BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Princeton University alum Ashleigh Johnson adds another award to her litany of accolades as the United States Women’s National Team goalie collects recognition as the 2019 Swimming World’s Female Water Polo Player of the Year.
A four-time Player of the Year during the decade of 2010-to-2019, the 2017 Princeton graduate has been the arguably the best water polo player on the planet as she helped her squad capture gold at the 2019 FINA Worlds. Team USA is currently in the midst of a 68-match winning streak as Team USA has beaten every contender for Olympic or World Championship titles with Johnson in cage. The Americans finished 2019 undefeated (37-0) and have gone an impressive 60-1 the past two years.
Hungarian National Team coach Attila Biró noted in an interview with Swimming World, “In my opinion, Johnson is the best player now in the world, because the goalie is that much more important than 3, 4, 5, or 10 years ago. Now the goalie in water polo must be quicker and stronger.”
“If you have a good goalie you have a better chance to win. It doesn’t matter who is the center-back, or center-forward or the driver, but my opinion, the best team has the best goalie. Ashleigh is playing like a gold medal goalie. Her physical conditioning is fantastic; she’s really athletic, with fantastic leg work, so it’s very difficult to beat her.”
