Seven With Long Beach State Ties Off To Paris Olympics

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State Athletics is proud to have seven individuals representing the best in International sport at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

                Four former student-athletes will be playing for three countries in Men's Volleyball and Women's Water Polo. Former AVCA Men's Volleyball National Player of the Year TJ DeFalco was selected for the primary USA Men's Volleyball roster. DeFalco previously qualified for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and has been a constant presence for the USA Men's National Team, including helping the USA win Gold in the 2023 Olympic Qualifier a Silver Medal in the 2023 Volleyball Nations League.

                Kyle Ensing, who also competed at the Tokyo Olympics with Team USA, will be the team's official alternate athlete, a new position for 2024. The official alternate is a non-competing athlete who may serve as a last-minute replacement if a player is unable to compete due to injury or illness. In that event, the replaced athlete would not be allowed to compete for the remainder of the competition.

Two players who both graduated from Long Beach State in 20022 will represent their countries in Women's Water Polo. Playing for the hosts, France, Orsi Hertzka has been a mainstay of the French National Team and will once again play Internationally in Paris. A two-time All-American, Hertzka twice scored 72 goals in a season, tied for the second-most in school history, and her 185 goals in three seasons ranks third in career history at Long Beach State.

                Also a 100-goal scorer at Long Beach State, Marilia Mimides will represent Canada at the Olympics. Mimides scored 126 goals in her career at Long Beach State, and was an All-Big West selection as a senior for the Beach.

The Beach will also see two head coaches continue to provide leadership on the biggest international stage. Track and Field Head Coach LaTanya Sheffield will lead the USA Women's Athletics program as its head coach, a larger role for Sheffield after she previously oversaw the women's sprints and relays for Team USA in Tokyo.

Men's Water Polo Head Coach Gavin Arroyo has served as an Assistant Coach with the USA Men's Water Polo Senior Team through the full four-year cycle, and will help guide the USA men as they compete for a medal in Paris.

                Finally, Rachel Fattal will return to the USA Women's Water Polo team for a third Olympics appearance as she and the team aim for a third straight Gold Medal after wins in the 2016 Rio Olympics as well as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Fattal was hired as an assistant coach by Shana Welch prior to the 2023 season.

Check back here throughout the Paris Olympics for updates on Olympic competition for all of the Long Beach State competitors! (All Times Pacific)

Friday, July 26

All competitors are scheduled to take part in the opening ceremonies, which are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. PT.

Saturday, July 27

Women's Water Polo: Rachel Fattal scored as USA defeated Greece, while Hertzka was a starter for France against Spain in a loss.

Men's Volleyball: TJ DeFalco had nine kills and four aces in a sweep of Argentina to begin group play.

Sunday, July 28

Men's Water Polo: The Americans lost in their first day of action in group play, falling to Italy.

Monday, July 29

Women's Water Polo: Hertzka scored for France in an important win for the hosts over Italy, while Fattal scored in a USA defeat to Spain. Marilia Mimides made her Olympic Debut on Monday but Canada fell to Hungary 12-7 in their first group stage game.

Tuesday, July 30

Men's Volleyball: DeFalco had 14 kills in a five-set win over Germany in a crucial win for the USA in Group C.

Men's Water Polo: The USA defeated Romania 14-8 to improve to 1-1 in the group stage.

Wednesday, July 31

Women's Water Polo: Canada grabbed their first group stage win as Marilia Mimides contributed a goal and an assist in a 12-7 win over China, while the USA bounced back with a dominant performance against Italy.

Thursday, August 1

Men's Water Polo: Greece edged the USA 13-11 in group stage action on Thursday.

Friday, August 2

Track & Field: The USA Women's Team began their competition from Paris on Friday under the leadership of LaTanya Sheffield with preliminary action throughout the day.

Women's Water Polo: Marilia Mimidi again had a goal and an assist in a defeat for Canada, while both Orsi Hertzka (France) and Rachel Fattal (USA) scored twice as the Americans defeated the hosts.

Men's Volleyball: The USA Men advanced to the quarterfinals with a win over Japan, with DeFalco contributing 13 kills.

Saturday, August 3

Track & Field: The USA Women won four Medals Saturday, as Jasmine Moore took Bronze in the Triple Jump, the 4x400m Mixed Relay took Silver, and Sha'carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson finished second and third in the 100m dash.

Men's Water Polo: The USA Men defeated Montenegro 12-7.

Sunday, August 4

Track & Field: The medals for the Women's High Jump were decided on Sunday.

Women's Water Polo: France lost to Greece and were eliminated from medal contention, while Canada lost to the Netherlands but advanced to the quarterfinals despite the defeat.

Monday, August 5

Track & Field: Valerie Allman highlighted the podium in the Discus with a Gold Medal for Team USA.

Men's Water Polo: The USA Men advanced to the knockout round of competition with a 14-11 win over Croatia.

Men's Volleyball: TJ DeFalco had a double-double with 15 kills and 11 digs as Team USA won in four sets over Brazil in the quarterfinals.

Tuesday, August 6

Track & Field: The USA Women claimed three medals on Tuesday, as Gabrielle Thomas won Gold in the 200m while Brittany Brown took Bronze in the same event, while Annette Nneke Echikuniwoke grabbed Silver in the Hammer Throw.

Women's Water Polo: Rachel Fattal scored the game-winner for the USA who beat Hungary 5-4 in the quarterfinals, while Canada was eliminated by Spain.

Wednesday, August 7

Track & Field: Katie Moon took the Silver in the Pole Vault, the only women's medal event on Wednesday.

Men's Volleyball: Team USA lost a heartbreaker in five sets against Poland, and will play Italy for the Bronze on Friday.

Men's Water Polo: The USA Men won a thriller on Wednesday, coming from behind to defeat Australia 11-10 in a penalty shootout.

Thursday, August 8

Track & Field: The USA women won four more medals on Thursday. Tara Davis-Woodhall won Gold in the Long Jump while Jasmine Moore won Bronze, while the USA went 1-2 in the 400m Hurdles as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the Gold and Anna Cockrell took Silver.

Women's Water Polo: Canada finished in eighth place in the knockout round while the USA were stunned in the semifinals as Australia defeated the USA in a penalty shootout.

Friday, August 9

Track & Field: The USA Women won Gold in the 4x100m Relay, to highlight Friday on the track.

Men's Volleyball: TJ DeFalco led the team in kills as Team USA swept Italy to secure a Bronze Medal.

Men's Water Polo: Team USA lost to Serbia in the semifinals, and will now compete for the Bronze on Sunday.

Saturday, August 10

Track & Field: LaTanya Sheffield and Team USA finished the Olympics with seven Gold Medals, Five Silvers and Four Bronze Medals.

Women's Water Polo: The Netherlands defeated Team USA in the Bronze Medal Match.

Sunday, August 11

Men's Water Polo: Gavin Arroyo as an Assistant Coach helped Team USA win the Bronze with an 11-8 win over Hungary.

Long Beach State University Athletics