View source for Merrill Moses

{{Short description|American water polo player (born 1977)}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name             = Merrill Moses
| image            = 
| caption          = 
|height=6 feet 3 inches<ref name="teamusa">{{Cite web |title=Merrill Moses; Water Polo |url=https://www.teamusa.org/usa-water-polo/athletes/Merrill-Moses |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501191704/http://www.teamusa.org/usa-water-polo/athletes/Merrill-Moses |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 1, 2015 |website=Team USA}}</ref>
|weight=215 pounds<ref name="teamusa" />
| birth_date       = {{birth-date and age|August 13, 1977}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=California Birth Index, 1905–1995 |url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/39461 |website=Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services |publisher=State of California |location=Sacramento, California |access-date=July 24, 2012 |archive-date=April 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427102456/http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/39461 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| birth_place      = [[Harbor City, California]], U.S.
| residence        = [[Newbury Park, California]]
| hometown         = [[Rancho Palos Verdes]], California
| alma_mater       = [[Pepperdine University]]
| universityteam   = [[Pepperdine Waves]]
| country          = {{USA}}
| sport            = [[Water polo]]
| position         = Goalkeeper
| headercolor      = lightsteelblue
| show-medals      = yes
| medaltemplates   = 
{{MedalSport | Men's [[water polo]] }}
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Olympic Games]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]] | [[Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Team]] }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FINA Water Polo World League|FINA World League]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[2003 FINA Men's Water Polo World League|2003 New York]]|Team}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2008 FINA Men's Water Polo World League|2008 Genoa]]|Team}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2016 FINA Men's Water Polo World League|2016 Huizhou]]|Team}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Pan American Games]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[2007 Pan American Games|2007 Rio de Janeiro]] | [[Water polo at the 2007 Pan American Games|Team]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[2011 Pan American Games|2011 Guadalajara]] | [[Water polo at the 2011 Pan American Games|Team]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[2015 Pan American Games|2015 Toronto]] | [[Water polo at the 2015 Pan American Games|Team]] }}
}}

'''Merrill M. Moses''' (born August 13, 1977) is a United States [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] [[silver medal]]ist, three-time Olympian, and three-time [[Pan American Games]] [[gold medal]]ist [[water polo]] goalkeeper. He played college water polo for [[Pepperdine University]], where he was an [[All-American]] and helped lead the team to the [[1997 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship]]. Moses is now associate head coach in water polo at Pepperdine.

==Early and personal life==
Moses was born in [[Harbor City, California]], to Max, an orthopedic surgeon, and Marlene Moses. He is Jewish.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloom |first=Nate |date=2006-08-05 |title=Tribe members at Rio games |url=http://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/tribe-members-at-rio-games/ |website=Jewish Standard}}</ref><ref name="ttownmedia">{{Cite web |last=Brownne |first=Bob |date=2008-07-26 |title=Off to Beijing |url=https://www.ttownmedia.com/tracy_press/off-to-beijing/article_cdb7b37b-ba1a-5ab6-9726-d7525af1f2f4.html |website=Tank Town Media}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gabe Friedman |date=2016-07-31 |title=2016 Olympics: 7 Jewish American Olympians to watch in Rio |url=http://www.jta.org/2016/07/31/life-religion/2016-olympics-7-jewish-american-olympians-to-watch-in-rio |access-date=2016-08-03 |publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency}}</ref><ref name="teamusa" /><ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mo/merrill-moses-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418123637/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mo/merrill-moses-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=  2020-04-18 |title=Merrill Moses |accessdate= 2016-02-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-08-13 |title=Highlights of Israeli and Jewish American athletes from Rio 2016 |url=https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/sports/olympics/highlights-of-israeli-and-jewish-american-athletes-from-rio-2016/article_3013cd8e-630b-11e6-a18a-7ba171e7d8f4.html |website=Cleveland Jewish News}}</ref> He grew up in [[Rancho Palos Verdes]], California.<ref name="pepperdinewaves">{{Cite web |title=Merrill Moses Bio |url=http://www.pepperdinewaves.com/sports/m-wpolo/mtt/moses_merrill00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715123924/http://www.pepperdinewaves.com/sports/m-wpolo/mtt/moses_merrill00.html |archive-date=2018-07-15 |access-date=2018-03-24 |website=Official Athletic Site: Men's Water Polo |publisher=Pepperdine University}}</ref> He is an [[Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)|Eagle Scout]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Merrill Moses |url=http://archivepyc.nbcolympics.com/athletes/merrill-moses/381971 |website=NBC Olympics}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wendell |first=Bryan |date=2012-08-01 |title=How Scouting helped this Team USA water polo goalie in his quest for gold |url=https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2012/08/01/how-scouting-helped-this-team-usa-water-polo-goalie-in-his-quest-for-gold/ |website=Bryan on Scouting}}</ref> He has five older siblings.<ref name="pepperdinealumni">{{Cite web |date=2016-12-08 |title=Merrill Marc Moses |url=https://www.pepperdine.edu/magazine/2016/12/40-under-40 |website=40 Under 40 |publisher=Pepperdine University}}</ref> Moses has a six-foot-eight-inch [[wingspan]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-08-04 |title=Olympians; Merrill Moses |url=https://jhsnj-archives.org/?a=d&d=A20160804-NewJerseyJewishNews-20160804-01.1.21 |website=New Jersey Jewish News}}</ref>

