Armstrong, Welch Invited to Participate in Top 40 Festival
10/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. -- U.S. National Team head coach Guy Baker announced on Thursday (Oct. 7) that University of Michigan women's water polo senior goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) and sophomore driver Shana Welch (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West HS) have been invited to compete at the third annual Top 40 Festival on Nov. 5-7 in Los Alamitos, Calif. The three-day event brings together dozens of elite female water polo players to compete for a roster spot on the U.S. National Team as well as to promote the sport. A number of members from the United States' 2004 Olympic team will also be competing at the event, including Natalie Golda, Kelly Rulon and Thalia Munro.
Armstrong has been honored as the CWPA Division MVP each of the past two seasons. In 2004, she became the first Wolverine to be named to the All-America second team as well as the first Michigan player to be a finalist for collegiate water polo's most prestigious award, the Peter J. Cutino award. Last year Armstrong set a trio of U-M records with 350 blocks, a 4.45 goals against average and a .734 save percentage. She is Michigan's career leader with 952 blocks, a 5.59 goals against average and a .661 save percentage.
As a freshman last season, Welch set a Michigan record with 55 goals and became the first Wolverine to win the CWPA Rookie of the Year award. She also became the first Michigan player to compile 40 goals and 40 steals in a single season. After only one year of competition, Welch is already the career leader at U-M with 11 hat tricks.
The Wolverines will begin the 2005 season with the Michigan Invitational on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 29-30, at Canham Natatorium. This year's tournament will feature UCLA, Colorado State, Indiana and the club teams from Michigan State and Eastern Michigan.
Contact: Paul Dickerson (734) 763-4423
