Bio

Regarded by many as the greatest female water polo player of all time, Maureen O'Toole had waited two decades for an opportunity to play in the Olympics. She finally got her chance, as women's water polo made its debut at the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney, where she led her squad to a silver medal.

She started playing water polo during the swimming off-season at age thirteen. She started playing on the boys' team at age 15. She played at Long Beach City College on the men's team for national team coach Monte Nitzkowski. She then attended the University of Hawaii on a swimming scholarship, as there wasn't much opportunity at that time to play collegiate water polo. 

O'Toole played in the national team from 1977 until 1991 when she left to have her daughter, Kelly. After only a three-year break, O'Toole was back in shape and playing at the '94 world championships. She then retired thinking there was no future for women's water polo in the Olympics. In 1998, it was announced that women's water would be added as an Olympic sport, so Maureen got back in the pool and played in the 1998 world championships. 

She has been playing ever since and devotes a large amount of her time to tutoring and coaching young water polo and swimming athletes. She has coached at Rio Hondo College and UC, Berkeley, as well.