In water polo, goalies are a special breed. Case in point: junior Andy Stevens, LMU’s keeper of the net. There may be no better college goalie; some say definitely not. Outside the pool, he’s friendly, funny, polite and quick to smile (see “Behind the Scenes With Andy Stevens”). In the net, he defends as if he’s protecting children.
Here’s what John Loughran, his coach, says:
“What makes him special is his ability to know where the shooter wants to shoot, to anticipate it and communicate it to his teammates. When he puts all of that together, he’s almost unstoppable.”
“I’m proudest of his development as a person, not only as a goalie. His grades have improved, he has matured, and his commitment to the team is impressive. When he came to LMU, he started focusing on his work ethic and began to change into a goalie who could be an Olympian. It’s something I’m very proud of, and it’s something the university should be very proud of.”
Here’s what Tibor Forai, his teammate, says:
“Andy has a really big wingspan; it’s wider than his body is tall. He’s really quick and explosively fast.”
“He warms up by himself and gets in a zone. Once he’s in that state of mind where he believes no one can score on him, then no one really can score on him. It’s a kind of bravery peculiar to sports.”
Here’s what Trevor Freeman, water polo writer, says:
“Quite simply, [Stevens] has a knack for being exceptional when the lights are brightest.”
Here’s what the stats say:
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 206.4 lbs.
Lean body mass: 167.6 lbs.
Arms span: 83 in.
Grip strength: 126.8 kg.
Here’s what the record says:
April 2010, is honored as co-winner of LMU’s Male Athlete of the Year
February 2010, competes with U.S. national team in Germany and Hungary
December 2009, leads LMU to 2009 NCAA tournament; named All-NCAA Tournament first team
Fall 2009, is named to All-America third team; becomes Western Water Polo Association Player of the Year for the second consecutive year
Summer 2009, competes with the U.S. national team at 25th World University Games in Belgrade