BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — 2024 Olympian Jovana Sekulic (Jr., Belgrade, Serbia/The Episcopal Academy) of Princeton University scored five times as the United States finished 1-15 at the Women’s Water Polo World Cup Division 1 Tournament on January 14-19 in Alexandroupolis, Greece.
The event was a qualifier for the 2025 Water Polo World Cup Super Final with the top six finishers earning a spot in the April event. However, due to the team’s finish, the United States fails to qualify/advance to the World Cup Super Final.
Sekulic, who helped the United States Women’s Water Polo Team secure a gold medal at the 2024 Pan American Games in November, scored once versus Greece (20-7 L, January 16) and twice versus both Italy (13-12 L, January 17) and Israel (10-9 W, January 18). The United States also faced Spain (16-11 L, January 14) and Hungary (12-7 L, January 15; 10-6 L, January 19) during the six-day tournament.
The 2022 CWPA Rookie of the Year and 2023 Most Valuable Player, Sekulic did not compete for Princeton in 2024 as she prepared for the Olympic Games.
In 2023, she wrapped up a sophomore season that saw her earn All-America status after she led the team with 76 goals and 93 drawn ejections, producing 14 hat tricks and 24 contests with at least two drawn ejections. She, along with 2023 CWPA Rookie of the Year/2024 CWPA Most Valuable Player/goalkeeper Lindsey Lucas (Jr., Orinda, Calif./Miramonte), were the first players in program history to be named to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship All-Tournament First-Team. Sekulic – who scored two goals and drew six ejections in the Tigers’ two NCAA games at the 2023 NCAA Championship tournament – is a two-time Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) All-America selection with Third (2022) and Second (2023) Team honors.
Final Classifications (With finals qualifiers in bold)
1. Spain
2. Netherlands
3. Greece
4. Australia
5. Hungary
6. Italy
7. United States of America
8. Israel