He and his wife Laura have three children, Adrianna Nicole, Makenna Merrill, and Brooklyn Ann.<ref name="pepperdinewaves" /><ref name="pepperdinestaff">{{Cite web |title=Merrill Moses – Associate Head Coach – Staff Directory |url=https://pepperdinewaves.com/staff-directory/merrill-moses/65 |website=Pepperdine University Athletics}}</ref> The family lives in [[Newbury Park, California]].<ref name="pepperdinewaves" />

==Water polo career==

===High school===
Moses attended [[Palos Verdes Peninsula High School|Peninsula High School]] ('95).<ref name="pepperdinewaves" /> As a teenager, he switched from football to [[water polo]], and moved to goalkeeper in his sophomore year.<ref name="SI 2012">{{Cite magazine |last=Cazeneuve |first=Brian |date=2011-01-18 |title=Brian Cazeneuve: In search of Merrill Moses' stolen Olympic silver medal |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2011/01/18/moses-missingmedal |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref><ref name="vcstar">{{Cite web |date=2008-06-20 |title=Olympic Water Polo player: Merrill Moses |url=http://www.vcstar.com/sports/olympic-water-polo-player-merrill-moses-ep-373561636-352538441.html |website=Ventura County Star}}</ref> While he was in high school, Moses was the [[Bay League]] MVP and an All-[[California Interscholastic Federation]] Southern Section selection as a senior, and competed with the US Junior National Team.<ref name="pepperdinewaves2">{{Cite web |title=2013 Hall of Fame Inductee: Merrill Moses |url=http://www.pepperdinewaves.com/sports/m-wpolo/spec-rel/100113aaa.html |website=Official Athletic Site: Men's Water Polo |publisher=Pepperdine University}}</ref> He was named a first team [[All-American]] his junior and senior years.<ref name="vcstar" />

===College===
Moses attended [[Pepperdine University]] ('99) on a full scholarship and was the starting goalkeeper in water polo for four seasons for the [[Pepperdine Waves]] from 1995-98.<ref name="pepperdinewaves" /><ref name="vcstar" /><ref name="easyreadernews">{{Cite web |date=2012-07-12 |title=Merrill Moses heads to London on an Olympian quest [WATER POLO] |url=https://easyreadernews.com/moses-parts-the-atlantic-merrill-moses-heads-to-london-on-an-olympian-quest/ |website=Easy Reader News}}</ref> In 1995 he made 165 saves.<ref name="records">{{Cite web |date=2010-06-17 |title=2010 Pepperdine Men's Water Polo Records Book |url=https://issuu.com/pepperdinewaves/docs/mwp2010recordshigh |via=Issuu}}</ref> He was [[All-American]] honorable mention in 1996 (when he made 218 saves), first team in 1997 (207 saves), and second team in 1998 (224 saves).<ref name="records" /><ref name="pepperdinewaves" /><ref name="vcstar" />  He was also All-[[Mountain Pacific Sports Federation]] all four years, and 1997 MPSF Goalkeeper of the Year.<ref name="pepperdinewaves" /><ref name="pepperdinewaves2" />  He helped lead Pepperdine to the [[1997 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship]], and was named Conference Player of the Year, game and team MVP, and all-NCAA Tournament first team.<ref name="ttownmedia" /><ref name="pepperdinewaves" /><ref name="vcstar" /><ref name="records" />  He graduated from Pepperdine in 1999 with a degree in [[public relations]].<ref name="pepperdinewaves" />

