When the top-ranked UCLA women’s water polo team squares
off against fifth-ranked Long Beach State this afternoon at Sunset
Canyon Recreation Center, it will signify the final home game for
one of collegiate women’s water polo’s most celebrated
players.
Senior Natalie Golda, UCLA’s third all-time career-goal
scorer with 146 goals, will be making her last regular season
appearance as a Bruin in front of the home crowd.
Golda, who helped lead UCLA (26-0, 11-0 MPSF) to two national
championships in 2001 and 2003 and hopes to add a third next month,
has left an impact on not only the UCLA water polo program, but
also on the UCLA athletic department as a whole.
“She’s really kind of gotten to know everyone and is
a big part of this community, not just the water polo community,
but the UCLA athletic community,” UCLA coach Adam Krikorian
said. “Anybody who really gets to know Nat will say nothing
but incredible things about her, and that speaks
volumes.”
Krikorian believes the reason Golda’s popularity extends
beyond the small community of water polo fans is because of her
unmistakably unique talents.
“Some of the things that she does are exciting not just
for us, but for the normal or regular fan to watch,”
Krikorian said. “The aggressiveness that she plays with, her
offensive ability, her creativity and her ability to shoot the ball
are unlike any player that’s ever played women’s water
polo.”
As for what Golda thinks of herself, she remains modest about
her achievements.
“I’ve been lucky enough to win two national
championships, and hopefully we get another one this year and I can
finish my career on a high note,” Golda said. “I never
could have imagined that all these great things would’ve
happen to me. I just worked because I had these aspirations to
become an Olympian and that ended up happening. I can’t say
enough about my experience here.”
Kelly Rulon, who has been Golda’s teammate as a Bruin and
as a member of the 2004 Olympic team, acknowledged that she knows
the senior’s presence will be sorely missed.
“Natalie is a one-of-a-kind person,” Rulon said.
“She’s definitely going to be missed. She’s
definitely someone you want on your team and not the other team
because you definitely don’t want to play against
her.”