Olympics: Anae claims gold medal

"She brings a calmness and composure to this team that is so important, especially in big moments and big events like the Olympic Games, when you need to keep your emotions in check," Krikorian said. "One of the greatest things about Tumua is that she's got a great perspective on things. She's extremely competitive and she takes her job very seriously. She clearly wants to be the best that she can be, but she also understands that at the end of the day, it's still only a game. Although she commits a lot to [water polo], the most important thing to her is her family.

Anae, born in Hawaii, played with older sister Jordan at CdM and USC. Jordan is married to Indianapolis Colts defensive end Fili Moala, a former standout at USC entering his fourth NFL season.

In Moala's rookie season wit the Colts, the team lost the Super Bowl to New Orleans in February of 2010.

So, it appears, Tumua Anae might have top family bragging rights.

Team USA, which joins the men's 1904 team as the only American squads to capture Olympic gold, also benefited from the work of assistant coach Dan Klatt, the UC Irvine women's head coach.

Klatt, a former All-American at UCI, played for the U.S. men's team that failed to medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Entering his eighth season as UCI coach, Klatt has been named Big West Conference Coach of the Year the last four years. He has guided the Anteaters to three conference regular-season crowns in the last four years and victories at the first two Big West Tournaments in 2010 and 2011. Those tournament victories produced NCAA Tournament berths.

UCI was 25-8 to set a single-season wins record in 2011, when it was a program-best fourth at the NCAA Tournament.

Klatt, who as a coach does not receive an Olympic medal, was customarily deposited in the pool after Thursday's victory.

— From staff reports