Michigan Signs Three From California, Two from Florida
11/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan women's water polo head coach Matt Anderson announced the signing of five athletes for the 2008 water polo season. Anderson tapped both coasts as Guillver Preparatory teammates Alison Mantel (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Preparatory) and Cara Reitz (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Preparatory) join the Wolverines from Florida. From the West Coast, Anderson brings in Keller Felt (La Jolla, Calif./La Jolla), Lauren Orth (Poway, Calif./Poway) and Sarah Roberts (Newport Beach, Calif,./Newport Harbor) for the 2008 campaign.
"The thing that I like most about this class is that they are all what you would call pool rats," said Anderson. "They all have solid character and are very good students. These players also come from supportive families and programs that have been very successful. I couldnt ask for anything more in a class; Im extremely happy. Combining these outstanding student-athletes with what we have coming back makes me very excited about the future."
Familiarity exists inside Anderson's 2008 class as Felt, Orth, and Roberts all play together on the Pacific Southwest zone team. In addition, Roberts was a high school teammate of current U-M freshman Leah Robertson (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor), while Reitz and Mantel were teammates at Gulliver Preparatory with current U-M freshman goalkeeper Ilana Vaca (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Preparatory).
Felt, an attacker, led the squad to the 2006 CIF semifinals, while earning second team all-league and second team all-section. A member of the Wind'N Sea Water Polo Club, Felt also succeeds outside the pool, as she was rewarded with Union Tribune All-Academic team honors in 2006.
"Keller Felt is a very athletic player who gets up and down the pool at a speed that as a coach you love to have the opportunity to use," Anderson said.
Mantel, also an attacker, helped her team to three straight Florida High School water polo state championships from 2004-2006. An international baccalaureate student, Mantel earned MVP in both the 2006 Winter Park Invitational Tournament and Gulliver International Tournament. After a stellar season in 2005, she was named the 2005 Miami-Dade Player of the Year and the 2005 Florida Player of the Year. During that season, she was also a Miami-Dade Female Athlete of the Year finalist.
"Alison Mantel is an outstanding right-handed driver who has experience at the national level -- youth and junior," Anderson said. "She is ready to come in and make an immediate impact."
Orth, an attacker, led her team to the CIF championship in 2006 after placing second in both the previous seasons. Orth's contributions during the championship season earned her All-Palamar League water polo first team honors. She was also member of the All-Palamar second team in each of the previous two seasons. A member of the San Diego Shores Water Polo Club, Orth won All-North County San Diego first team accolades for the 2006 season.
Orth is also a two-year member of the National Junior Olympic team that placed first in 2005 and runner-up in 2006 at the National Junior Olympics. Academically, her honors include four Academic All-CIF awards, four years of service in the National Honor Society, three Presidents Educational Outstanding Excellence certificates and a spot on the 2006 San Diego Union Achievement awards All-Academic team.
"Lauren Orth is a player who you would consider a point guard in the pool," Anderson said. "She sees things very well and is great at creating opportunities for her teammates to excel."
Reitz, a two-meter set, is a member of the 2006 Florida High School state champions. For her efforts, she earned All-Miami-Dade County first team honors and was a second team All-American. Reitz is also a member of the Southeast Zone team and the Florida Coast Water Polo Club. In the classroom, Reitz is an international baccalaureate student and a three-year member of both the National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society.
"Cara Reitz is a tenacious attacker who is extremely strong and just getting better every time I see her play," Anderson said of the 2006 swimming All-American. "She will only get better as she commits solely to water polo."
Roberts, a two-meter set and defender, led her team to two Sea View League championships (2005-06) and the 2006 CIF Southern Section Division I championship. She is a member of both the Southern Pacific Zone team and Newport Harbor Club Water Polo team.
"Sarah will get the opportunity this high school season to be a front line player," Anderson said. "She has tremendous growth potential that will take place during her upcoming senior year and summer, which will get her ready to contribute as a freshman at Michigan."
The Wolverines open the 2007 season at home, hosting the Michigan Kick-Off Tournament the final weekend in January.
Contact: Matt Baumer (734) 763-4423
