Weekly Release #1
1/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Upcoming Schedule
Sat-Sun., Feb. 4-5 -- host Michigan Kick-Off (Canham Natatorium)
Feb. 4 -- vs. Long Beach State, 9 a.m.
Feb. 4 -- vs. Colorado State, 1 p.m.
Feb. 4 -- vs. Indiana, 6 p.m.
Feb. 5 -- vs. UC San Diego, 9 a.m.
Feb. 5 -- vs. Slippery Rock, 10:30 a.m.
Friday, Feb. 10 -- at Slug Invitational (Santa Cruz, Calif.)
Feb. 10 -- vs. California-Santa Cruz, 4 p.m. PST
Sat-Sun., Feb. 11-12 -- Stanford Invitational (Avery Aquatics Center)
Feb. 11 -- vs. Stanford, 9 a.m. PST
Feb. 11 -- vs. San Jose State, 4 p.m. PST
Feb. 12 -- vs. Southern Cal, 8:30 a.m. PST
Feb. 12 -- Championship Round, TBA
This Week
The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan women's water polo begins the 2006 season as the host of the Michigan Kick-Off (Sat.-Sun., Feb. 4-5) at Canham Natatorium. Michigan will open the event at 9 a.m. against Long Beach State on Saturday (Feb. 4). The Wolverines will play two more games on Saturday. U-M will face Colorado State at 1 p.m. and CWPA foe Indiana at 6 p.m. On Sunday (Feb. 5), Michigan opens up against UC San Diego at 9 a.m. and will finish the day against Slippery Rock at 10:30 a.m.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, Feb. 4
Game 1 -- Michigan State vs. Colorado State, 8 a.m.
Game 2 -- Michigan vs. Long Beach State, 9 a.m.
Game 3 -- Indiana vs. UC San Diego, 10 a.m.
Game 4 -- Michigan State vs. Slippery Rock, 11 a.m.
Game 5 -- Michigan vs. Colorado Sate, 1 p.m.
Game 6 -- Long Beach State vs. UC San Diego, 4 p.m.
Game 7 -- Michigan vs. Indiana, 6 p.m.
Game 8 -- Slippery Rock vs. Colorado State, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 5
Game 9 -- Indiana vs. Long Beach State, 8 a.m.
Game 10 -- Michigan vs. UC San Diego, 9 a.m.
Game 11 -- Michigan vs. Slippery Rock, 10:30 a.m.
Game 12 -- Michigan State vs. Long Beach State, 11:30 a.m.
Game 13 -- Colorado State vs. Indiana, 12:30 p.m.
Game 14 -- UC San Diego vs. Slippery Rock, 1:30 p.m.
Scouting the Opponents
Colorado State -- The Rams return 12 letterwinners from last season's squad that finished 6-14. Colorado State is led by Holly Stanfill and Annie Quinn. Stanfill fills the net for the Rams and returns as the starter after making 119 saves on 216 shots in 2005. Quinn returns as the leading scorer during her freshman season in 2005, tallying 34 goals. Michigan won both meetings last season. U-M downed the Rams 15-5 in the Wolverines' and the Rams' season opener on January 29 at Canham Natatroium and the Wolverines were on the winning side of a 9-5 finish at the Fluid Five in Bloomington, Ind., on April 2. These were the first two meetings ever between the two schools. Colorado State on the Web: www.csurams.com.
Indiana -- The No. 11-ranked Hoosiers return 11 letterwinners from the 2005 season when Indiana posted a 24-10 record (7-0 CWPA). Indiana finished second in both the CWPA Western Division Championship and Eastern Championship behind the Wolverines and found themselves ranked 10th in the nation to finish the 2005 year. Senior Janis Pardy returns for her senior season after leading Indiana in assists (39) and scoring 30 goals in 2005. Michigan lost both regular season meetings last season at home by a score of 7-6. The Wolverines fell in their second game of the season at the Michigan Invite on January 29 and then dropped a CWPA match in overtime on March 18. U-M got its revenge with a CWPA Western Division Championship win, 11-10 in overtime on April 23. Michigan and Indiana met again in the Eastern Championship in Bloomington, Ind. U-M took care of the Hoosiers 8-7 to earn the NCAA bid on May 1. Michigan is 17-2-1 all-time against the Hoosiers. Indiana on the Web: www.iuhoosiers.com.
Long Beach State -- The No. 7-ranked 49ers finished 21-9 in 2005. The Wolverines lost the only meeting, 6-4, between the two schools last season at the UCSB Gaucho Invitational on February 25. Senior Cassie Azevedo, a 2005 second-team All-American, is the leading returner for Long Beach State. In 2005 she led the team with 64 goals and added 29 assists for a team-high point total of 93. Michigan has never defeated Long Beach State in the six meetings between the two schools all-time. Long Beach State on the Web: www.longbeachstate.com.
