BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Brown University women’s water polo coach/United States Assistant Coach Jackie Puccino and the Americans pounced on Croatia early and did not let up the pressure for the entirety of the game as Team USA steamrolled to a 24-6 victory in the quarterfinals of the 2025 World Aquatics Women’s Junior World Championships (U20) in Salvador, Brazil.
The United States doubled up Croatia, 6-3, in the first quarter prior to notching 5-2, 7-1 and 6-0 scoring advantages in the second, third and fourth quarters, respectively, to punch the program’s ticket into the semifinals on Friday, August 15.
The Red, White & Blue will clash with Italy – which overcame the Netherlands, 11-9, in another quarterfinal – at 7:00 p.m. local/6:00 p.m. Eastern. In the other semifinal, Spain will face Greece at 8:30 p.m./7:30 p.m. after the Spaniards disposed of Hungary in a penalty shootout by a 15-13 count, while Greece bounced Brazil via a 20-7 outcome.
The USA-Italy match-up marks the second time the teams will meet during the championship as the Americans topped the Italians by a 14-6 score on Tuesday, August 12, in both teams’ final contest in Group B competition.
All matches for the 2025 World Aquatics Women’s Junior World Championships are scheduled to stream live on the World Aquatics YouTube site. Live statistics and postgame box scores are available from MicroPlus Timing Services.
Appointed coach at Brown in June, Puccino served as an assistant coach for the University of Southern California (USC) women’s water polo team in 2025, as the Trojans went 29-5 overall en route to an National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship appearance.
Before USC, Puccino spent six seasons at Harvard University, serving as a coach of both the Crimson women’s and men’s programs. Puccino joined the Crimson staff as an assistant in 2018 and was elevated to associate head coach in 2023. During her time in Cambridge, Harvard teams posted a combined eight 20-win seasons, including the Crimson women’s first-ever Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship game appearance in 2022 and a 2019 Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) Championship/NCAA appearance for the Harvard men.
Puccino began her coaching career with the Palomar College women’s program, earning Pacific Coast Athletic Conference (PCAC) Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2016. She spent a year as the women’s head coach at San Diego Mesa College, winning the 2017 PCAC title and her third PCAC Coach of the Year nod.
As a player, Puccino earned All-America First Team honors at Palomar College before going on to Marist College, where she earned a degree in Psychology in 2012. Puccino also holds a master’s degree in physical education from Azusa Pacific University.