===Team USA===
He first became a member of the [[United States men's national water polo team|USA Men's National Water Polo Team]] in 1997.<ref name="ttownmedia" /> Moses was the starting goalkeeper for Team USA at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics.<ref name="pepperdinewaves" /> He was a goalkeeper on the team at the [[Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing Olympics]], making 70 saves in the tournament.<ref name="2012 guide">{{Cite web |title=National Team; 2012 Media Guide |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/usawaterpolo.org/documents/2013/1/3/_uswp_genrel_2012_13_misc_non_event__2012MediaGuide.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=USA Water Polo Men's National Team |url=http://www.usawaterpolo.org/NationalTeams/MensNationalTeam.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709120041/http://www.usawaterpolo.org/NationalTeams/MensNationalTeam.aspx |archive-date=2012-07-09 |access-date=2011-01-09 |publisher=Usawaterpolo.org}}</ref><ref name="mercurynews1">{{Cite news |date=2011-01-11 |title=Burglars steal water polo player's Olympic silver medal in Manteca |work=[[San Jose Mercury News]] |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_17067144 |url-status=dead |access-date=2011-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005062519/http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_17067144 |archive-date=2012-10-05}}</ref> In the [[Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|championship game]], the USA team won the [[silver medal]], defeated by Hungary.<ref name="SI 2012" /> He was named to the Olympic All-Star Team.<ref name="recordnet1">{{Cite web |last=Burkin |first=Christian |date=2011-01-11 |title=Olympic medal theft stings family |url=http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110111/A_NEWS/101110315 |access-date=2011-01-12 |publisher=Recordnet.com |archive-date=July 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709221039/http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110111/A_NEWS/101110315 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In December 2010, Moses' Olympic silver medal was stolen by thieves when his parents' house was burglarized.<ref name="SI 2012" /> The thieves also stole both a ring and a watch that he had been given by the [[US Olympic Committee]].<ref name="mercurynews1" /><ref name="recordnet1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Lonnie |date=2011-01-11 |title=Olympic Medal Stolen In Manteca; Silver medal belonging to water polo player taken – KTXL |url=http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-olympic-medal-stolen-in-mantec-01112011,0,1167011.story |access-date=2011-01-12 |publisher=Fox40.com}}</ref>

Moses was also on Team USA at the [[London 2012 Olympic Games]], at which he made 63 saves and the team [[Water polo at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|came in 8th]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Team; 2015 Media Guide |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/usawaterpolo.org/documents/2016/5/3/_uswp_genrel_2016_17_misc_non_event__media-guide.pdf}}</ref>  He was also on Team USA at the [[2016 Summer Olympics|Rio 2016 Olympic Games]], at which the team [[Water polo at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|came in 10th]].<ref name="teamusa" />

Moses won [[gold medal]]s with Team USA at the [[Water polo at the 2007 Pan American Games|2007]] (30 saves), [[Water polo at the 2011 Pan American Games|2011]] (36 saves; stopping over 65% of shots), and [[Water polo at the 2015 Pan American Games|2015]] [[Pan American Games]].<ref name="pepperdinewaves" /><ref name="2012 guide" />

He played at the [[Water polo at the World Aquatics Championships|Water Polo World Championships]] in [[Water polo at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament|2003]], [[Water polo at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament|2005]], [[Water polo at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament|2007]], [[Water polo at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament|2009]], [[Water polo at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament|2011]], [[Water polo at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament|2013]], and [[Water polo at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament|2015]], with his top finish being 4th in 2009.<ref name="teamusa" />

Moses won a [[bronze medal]] at the [[2003 FINA Men's Water Polo World League|2003 FINA World League Super Final]], a silver medal at the [[2008 FINA Men's Water Polo World League|2008 FINA World League Super Final]] (in which he made 37 saves), and a silver medal at the [[2016 FINA Men's Water Polo World League|2016 FINA World League Super Final]].<ref name="2012 guide" /><ref name="teamusa" />