Slippery Rock -- Slippery Rock compiled a 10-16 record (2-5 CWPA) in 2005 for sixth place in the CWPA Western Division standings and reached the first round of the Western Division Championship before falling 8-7 to Gannon. Junior Erika Brunner is the leading returner for Slippery Rock after posting a team-best 65 goals and 35 assists for 100 points last season. U-M won both meetings between the two universities in 2005 and holds 9-0 record against Slippery Rock all-time. Slippery Rock on the Web: www.rockathletics.com.
UC San Diego -- The No. 17-ranked Tritons went 18-17 in 2005 and returns 14 letterwinners from that 2005 team. 2005 All-WWPA second team goalkeeper Kaitlin Foe returns for her sophomore season. Senior Kirsten Frazer, who drew a team-high 50 drawn ejections last season, returns for her final season. Michigan is 3-4 all-time against the Tritons. U-M won the first meeting against UC San Diego last season 5-4 in San Diego on February 4. The two teams met again on February 27 when U-M fell to the Tritons in overtime 6-5. UC San Diego on the Web: athletics.ucsd.edu.
Michigan in Season Openers
The Wolverines open the season at Canham Natatorium for the fifth straight season. U-M hosted the Michigan Invitational the past four seasons to start the year. Last season, Michigan went 2-2 in its own Invite. Michigan is 24-11-1 all-time at Canham Natatorium and is 9-7-1 in opening events at home, while also compiling a 13-8-1 record all-time in season-opening event games.
National Collegiate Women's Top 20 Poll (2/1/05)
Rank, School Points 1. UCLA 100 2. Southern Cal 93 3. Stanford 92 4. Hawaii 84 5. Loyola Marymount 77 6. California 74 7. Long Beach State 67 8. MICHIGAN 64 9. San Diego State 61 10. UC Santa Barbara 57 11. Indiana 49 12. San Jose State 47 13. Hartwick 36 UC Davis 36 15. UC Irvine 34 16. Arizona State 24 17. UC San Diego 19 18. Cal State-Northridge 15 19. Princeton 13 20. Santa Clara 5
Returning Wolverines
Michigan returns eight letterwinners and three starters from last season's Eastern Championship winning squad that finished with a 29-14 (6-1 CWPA) overall record. Sophomore Sally Stone (San Diego, Calif./Bishop's) and freshman Kristen Davis (Villa Park, Calif./Villa Park) will split time in goal for U-M, replacing graduated three-time All-American goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong. Stone compiled a 4.46 goals-against-average with 114 blocks and a .679 save percentage, while allowing 54 goals in 20 games during her freshman campaign last season.
In the field, the Wolverines return seniors Lindsey Hitchcock (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer), Megan Hausmann (San Diego, calif./Bishop's), Kristin Hoogenboom (Portland, Ore./Sunset), and Carly Strub (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck). Hitchcock will serve as a tri-captain and looks to play a bigger role after playing in 24 games and tallying 12 points (4 g, 8 a) last sesaon. Hausmann returns after earning CWPA All-Western Division first team honors last season and will also serve as a tri-captain. Hausmann was Michigan's fourth-leading scorer in 2005, posting 42 goals and 32 assists for 74 points. Hoogenboom played in 42 of 43 games for U-M last season, scoring 15 goals and adding 12 helpers for 27 points. With Hausmann and Hoogenboom, both starters in the two-meter, Michigan returns both of its two-meter players from 2005. Strub returns for her final season and second with the Wolverines. As a junior and during her first season at Michigan, Strub provided more experience to a veteran club and collected 26 points on 13 goals and 13 assists.
Michigan also returns juniors Shana Welch (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West), the third-leading scorer in the nation, and Wesley Ellison (Portola Valley, Calif./Palo Alto). Welch earned the CWPA Western Division MVP award, and CWPA All-Division first team, All-Eastern Championship first team, and AWPCA All-America third team honors. Welch also had a U-M single-season record 84 goals and single-season record 99 points. Welch rounds out the third of the tri-captains for the Maize and Blue. Ellison will see much more action this season after scoring 22 points on 19 goals and three assists in 34 games as a sophomore in 2005.
Kaitlin Prijatel (North Tustin, Calif./Foothill) and Stone are the only returning sophomores for the Wolverines. Prijatel played in 31 games last season, tallying 12 points (8 g, 4 a).
Ann Arbor Welcomes You...
