University of the Pacific goalkeeper Clara Vulpisi had a storybook 2021 while playing for the Canadian Olympic women’s water polo team.

Now back on campus, there is no slowing down the red-shirt junior student-athlete from Montreal—a political science major with minors in pre-law, psychology and gender studies. Vulpisi also serves as president of Pacific’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Vulpisi and her teammates are preparing for the Tigers’ season opener, Jan. 29 against Long Beach State at the University of California, Berkeley tournament.

“It’s rare for an athlete to go to the Olympics and come back for multiple seasons afterward, but our team benefits greatly from Clara doing so,” said Pacific Water Polo Head Coach James Graham. “The Tokyo games were amazing but also one of the most challenging due to the great competition and the adversity all the athletes faced because of COVID-19 restrictions. Clara’s experience dealing with those challenges while competing at the highest level will no doubt help us when we face adversity.”

Vulpisi, who sat out last season at Pacific to pursue her Olympic dreams, has fond memories from her experiences in Tokyo. 
 
“One moment that stood out was hearing the national anthem the first game we played. We all were standing there, feeling like we were ready,” said Vulpisi.

The Canadians finished with a 1-3 record. Vulpisi, the backup goaltender, had eight saves in a 21-1 win over South Africa. She also played against the United States, which won the gold medal.

Another highlight for Vulpisi was the pageantry of the closing ceremonies, which she celebrated alongside former Pacific teammate Kyra Christmas ’20, the leading scorer for Canada in the Olympics. They had to miss the opening ceremonies because of team commitments.

“The closing ceremonies were a great experience. We got to see our Canadian athletes with their medals and also saw athletes from other teams who we competed against for so many years,” Vulpisi said. “I think the best part was to soak in what we had just lived through for two weeks.”
 
Vulpisi hopes to help Canada qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. 

Graham recruits many international players to the Tigers’ men’s and women’s programs. Vulpisi knew right away that Pacific was the right place for her to attend college.

“I chose Pacific because of how everything came together during my recruiting trip,” she said. “I realized that I had the opportunity to play for a Top 10, Division I team, get my education, and be in a place that felt like home.” 

Vulpisi is sharing lessons learned through her Olympic experiences with Pacific student-athletes as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

“I love having a sense of community wherever I am and feeling like I have the ability to give back and help those around me,” Vulpisi said. “Sports are such a big part of my life. I want the ability to create the best environment for all student-athletes at Pacific.

“It’s great to come together as a group of like-minded individuals and share our personal experiences to ensure we make it better, not only for ourselves but for those that will come after us.”

With a rigorous academic load, the leadership position and water polo, Vulpisi keeps an updated calendar to organize her time. 

“Ultimately, it’s about finding balance. Regardless of how much work I have, I carve out time to do something for myself every day,” she said. “Whether big or small, it can be something like grabbing a coffee or listening to a podcast I enjoy."

Entering the season, Graham knows Pacific has a goaltender with high-level experience and the desire to be a team leader for a university that has a rich water polo history. Vulpisi and five Tigers' alumni water polo players represented their countries in Tokyo.

“It’s always amazing to have one of our athletes reach the ultimate athletic goal–the Olympics. We’re very proud of Clara and our other student-athletes that traveled to the Tokyo games,” Graham said. “The special part is having Clara return to our program and share her experiences.”