Netherlands women's national water polo team

Women's national water polo team representing the Netherlands

Netherlands
FINA ranking (since 2008)

FINA code	NED
Association	Royal Dutch Swimming Federation
Confederation	LEN (Europe)
Head coach	Evangelos Doudesis
Asst coach	Richard van Eck Ineke Yperlaan
Captain	Catharina van der Sloot
Current	2 (as of 1 September 2023)
Highest	1 (2008)
Olympic Games (team statistics)
Appearances	3 (first in 2000)
Best result	(2008)
World Championship
Appearances	17 (first in 1986)
Best result	(1991, 2023)
World Cup
Appearances	13 (first in 1979)
Best result	(1980, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1999)
World League
Appearances	7 (first in 2005)
Best result	(2018)
European Championship
Appearances	19 (first in 1985)
Best result	(1985, 1987, 1988, 1993, 2018, 2024)
Media
Website	knzb.nl

The Netherlands women's national water polo team is the national team of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was one of the leading teams in the world during the 1980s and 1990s. More recently they are one of the top teams again claiming the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 European Championships. The team is governed by the Koninklijke Nederlandse Zwembond (KNZB).

Results

Medal count

Competition				Total
Olympic Games	1	0	0	1
World Championship	2	4	1	7
World League	0	1	1	2
World Cup	8	4	0	12
European Championship	6	4	3	13
Europa Cup	1	0	0	1
Total	18	13	5	36

Olympic Games

Year^[1]	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad
2000	4th place	7	3	0	4	35	36	Squad
2004	did not qualify
2008		6	3	1	2	52	50	Squad
2012	did not qualify
2016	did not qualify
2020	6th place	7	4	0	3	117	75	Squad
2024	qualified
Total	1 title	20	10	1	9	204	161	-

World Championship

Year^[1]	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad
1986		9	7	0	2	111	49	Squad
1991		7	6	0	1	71	47	Squad
1994		7	5	0	2	73	39	Squad
1998		8	7	0	1	71	33	Squad
2001	9th place	5	1	0	4	21	34	Squad
2003	6th place	6	3	2	1	63	34	Squad
2005	10th place	6	2	0	4	33	43	Squad
2007	9th place	6	3	0	3	52	47	Squad
2009	5th place	7	5	1	1	72	64	Squad
2011	7th place	7	3	2	2	70	56	Squad
2013	7th place	7	3	1	3	95	71	Squad
2015		7	4	1	2	78	38	Squad
2017	9th place	6	4	0	2	78	42	Squad
2019	7th place	7	4	0	3	86	53	Squad
2022		7	5	0	2	99	50	Squad
2023		6	5	1	0	98	47	Squad
2024	5th place	7	5	1	1	106	54	Squad
Total	1 Title	115	72	9	34	1277	801

World Cup

Year^[1]	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1979		4	2	1	1	27	18
1980		4	3	1	0	31	17
1981
1983		6	4	1	1	59	49
1984
1988
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999		5	4	0	1	43	32
2002	did not participate
2006
2010
2014
2018
2023		3	2	0	1	38	25
Total	8 titles

World League

Year^[1]	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2004	did not participate
2005	7th	14	5	0	9	103	124
2006	5th	16	6	0	10	148	156
2010	7th	3	1	0	2	25	31
2015		12	8	0	4	151	93
2017	5th	10	6	0	4	99	79
2018		12	8	0	4	113	92
2019	4th	15	9	0	6	164	122
2022	4th	10	5	0	5	117	104

European Championship

Year	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995		7	5	1	1	76	42
1997		7	6	0	1	106	37
1999		5	3	1	1	60	31
2001	5th place	5	3	1	1	44	36
2003	4th place	6	3	0	3	60	36
2006	5th place	5	2	0	3	56	57
2008	5th place	5	2	1	2	44	43
2010		5	3	0	2	54	48
2012	6th place	5	1	0	4	55	54
2014		5	4	0	1	49	44
2016		8	7	0	1	133	54
2018		8	7	1	0	111	33
2020	4th place	8	6	0	2	123	40
2022	4th place	8	6	0	2	147	50
2024		6	6	0	0	93	46
Total	6 titles	93	64	5	24	1211	651

LEN Europa Cup

Year	Position
2018	4th place
2019

Holiday Cup

1999 – 5th place
2000 – 4th place
2003 – 5th place
2006 – 5th place
2007 – 2nd place

World Games

1981 – 1st place

Team

Current squad

Roster for the 2024 World Aquatics Championships.^[2]