U-M will have its largest recruiting class in the program's six-year history with 20 new faces climbing aboard the Maize and Blue water polo machine. Kate Bizer (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) enters as a sophomore with freshman eligibility after transfering from Michigan State and Michelle Keeley (Rockford, Mich./Rockford), a sophomore, heads back to her native state after one year at Cal State Northridge. Michigan welcomes 18 freshman to the 2006 roster. Racene Basore (San Diego, Calif./University Club), Mary Chatigny (Palm Springs, Calif./Palm Springs), Kelly Clark (Monte Sereno, Calif./Saratoga), Amy Cuckovich (Davis, Calif./Davis), Sarah Davila (Yorba Linda, Calif./El Dorado), Kristen Davis (Villa Parl, Calif./Villa Park), Carrie Frost (Saline, Mich./Saline), Molli Gerken (Westerville, Ohio/Upper Arlington), Kelsey Haley (Portola Valley, Calif./Menio), Sharayah Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho), Julie Hyrne (Sunnyvale, Calif./Archbishop Mitty), Christine Kurdys (Portage, Mich./Portage), Meghan Loeser (San Diego, Calif./Patrick Henry), Haley Mullins (Orinda, Calif./Miramonte), Lorraine Negron (Erie, Pa./McDowell), Nicole Santarosa (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula), Carrie Stover (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer), and Kate Zondervan (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) are the Wolverine freshmen.
Three is Better than One
Shana Welch, Megan Hausmann and Lindsey Hitchcock have been named the tri-captains for the Wolverines' 2006 season. All three players wear the honor for the first time in their Michigan careers.
The Anderson Files
Head coach Matt Anderson begins his fourth year as the leader of the University of Michigan water polo program. In his four years at Michigan, Anderson has brought a hard-nosed playing philosophy and a defensive intensity to the Wolverines that has led to a 81-33 record and a trifecta of CWPA Division titles since he arrived at U-M. In his first season as the head coach of Michigan water polo, Anderson led the program to a 22-10 record, a third-place finish at the Eastern Championships and its second straight Southern Division crown. In 2004, Anderson guided Michigan to a school-record 30 victories as well as setting records in points (665), assists (291) and goals against average (4.61). Anderson also coached U-M to its third consecutive CWPA Division Championship crown, earning CWPA Western Division Coach of the Year honors. Last season, Anderson led U-M to Western Division Championship and Eastern Championship titles and the program's first NCAA Championship win. He also was named Eastern Championship Coach of the Year in 2005.
Anderson Nearing 100
After leading the Wolverines to 29 wins last season, Matt Anderson (81-33) is 19 wins short of 100 for his career. Anderson has never had fewer than 22 wins in any of his three previous seasons at Michigan.
2005 Season Review
The 2005 University of Michigan water polo team showed perhaps its best postseason performance in the program's five-year history. The Maize and Blue displayed its usual regular season dominance, compiling a 6-1 CWPA Conference record and a 29-14 record overall. Despite completing the season with the most losses in program history (14), the Wolverines went on to capture the Western Division and Eastern Championships during the postseason, defeating division-foe Indiana in thrilling one-goal victories in both championship finals. The 2005 Wolverines then made history, reaching the NCAA Championship for the second time and winning the program's first NCAA Championship game.
The 2005 season was also filled with many amazing individual feats. Sheetal Narsai (2002-05) set a school record in career points with 265 and Erin Brown (2002-05) finished just behind her with 243. Narsai also set program records in career goals (146) and career steals (174) after finishing the season with an individual season record 53 steals and the second-best all-time point total in a season (84). Brown wrapped up her career with a record 134 assists. Shana Welch broke two individual season records after tallying a team-leading 84 goals and a team-high 99 points. Jo Antonsen collected a team-leading and school-record 49 assists during the 2005 campaign. Narsai and Welch each collected a team-high five postseason awards.
Betsey Armstrong completed her historic career as a Wolverine in 2005. She holds the school record for blocks in a season (350) and a career (1,267), as well as career and single-season records in save percentage, goals-allowed average, and minutes played. Her spectacular season earned her four postseason awards.
U-M's glorious run earned it many more postseason awards. Armstrong received a spot on the AWPCA All-America third team along with teammate Welch, while Narsai collected AWPCA All-America honorable mention. Welch also earned CWPA Western Division MVP and CWPA All-Division first team. Narsai and Armstrong joined Welch with the same first-team All-Division honors. Erin Brown received CWPA All-Division second team. Antonsen (second team) and Megan Hausmann (first team) each garnered CWPA All-Western Division awards.
Anderson's squad not only excelled in the pool but in the classroom as well. Wesley Ellison, Hausmann, Armstrong, Narsai, Antonsen, Lindsey Hitchcock, and Kristin Hoogenboom all were awarded with Academic All-Big Ten Conference awards. In addition, eight Wolverines were awarded with AWPCA All-Academic honors and seven earned CWPA All-Academic praise.
Contact: Matt Baumer (734) 763-4423
