NBC Sports to Present Coverage of FINA Women's Water Polo Olympic Qualifying Tournament

The USA Water Polo Women's National Team - the world's top ranked women's water polo team - will attempt to qualify for the upcoming 2016 Rio Olympic Games this Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, as NBC Sports Group provides unprecedented coverage of the FINA Women's Water Polo Olympic Qualification Tournament.

This marks the first time that the USA Water Polo Women's Olympic qualification match will be televised nationally. NBC Sports Live Extra - NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs - will live stream all four quarterfinal matches on Saturday, including Team USA's Olympic qualifier, beginning at 7 a.m. ET.

The four teams that advance from the quarterfinal round qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio this August. The quarterfinal matchups will be determined following group play this week.

Paul Burmeister (play-by-play) and U.S. Olympic silver medalist Julie Swail (analyst) will provide commentary for Team USA's Olympic qualification match on NBCSN.

The USA Water Polo Women's National Team are the defending Olympic gold medalists, following their first Olympic gold medal in London in 2012, and Team USA is the only nation to medal in every Olympic Games that has offered women's water polo (dating back to 2000). Team USA is ranked No. 1 in the world and has captured the "water polo grand slam," as it is the current Olympic, World, World Cup and World League champions.

Players returning from the 2012 Olympic gold medal team include captain Maggie Steffens, who was named FINA Women's Water Player of the Year in 2012 and 2014, as well as Kami Craig, Melissa Seidemann, and Courtney Mathewson.

Following is the telecast and streaming schedule for coverage of the FINA Women's Water Polo Olympic Qualification Tournament:

Date	Coverage	Network	Time (ET)
Sat., March 26	Women's Water Polo Olympic Qualification Quarterfinal	NBC Sports Live Extra	7 a.m.
	Women's Water Polo Olympic Qualification Quarterfinal	NBC Sports Live Extra	8:45 a.m.
	Women's Water Polo Olympic Qualification Quarterfinal	NBC Sports Live Extra	11 a.m.
	Women's Water Polo Olympic Qualification Quarterfinal	NBC Sports Live Extra	12:45 p.m.
	Team USA vs. TBA Olympic Qualifier*	NBCSN	4:30 p.m.

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