UCLA Alum Helps U.S. Win Back-to-Back Olympic Gold in Women's Water Polo

HERMOSA BEACH, CA — A Hermosa Beach resident was part of the UCLA-affiliated athletes to bring home the gold at the Olympics in Rio, the university announced.

Five current or former Bruins, including Hermosa Beach resident, K.K. Clark, won gold medals as part of the U.S. women's water polo team, the first ever team to win back-to-back gold medals for the U.S. at the Olympics.

Clark grew up in Menlo Park, CA, with some Olympic pedigree. Her aunt, Marybeth Dorst, was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Women's Swimming Team. Her uncle, Chris Dorst, was a member of the 1980 and 1984 U.S. Olympic Men's Water Polo Team.

Clark graduated from UCLA in 2012 and was part of the team that won a national championship. During her four-year at the university, she scored 169 goals, making her one of the top-10 all-time score in the school's history. Clark moved to Hermosa Beach in 2014.

The games also featured 36 Bruins, with eight of them winning a total of nine medals, including six gold. Gymnast Madison Kocian won two medals — a gold in the team competition and silver on the uneven bars.

Freshman soccer player Jessie Fleming won a silver medal as part of Team Canada and 2015 graduate Karsta Lowe won a bronze with the U.S. women's volleyball team.

According to UCLA, 424 Bruins have made 687 Olympic appearances since the university was founded in 1919, and there has been a Bruin in ever Olympics since 1920 with the exception of 1924. A UCLA-affiliated athlete has won a gold medal in every Olympics in which the United States has competed since 1932.

— City News Services contributed to this report. Photo courtesy of Team USA