Team for nine years (1988-96) and competed at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games.