Head coach: Evangelos Doudesis

1 Laura Aarts GK
2 Iris Wolves FP
3 Brigitte Sleeking FP
4 Sabrina van der Sloot FP
5 Maartje Keuning FP
6 Simone van de Kraats FP
7 Bente Rogge FP
8 Vivian Sevenich FP
9 Kitty-Lynn Joustra FP
10 Lieke Rogge FP
11 Lola Moolhuijzen FP
12 Nina ten Broek FP
13 Sarah Buis GK
14 Marit van der Weijden FP
15 Maxine Schaap FP

Past squads

1980 FINA World Cup – Gold Medal

Marijke Zwart (goal), Rita Heemskerk, Brigitte Hulscher, Ria Roos, Ingrid Scholten, Elly Spijker, Ank van Beek, Lieneke van den Heuvel, Greet van den Veen, Marga van Feggelen, and Hermine Perik (goal)

1983 FINA World Cup – Gold Medal

Hermine Perik (goal), Marion van der Mark (goal), Anita Bibo, J Boer, H van Heemstra, Janet Heijnert, D Heijnert, K Sterkenburg, Ria Roos, Ingrid Scholten, Elly Spijker, Ank van Beek, and Greet van den Veen.

1985 European Championship – Gold Medal

Madeline van Heemstra (goal), Marion van der Mark (goal), Janet Heijnert, Ineke Pesman, Belinda Hibbel, Lieneke van den Heuvel, Anita Bibo, Alice Lindhout, Monique Kranenburg, Patricia Libregts, Lillian Ossendrijver, Hedda Verdam, and Marian Walthie. Head Coach: Peter van den Biggelaar.

1986 World Championship – Silver Medal

Madeline van Heemstra (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Anita Bibo, Lieneke van den Heuvel, Marjo van der Mark, Janet Heijnert, Monique Kranenburg, Patricia Libregts, Alice Lindhout, Ineke Pesman, Janny Spijker, Greet van den Veen, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Peter van den Biggelaar.

1987 European Championship – Gold Medal

Madeline van Heemstra (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Irma Brander, Lieneke van den Heuvel, Anita Bibo, Lillian Ossendrijver, Greet van den Veen, Monique Kranenburg, Patricia Libregts, Esmeralda van den Water, Ilse Sindorf, Janny Spijker, Anita Nijenhuis, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Peter van den Biggelaar.

1988 FINA World Cup – Gold Medal

Hermine Perik (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Anita Bibo, Irma Brander, Monique Kranenburg, Patricia Libregts, Alice Lindhout, Anita Nijenhuis, Lillian Ossendrijver, Janny Spijker, Lieneke van den Heuvel, Greet van den Veen, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Peter van den Biggelaar.

1989 European Championship – Gold Medal

Hermine Perik (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Irma Brander, Lieneke van den Heuvel, Monique Kranenburg, Alice Lindhout, Astrid van den Meer, Anita Nijenhuis, Ilse Sindorf, Janny Spijker, Greet van den Veen, Esmeralda van den Water, Patricia Libregts, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Peter van den Biggelaar.

1989 FINA World Cup – Gold Medal

Hermine Perik (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Irma Brander, Lieneke van den Heuvel, Monique Kranenburg, Alice Lindhout, Patricia Libregts, Anita Nijenhuis, Ilse Sindorf, Janny Spijker, Astrid van der Meer, Greet van den Veen, Hedda Verdam, and Esmeralda van den Water. Head Coach: Peter van den Biggelaar.

1991 World Championship – Gold Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Irma Brander, Edmée Hiemstra, Monique Kranenburg, Karin Kuipers, Patricia Libregts, Alice Lindhout, Lillian Ossendrijver, Janny Spijker, Esmeralda van den Water, Marjan op den Velde, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Peter van den Biggelaar.

