TEMPE -- After taking a year off to focus on her scholarly journalism pursuits and an internship with the Crew West video production group, two-time Olympian and All-America Ao Gao will return to the Sun Devil Water Polo program for her fourth and final year of collegiate water polo while working toward her graduate degree in ASU's Sports Journalism program.
Gao brings a wealth of experience, having played in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 where she helped China to a fifth-place finish and was named a tournament All-Star for her effort. She would also go on to represent her home country at the 2012 London Olympics.
At ASU, Gao earned All-America honors as a two-meter defender during her sophomore and junior seasons.
As a junior, Gao finished with 40 goals and team-leading 35 assists for a grand total of 75 points, good for third on the team. She led the team to the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where the team finished fifth overall.
Gao finished the MPSF tournament with seven goals, including a career-high four goal effort against No. 3 USC in the opening round of the tournament as she helped her team to a 10-9 sudden victory decision for the just the second win over the Trojans in ASU history as she earned MPSF All-Tournament team honors for the second straight season while also being named to the All-MPSF squad.
Gao was almost a silent assassin this season for the Sun Devils as a sophomore as she quietly put up one of the most well-rounded seasons in ASU history from the two-meter defender position.Gao had 43 goals on the year while leading the team with 43 assists. The latter was the third-highest single season tally in school history while her 86 total points were eighth.
A lock-down defender, Gao limited numerous opponents on the season while forcing 65 steals on the year for the sixth-highest single season total in school history.
Gao's experience will be pivotal to the Sun Devils this season as a calming force on a team welcoming seven newcomers while seeing the loss of four All-Americans to graduation and Olympic training.
The Sun Devils will open the season at home as the team hosts the ASU Invitational in Tempe beginning Friday, Jan. 22.