===International===
Moses played for Club Olivar of [[Zaragosa]], Spain, in the Spanish professional league in 2000-01.<ref name="vcstar" />  From 2008-09 he played professionally for [[VK Šibenik]], [[Croatia]], winning the Yellow Cap Award for being the most consistent player in the [[Croatian First League of Water Polo]], and from 2009-11 he played for [[Sportiva Nervi]], Italy.<ref name="pepperdinestaff" /><ref name="easyreadernews" /><ref name="2012 guide" />

He won the Best Goalkeeper Award in the 2006 [[Swimming Union of the Americas]] (ASUA) Cup.<ref name="vcstar" />

Moses was named the 2007 Premier League Best Goalkeeper while playing for the [[New York Athletic Club]], as well as MVP of the 2010 [[USA Water Polo]] Men's National Championships.<ref name="vcstar" /><ref name="pepperdinestaff" />

===Coaching===
In 2012 he served as co-Head Coach at Pepperdine University.<ref name="teamusa" /> Moses is now associate head coach in water polo at Pepperdine.<ref name="pepperdinewaves" />

===Honors===
Moses was inducted into the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame in 2009, and into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Petri, Beaubien, Moses, and Wright Inducted Into NYAC Hall of Fame |url=https://usawaterpolo.org/news/2009/4/23/Petri_Beaubien_Moses_and_Wright_Inducted_Into_NYAC_Hall_of_Fame.aspx |website=USA Water Polo|date=April 23, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="pepperdinewaves" /><ref name="pepperdinestaff" /> In 2015 he was inducted into the [[Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=MERRILL MOSES; Water Polo - 2015 |url=https://scjewishsportshof.com/moses.html |website=Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame}}</ref> In 2018 he was inducted into the Jewish Sports Heritage Association Hall of Fame in New York.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-29 |title=merrill moses |url=https://twitter.com/merrillmoses/status/990651010220806150 |website=Twitter |quote=Honored to be inducted into the Jewish Sports Heritage Association Hall of Fame in New York! #halloffame #hardwork #goals #thankful}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-07 |title=Jewish Sports Heritage Association Induction Ceremony |url=https://patch.com/new-york/fivetowns/calendar/event/20180429/294880/jewish-sports-heritage-association-induction-ceremony |website=Five Towns |publisher=NY Patch}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Olympic medalists in water polo (men)]]
* [[List of men's Olympic water polo tournament goalkeepers]]
* [[List of Jews in sports#Water polo|List of select Jewish water polo players]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{World Aquatics|merrill-moses-833304}}
* [https://usawaterpolo.org/honors/hall-of-fame/merrill-moses/232 Merrill Moses] at the [[USA Water Polo Hall of Fame]]
* {{Team USA|new_id=merrill-moses-833304|old_id=MO/Merrill-Moses|archive=20220711223150}}
* {{Olympics.com}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Instagram|merrillmoses}}
* Wayne Bean (May 28, 2008). [http://www.malibutimes.com/news/sports/article_f61c0ce7-8835-55cf-938f-9bec1c00742e.html "One on one with Olympic water polo hopeful Merrill Moses,"] ''The Malibu Times''.

{{Navboxes
|title = United States squads
|bg = #3C3B6E
|fg = #FFFFFF
|bordercolor = #B22234
|list1 = 
{{United States men's water polo squad 2007 World Aquatics Championships}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2007 Pan American Games}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2008 Summer Olympics}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2009 World Aquatics Championships}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2010 FINA World Cup}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2011 World Aquatics Championships}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2011 Pan American Games}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2012 Summer Olympics}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2013 World Aquatics Championships}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2014 FINA World Cup}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2015 Pan American Games}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2015 World Aquatics Championships}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 2016 Summer Olympics}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moses, Merrill}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American male water polo players]]
[[Category:Water polo goalkeepers]]
[[Category:Jewish American sportspeople]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in water polo]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in water polo]]
[[Category:People from Harbor City, Los Angeles]]
[[Category:People from Newbury Park, California]]
[[Category:People from Rancho Palos Verdes, California]]
[[Category:Pepperdine Waves athletes]]
[[Category:Water polo players from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Ventura County, California]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 2007 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 2011 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 2015 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:American water polo coaches]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]