1991 European Championship – Silver Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Edmée Hiemstra, Janny Spijker, Monique Kranenburg, Angelique Beijaard, Alice Lindhout, Karin Kuipers, Esmeralda van den Water, Patricia Libregts, Rianne Schram, Marjan op den Velde, Sandra Scherrenburg, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1991 FINA World Cup – Gold Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Angelique Beijaard, Edmée Hiemstra, Monique Kranenburg, Karin Kuipers, Patricia Libregts, Alice Lindhout, Marjan op den Velde, Lillian Ossendrijver, Rianne Schram, Janny Spijker, Esmeralda van den Water, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1993 European Championship – Gold Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Ellen Bast, Gillian van den Berg, Edmée Hiemstra, Karin Kuipers, Ingrid Leijendekker, Alice Lindhout, Carla Quint, Sandra Scherrenburg, Rianne Schram, Janny Spijker, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1993 FINA World Cup – Gold Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Ellen Bast, Gillian van den Berg, Edmée Hiemstra, Karin Kuipers, Ingrid Leijendekker, Alice Lindhout, Sandra Scherrenburg, Carla Quint, Rianne Schram, Janny Spijker, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1994 World Championship – Silver Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Ellen Bast, Gillian van den Berg, Edmée Hiemstra, Stella Kriekaard, Karin Kuipers, Ingrid Leijendekker, Alice Lindhout, Sandra Scherrenburg, Rianne Schram, Janny Spijker, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1995 European Championship – Bronze Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Karin Bouwens (goal), Ellen Bast, Gillian van den Berg, Suzanne van der Boomen, Edmée Hiemstra, Karin Kuipers, Ingrid Leijendekker, Sandra Scherrenburg, Carla Quint, Rianne Schram, Marjan op den Velde, and Hedda Verdam. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1996 Olympic Year Tournament – Gold Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Ellen Bast, Gillian van den Berg, Edmée Hiemstra, Erica Hoskens, Leontine Koops, Karin Kuipers, Ingrid Leijendekker, Petra Meerdink, Marjan op den Velde, Mirjam Overdam, Carla Quint, and Mariëlle Schothans. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1997 FINA World Cup – Gold Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Carla van Usen (goal), Ellen Bast, Gillian van den Berg, Edmée Hiemstra, Karin Kuipers, Ingrid Leijendekker, Sandra Scherrenburg, Marjan op den Velde, Mirjam Overdam, Carla Quint, Mariëlle Schothans, and Suzanne van den Boomen. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1997 European Championship – Bronze Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Carla van Usen (goal), Edmée Hiemstra, Ingrid Leijendekker, Marjan op den Velde, Ellen Bast, Daniëlle de Bruijn, Petra Meerdink, Gillian van den Berg, Mirjam Overdam, Karin Kuipers, Mariëlle Schothans, Sandra Scherrenburg, and Carla Quint. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1998 World Championship – Silver Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Carla van Usen (goal), Ellen Bast, Gillian van den Berg, Daniëlle de Bruijn, Edmée Hiemstra, Karin Kuipers, Ingrid Leijendekker, Petra Meerdink, Carla Quint, Sandra Scherrenburg, Mariëlle Schothans, and Marjan op den Velde. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1999 FINA World Cup – Gold Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Ellen Bast, Gillian van den Berg, Daniëlle de Bruijn, Edmée Hiemstra, Mariëtte Koehorst, Karin Kuipers, Ingrid Leijendekker, Patricia Libregts, Marjan op den Velde, Mirjam Overdam, and Carla Quint. Head Coach: Kees van Hardeveld.

1999 European Championship – Silver Medal

Karla van der Boon (goal), Hellen Boering (goal), Ellen Bast, Gillian van den Berg, Daniëlle de Bruijn, Edmée Hiemstra, Karin Kuipers, Ingrid Leijendekker, Patricia Libregts, Jorieke Oostendorp, Marjan op den Velde, Mirjam Overdam, and Carla Quint. Head Coach: Jan Mensink.

Under-20 team

The Netherlands lastly competed at the 2021 FINA Junior Water Polo World Championships.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "HistoFINA – Water polo medalists and statistics" (PDF). fina.org. FINA. September 2019. pp. 56, 57, 67, 78, 83. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
^ "21st World Aquatics World Championships Women's Water Polo Team Roster NED" (PDF). Omega Timing. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
^ Russia after fourth title at FINA World Women's Junior Water Polo Championship Owen Lloyd (Inside the Games), 9 October 2021. Accessed 7 November 2021.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Netherlands women's national water polo team.

Official website

Netherlands squads

Netherlands squads – Summer Olympics
v t e Netherlands women's water polo squad – 2000 Summer Olympics – 4th place
1 Plugge (GK) 2 Megens 3 Hiemstra 4 Quint 5 Leijendekker 6 Boering (GK) 7 Kuipers 8 van der Weijden-Bast 9 van den Berg 10 Overdam 11 op den Velde 12 Peerenboom 13 de Bruijn Coach: Metz

v t e Netherlands women's water polo squad – 2008 Summer Olympics – Gold medal (1st title)
1 van der Meijden (GK) 2 Smit (C) 3 Cabout 4 Hakhverdian 5 van den Ham 6 de Bruijn 7 van Belkum 8 Klein 9 van den Berg 10 Sijbring 11 Guichelaar 12 Koot 13 de Nooy (GK) Coach: van Galen

