Monte Vista High

Jessica Steffens, class of 2004, is a 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist who is considered one of top defensive specialists in the world.  She spent more than six years on the Women's Senior National Team serving as a crucial piece in the team's defensive approach. In addition to gold in 2012, Steffens helped Team USA to a silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games and a gold medal at the 2009 FINA World Championship. She was named to the Olympic Media All-Star Team in the 2008 Beijing Games. In 2010, she underwent shoulder surgery and recovered in time to compete in the 2011 Pan-American Games where Team USA won Gold and qualified for the London Olympics. She first entered the national team pipeline in 2005, making the USA Junior National Team.

 

In High School, Jessica competed in varsity water polo, swimming, and soccer before she decided to focus on Water Polo in her Senior year. The Monte Vista women's water polo team won the NCS tournament her junior and senior years and she was named team MVP as a senior.  Jessica was also named MVP for both the East Bay Athletic League and the North Coast Section.  The same year, she was the captain of both swimming and water polo teams.

 

While competing collegiately at Stanford University, her team placed top 3 in the NCAA tournament each year during her career. She graduated from Stanford with a BS in Earth Systems.  Jessica remains active in the sport today, serving as a director of the USA Water Polo Board and the elected water polo representative for the Athlete's Advisory Council to the USOPC. Water Polo runs in the family.  Her sister, Maggie is a fellow Monte Vista graduate and 2012 and 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist, and is currently competing for Team USA in Tokyo.