Jon Svendsen
American water polo player (1953–2024)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jon Howard Svendsen (October 26, 1953 – September 20, 2024) was an American water polo player and swimmer. He was a member of the 1980 US Olympic Team, and earned a Silver Medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics.[1]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jon Howard Svendsen | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 26 October 1953 Berkeley, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | 20 September 2024 (aged 70) Arizona, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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A standout for the U.C. Berkeley Bears on three consecutive NCAA title winning water polo teams between 1973 and ‘75, Svendsen was named the Collegiate Player of the Year, Pac-10 Player of the Year and NCAA Tournament MVP in 1975.
He was a three-time All-American in 1973, ‘74 and ‘75, leading Cal State Men's Water Polo to a combined 72-9 record during that span. Svendsen was a regular on the U.S. National Team for a decade, was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, played at the 1975 and 1983 Pan American Games, and earned a Silver Medal at the 1984 Olympics. Svendsen, renowned for his 98 mph backhand, played in numerous other international water polo tournaments.
Svendsen was a two-time All-American in swimming (1973 and ‘75).
In 1989, Jon Svendsen was inducted into the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame and the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame.[2][3]
Svendsen died in Arizona on September 20, 2024, at the age of 70.[4]