v t e Netherlands women's water polo squad – 2020 Summer Olympics – 6th place
1 Koenders (GK) 2 Megens 3 Genee 4 van der Sloot 5 Wolves 6 Stomphorst (C) 7 Joustra 8 Sevenich (LH) 9 Keuning 10 Koolhaas 11 van de Kraats (LH) 12 Sleeking 13 Willemsz (GK) Coach: Havenga

v t e Netherlands women's water polo squad – 1991 World Aquatics Championships – Gold medal (1st title)
Boering (GK) van der Boon (GK) Brander Hiemstra Kranenburg Kuipers Libregts Lindhout Ossendrijver Spijker op den Velde Verdam van den Water Coach: van den Biggelaar

v t e National sports teams of the Netherlands
A1 GP Acceleration American football Badminton Bandy M W Baseball M M U18 W Basketball M M U20 M U18 M U16 M 3x3 W W U20 W U19 W U16 W 3x3 Beach soccer Cricket M M U19 W Field hockey M M U21 W W U21 Floorball Football M M 21 M U19 M U17 W W U19 W U17 CP Futsal Goalball M W Gymnastics Handball M W W-J W-Y Ice hockey M M U20 M U18 W W U18 Korfball Motorcycle Pitch and putt Racquetball Rollball Roller hockey Rugby league M W Rugby union M M U20 W M7 W7 Softball M W W U17 Speedway M longtrack Squash M W Tennis M W X Volleyball M M U21 M U19 W W U23 W U20 W U18 Water polo M W Wheelchair basketball M W Wheelchair handball
Olympics Paralympics European Games

National sports teams of the Netherlands

A1 GP
Acceleration
American football
Badminton
Bandy
- M
- W
Baseball
- M
- M U18
- W
Basketball
- M
- M U20
- M U18
- M U16
- M 3x3
- W
- W U20
- W U19
- W U16
- W 3x3
Beach soccer
Cricket
- M
- M U19
- W
Field hockey
- M
- M U21
- W
- W U21
Floorball
Football
- M
- M 21
- M U19
- M U17
- W
- W U19
- W U17
- CP
Futsal
Goalball
- M
- W
Gymnastics
Handball
- M
- W
- W-J
- W-Y
Ice hockey
- M
- M U20
- M U18
- W
- W U18
Korfball
Motorcycle
Pitch and putt
Racquetball
Rollball
Roller hockey
Rugby league
- M
- W
Rugby union
- M
- M U20
- W
- M7
- W7
Softball
- M
- W
- W U17
Speedway
- M
- longtrack
Squash
- M
- W
Tennis
- M
- W
- X
Volleyball
- M
- M U21
- M U19
- W
- W U23
- W U20
- W U18
Water polo
- M
- W
Wheelchair basketball
- M
- W
Wheelchair handball

v t e Women's national water polo teams of Europe (LEN)
Teams	Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Great Britain Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine

Women's national water polo teams of Europe (LEN)

Teams

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Great Britain
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

Women's water polo tournament winners

v t e Summer Olympics women's water polo tournament winners
2000: Australia (AUS) 2004: Italy (ITA) 2008: Netherlands (NED) 2012: United States (USA) 2016: United States (USA) 2020: United States (USA)

v t e World Aquatics Championships women's water polo tournament winners
1986: Australia 1991: Netherlands 1994: Hungary 1998: Italy 2001: Italy 2003: United States 2005: Hungary 2007: United States 2009: United States 2011: Greece 2013: Spain 2015: United States 2017: United States 2019: United States 2022: United States 2023: Netherlands 2024: United States

FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup winners

1979: United States
1980: Netherlands
1981: Canada
1983: United States
1984: Australia
1988: Netherlands
1989: Netherlands
1991: Netherlands
1993: Netherlands
1995: Australia
1997: Netherlands
1999: Netherlands
2002: Hungary
2006: Australia
2010: United States
2014: United States
2018: United States
2023: United States

v t e Women's European Water Polo Championship winners
1985: Netherlands 1987: Netherlands 1989: Netherlands 1991: Hungary 1993: Netherlands 1995: Italy 1997: Italy 1999: Italy 2001: Hungary 2003: Italy 2006: Russia 2008: Russia 2010: Russia 2012: Italy 2014: Spain 2016: Hungary 2018: Netherlands 2020: Spain 2022: Spain 2024: Netherlands