July 27, 2007

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Former Cal star John Mann helped Team USA claim the gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games Thursday, beating Brazil, 9-2, to earn a berth to the 2008 Olympic Games.

The U.S. squad was led by captain Tony Azevedo, who finished the game with four goals on seven attempts. Olympian Jesse Smith was the first to score in the game, scoring on an action shot two and a half minutes into the first quarter. Azevedo kept the momentum going with the second goal of the game and helped the U.S. take a 5-0 lead over Brazil at the half.

The U.S. team finished competition at the Pan American Games without a loss, topping Brazil (12-6), Mexico (18-3), Puerto Rico (21-3), Cuba (15-4), and Brazil again in the final to win gold. This is the fourth straight gold medal for the U.S. men's water polo team at the Pan Am Games. The squad also won gold at the 1995, 1999, and 2003 Pan Ams.

In the win over Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals, Mann posted three goals on three attempts. Mann, who won the 2006-07 Peter J. Cutino Award as the nation's top collegiate male water polo player, also netted a goal in the second-round triumph over Mexico.