University Southern California Trojans
Photo by: John McGillen / USC Athletics
Ausmus, Coach Moon Headline USC Honors; Six Trojans Earn All-MPSF Recognition
April 09, 2026 | Women's Water Polo
LOS ANGELES – The MPSF announced its women's water polo postseason awards on Thursday morning. USC took home two of the three major awards, as Emily Ausmus was named the MPSF Player of the Year and Head Coach Casey Moon was recognized as the MPSF Coach of the Year.
Ausmus and Rachel Gazzaniga collected All-MPSF First Team honors as Alma Yaacobi and Ava Stryker earned Second Team and Honorable Mention accolades respectively. EJ Hourigan and Natalia Blazevic round out the group with MPSF All-Newcomer team recognition
Emily Ausmus racked up 65 goals in the regular season, good for a USC team high and third in the MPSF. She added 24 assists and 24 earned exclusions on the offensive end. On defense, the sophomore attacker tallied 34 steals and 15 field blocks. Ausmus is the first in MPSF Women's Water Polo history to go directly from a newcomer of the year to a player of the year in consecutive years.
Coach Moon helped lead the Trojans to a 21-2 regular season record and the top ranking in the country. USC went undefeated in conference play to claim the number one seed in the MPSF tournament. USC posted 16 ranked wins, defeated 10 top-10 opponents, along with six wins in the top-five. This is Moon's first MPSF Coach of the Year honor, and the 10th from USC.
Ausmus is joined on the First Team by junior center Gazzaniga. Gazzaniga leads the Trojans and is fifth in the conference in earned exclusions. She added 37 goals and 24 assists on offense along with 18 steals and 9 field blocks. Gazzaniga was one of three Trojans named to the Cutino Award Watch List.
Alma Yaacobi has scored 34 goals heading into the postseason, good for fifth on the team. The sophomore center has drawn 28 exclusions, second just behind Gazzaniga. Yaacobi has recorded 15 steals and four field blocks in the regular season.
Ava Stryker garnered the first All-MPSF accolades of her career, being named an Honorable Mention. Stryker joined Ausmus and Gazzaniga on the Cutino Award Watch List. The junior attacker was third on the team in goals with 39 and had 57 total points in the regular season. Stryker added 13 steals, eight field blocks and a perfect 9-0 sprint record to the stat sheet ahead of the MPSF Tournament.
EJ Hourigan collected two MPSF Newcomer of the Week honors throughout the 2026 regular season campaign. The freshman recorded 10 goals and drew 10 exclusions. Hourigan's 29 assists had her tied for the third most on the squad.
Natalia Blazevic tallied 24 goals in her first season with the Trojans. The freshman center drew 21 exclusions and recorded eight steals and eight field blocks. Blazevic added 9 assists for 33 total points in the regular season.
The six All-MPSF honorees is tied for the most of any school. The Women of Troy will kick off the MPSF Tournament following their first round bye in the semifinal round. USC will face the winner of California and Arizona State on Saturday, April 11 at 12:45 at the Spieker Aquatics Complex.
Ausmus and Rachel Gazzaniga collected All-MPSF First Team honors as Alma Yaacobi and Ava Stryker earned Second Team and Honorable Mention accolades respectively. EJ Hourigan and Natalia Blazevic round out the group with MPSF All-Newcomer team recognition
Emily Ausmus racked up 65 goals in the regular season, good for a USC team high and third in the MPSF. She added 24 assists and 24 earned exclusions on the offensive end. On defense, the sophomore attacker tallied 34 steals and 15 field blocks. Ausmus is the first in MPSF Women's Water Polo history to go directly from a newcomer of the year to a player of the year in consecutive years.
Coach Moon helped lead the Trojans to a 21-2 regular season record and the top ranking in the country. USC went undefeated in conference play to claim the number one seed in the MPSF tournament. USC posted 16 ranked wins, defeated 10 top-10 opponents, along with six wins in the top-five. This is Moon's first MPSF Coach of the Year honor, and the 10th from USC.
Ausmus is joined on the First Team by junior center Gazzaniga. Gazzaniga leads the Trojans and is fifth in the conference in earned exclusions. She added 37 goals and 24 assists on offense along with 18 steals and 9 field blocks. Gazzaniga was one of three Trojans named to the Cutino Award Watch List.
Alma Yaacobi has scored 34 goals heading into the postseason, good for fifth on the team. The sophomore center has drawn 28 exclusions, second just behind Gazzaniga. Yaacobi has recorded 15 steals and four field blocks in the regular season.
Ava Stryker garnered the first All-MPSF accolades of her career, being named an Honorable Mention. Stryker joined Ausmus and Gazzaniga on the Cutino Award Watch List. The junior attacker was third on the team in goals with 39 and had 57 total points in the regular season. Stryker added 13 steals, eight field blocks and a perfect 9-0 sprint record to the stat sheet ahead of the MPSF Tournament.
EJ Hourigan collected two MPSF Newcomer of the Week honors throughout the 2026 regular season campaign. The freshman recorded 10 goals and drew 10 exclusions. Hourigan's 29 assists had her tied for the third most on the squad.
Natalia Blazevic tallied 24 goals in her first season with the Trojans. The freshman center drew 21 exclusions and recorded eight steals and eight field blocks. Blazevic added 9 assists for 33 total points in the regular season.
The six All-MPSF honorees is tied for the most of any school. The Women of Troy will kick off the MPSF Tournament following their first round bye in the semifinal round. USC will face the winner of California and Arizona State on Saturday, April 11 at 12:45 at the Spieker Aquatics Complex.
Players Mentioned
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