Maureen O'Toole

Maureen began her water polo career 23 years ago at Wilson High School in Long Beach, California playing on a boys' water polo team because there was not a girls' team. At age 17 she joined the U.S. Women's National Team. From 1978 to 1994 she was a constant figure on the National Team; only exception was 1991 when she gave birth to the joy of her life, her daughter Kelly.

In sports it is very infrequently that one person defines the sport in which he or she participates. The rare few have names such as Michael Jordan, Helen Wills Moody and Wayne Gretzke. These icons have impacted their sport in such a way that they have not only shaped what the sport embodies but have set the standard for those who follow. Maureen, or "Mo" as her teammates and friends affectionately refer her to, has almost single handedly carried women's water polo from its infancy in the United States to become an Olympic Medal sport. She is the only athlete in her sport to have participated in the first FINA Women's World Cup, the first FINA Women's World Championship and the first Women's Olympic Water Polo tournament.

Maureen was named the Most Valuable Player of the US Women's National Team 15 times. She was named U.S. Water Polo Female Athlete of the Year five times and World Water Polo Female Athlete of the Year six times. She has been named to the All American team for US Water Polo a record 28 times. So naturally, when women's water polo was added to the 2000 Olympic Games, Maureen re-joined the US team out of retirement in 1997 in an attempt to qualify herself and the US as one of the six teams eligible to participate in Sydney. At age 39, she was the oldest and the only team member over 30 and at the Olympic Games, Maureen lived up to her expectations, leading the US in game-winning goals and helped propel the underdog US team into the gold medal game. Before 17,000 Australian fans, the largest crowd ever to witness a women's water polo game, the US team lost in the last second to Australia to win the Silver Medal. This championship game symbolizes the pinnacle of Mo's long and successful career.

Now retired from competitive water polo, Maureen is the founder of The Pursuit of Excellence Sports Academy, a non-profit foundation that teaches self-esteem and leadership training in a sports environment for girls 8-18 years of age. She has also been doing motivational speaking to various companies about teamwork and what it takes to be successful- Nestle, McDonald's, Juice Plus, Power Bar, Long Beach Leadership Council and numerous schools around the country. As cycles go, her daughter Kelly has just begun to excel in competitive swimming and Maureen enjoys watching her like any proud parent would. Sports Illustrated recently picked Maureen as the most underrated female athlete.