Seven Players Set To Participate in Team USA Tryout
10/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Hoping to follow in the footsteps of former Wolverine Betsey Armstrong (2002-05), seven members of the University of Michigan water polo team will participate in 2007 U.S. Women's National Team open tryout on Sunday (Oct. 7) at Canham Natatorium.
Juniors Mary Chatigny (Palm Springs, Calif./Palm Springs), Carrie Frost (Saline, Mich./Saline) and Julie Hyrne (Sunnyvale, Calif./Archbishop Mitty), sophomores Terri Bukofzer (Vernon Hills, Ill./Stevenson) and Leah Robertson (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor), and freshmen Alison Mantel (Miami, Fla./Gulliver) and Sarah Roberts (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) will all showcase their talents for a shot at playing for USA Water Polo.
The event runs in two sessions, with the morning session going from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the afternoon session running from 1 p.m. through 3:30 p.m.
Frost, a 2006 Junior U.S. National Team player, was a member of the 2004 women's National Youth team. Bukofzer was a member of National Youth squad in 2005 and 2006. Robertson also hasexperience with USA Water Polo,playing with the2005 Junior U.S. National Team.
Armstrong, who wrapped up her U-M career as the program leader in blocks (1,267), minutes (3,329), goals against average (5.64) and save percentage (.654), earned a spot on the national team at a similar open tryout in May of 2006. In the nearly year and a half since making the squad, Armstrong has led Team USA to a gold medal at the XV Pan American Games -- securing the country's spot at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China -- and gold medal victories in both the FINA World League and FINA World Championships.
Former Wolverine assistant coach Bernice Orwig will be the head evaluator for USA Water Polo for the tryout in Ann Arbor. Orwig, who was the starting goalkeeper for the 2000 Olympic Team, currently serves as an assistant coach for the Senior National Team. She served as an assistant at Michigan for the program's first two seasons before departing to train with the national team following the 2002 campaign.
The tryouts open up athletes for possible training selection for the Senior "A", Senior "B", Junior and Youth teams. In addition there is the possibility for an invitation to the Speedo Top 40. The tryouts will be held in three locations beyond Ann Arbor, including the University of Maryland, Stanford University, and the USA Water Polo Training Center in Los Alamitos, Calif.
USA Water Polo Coverage
Contact: Ryan Sosin (734) 763-4423
