STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford and United States National Team standout Tony Azevedo (2001-04) was named the Pac-12 Men’s Water Polo Player of the Century, the conference announced on Tuesday.
Azevedo is one of four former Stanford players recognized on the Pac-12’s 16-man all-century squad, comprised of seven driver/attackers, seven field/utility/2M and two goalkeepers. The Cardinal’s all-time leading scorer is joined by Wolf Wigo (1991-94), Jody Campbell (1978-81) and James Bergeson (1979-82).
Azevedo is the current captain of the U.S. National Men’s Water Polo Team. While at Stanford, he guided the Cardinal to a pair of NCAA Championships (2001 and 2002). He won the prestigious Peter J. Cutino Award as the most outstanding male player of the year all four years. Azevedo is Stanford’s all-time scoring leader with 332 career goals. His also held the school’s single-season scoring record (95 goals), before it was broken by current Cardinal Bret Bonanni with 97 in 2013. Azevedo has competed with the U.S. National Team in each of the past three Olympics.
The Pac-12 All-Century Team is part of the conference’s centennial celebration. The voting panel, which consisted of former players, coaches and members of the media, was highlighted by some of the true authorities in collegiate men’s water polo.
Tony Azevedo • Pac-12 Player of the Century • 2001-04 First player to win Peter J. Cutino Award four years in a row
Owns the NCAA scoring record with 332 goals
Led Stanford to two NCAA titles (2001, 2001)
Has been a member of the past four U.S. Olympic Teams, scoring 13 goals in Sydney (fourth overall), 15 goals in Athens (second overall) and 10 in London
Brought home the silver medal from Beijing in 2008
Current captain of the USA National Team
Six-time USA Water Polo Athlete of the Year
Three-time NCAA/AWPCA Player of the Year
James Bergeson • Field • 1979-82 Four-time All-American who led Stanford to back-to-back NCAA titles in 1980 and 1981
Scored 235 career goals
Currently fourth in Cardinal history, including a then-Stanford record tally of 82 in 1981
Paced a Cardinal 1981 team that finished the year with a perfect 31-0 record and became just the second-ever undefeated NCAA champion
Went on to compete for the United States at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea
Helped the U.S. to the silver medal
Member of the U.S. National Team from 1982-88
Inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 2002
Jody Campbell • 2M • 1978-81 Four-time All-American
Helped lead the Cardinal to three NCAA titles (1978, ’80-81)
Scored 211 goals and is currently fifth in Cardinal history
Led the Cardinal in scoring in 1979 and ’80
Named to three Olympic Teams (1980, ’84, ’88)
Helped the U.S. the silver medal at both the 1984 Los Angeles Games and the 1988 Seoul Games
Member of the U.S. National Team from 1978-88
Enshrined in the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 1994
Wolf Wigo • Driver • 1991-94 Four-time All-American
Led the Cardinal to back-to-back NCAA titles in 1993 and 1994
Senior captain, named Stanford's Outstanding Male Senior Athlete and NCAA Player of the Year Three-time Olympian and former captain of the U.S. National Team
Joined Team USA in 1993 and in 1996 became the first player in forty years hailing from east of the Rockies to make the U.S. Olympic Team
Scored a team-leading 16 goals during the 2000 games in Sydney and was named to the five-player All-World First Team by NBC Sports and USA Water Polo
Finalist for World Water Polo Player of the Year in 2000
Selected as USA Water Polo's Male Athlete of the Year in 1999, 2000 and 2003
2011 U.S. Water Polo Hall of Fame inductee