July 2, 2009

Irvine, Calif. -- UC Irvine alums Jeff Powers, Ryan Bailey, Tim Hutten and Genai Kerr were named to the USA Water Polo men’s senior national team that will play in the FINA World Championships beginning July 20 in Rome, Italy.

The U.S. team opens play against the host, Italy, on July 20. The Americans will also meet Macedonia and Romania in preliminary group play.

All four Anteaters were All-Americans at UCI as well as Olympians. Bailey, a three-time Olympian, will be competing in his sixth world championships. Bailey, Powers and Hutten were on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team that won a silver medal, while Kerr was a member of the 2004 Olympic team.

The U.S. team is coming off a fourth-place finish at the 2009 FINA World League Super Finals in Podgorica, Montenegro where Powers and Hutten each scored five goals during tournament play.