Michigan Adds Six During National Signing Period
11/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Nov. 14, 2016
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan water polo team announced on Monday (Nov. 14) that six student-athletes have signed to join the program and continue school in Ann Arbor.
The signing class includes Maddy Johnston (Menlo Park, Calif.), Maddie O'Reilly (Villanova, Pa.), Brittany Prentice (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Emily Ritner (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Kathy Rogers (New Milton, England). Also signing with the Wolverines is Alex Corbett (Australia), who signed a tender of financial aid to come to the University of Michigan in January.
"Overall, this is one of the best water polo classes we have been able to assemble here at Michigan in our short tenure," said Michigan head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi. "Each incoming student-athlete will provide a significant boost to both our starting lineup and second units. I am extremely pleased with the academic excellence and athletic drive that this class brings to Michigan. This class encompasses what we at Michigan place a premium on. They want to develop as student-athletes within our six pillars of success. The class of 2021 will continue to help Michigan reach its ultimate goal of winning championships."
Here is more information on each signee:
• Applied to the School of Kinesiology
• Member of the USA Youth National Team in 2015 and 2016
• Won a gold medal at the 2015 Youth Pan American Games in Jamaica
• Member of the USA Cadet National Team in 2013 and 2014
• Competes with 680 Water Polo
• Junior Olympics second team honors in 2016 after leading her team to a third place finish
• 18U Junior Olympics champions in 2015
• Won the Cal Cup in 2014 and 2015
• 14U Junior Olympics champions in 2013 and Junior Olympics first team honors
• Attends Sacred Heard Preparatory in Atherton, Calif.
• Three-time USA Water Polo Academic All-American
• WCAL back-to-back championships as sophomore and junior
• Three straight CCS Division II Championships
• CCS, San Jose Mercury News and San Mateo Daily Journal Player of the Year in 2015-16
• All California-Hawaii first team honors as a junior
• WCAL first team honors the last three years and CCS first team the last two seasons
• Also a CCS qualifier in swimming three straight years
• Father, Phil, played soccer at Gordon College
• Mother, Sue, played lacrosse at Delaware
Leonardi on Johnston
"She is an elite all-around water polo player. She's extremely versatile, plays a physical game and has a great outside shot. She is an ideal fit to our style of play. She brings with her an extensive background playing for our youth national team pipeline as well as 680 drivers, one of the premier water polo clubs in the U.S."
• Applied to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts
• Member of the Great Britain Youth National Team
• Vice captain for the Junior Europeans Championship in Den Hague in 2016
• Represented Team England at the EU Nations Cup in 2016
• Voted "Players Player" at the 2015 Junior World Championship in Volos
• Competed at the 2015 Youth European Games in Baku, 2014 Junior European Championship in Ostia and 2013 Youth European Championship in Istanbul
• Competes with London Otter
• Second at the British Championships in 2016
• 2015-16 MVP
• Won the British Water Polo League Championship 1 title
• 2016 U19 and 2014 U17 champions
• Attends the Trinity School of John Whitgift
• Two-year captain of the water polo team and 2016-17 president
• Four years on the swim team
• Father, Edward, played field hockey at Manchester and Penn
• Mother, Jill, was a swimmer and cross country runner at Manchester and Penn and is a GB age-group triathlete
• Brother, James, was on the triathlon team at Loughborough University and is a GB age-group triathlete
• Brother, Ali, is on the triathlon team at Leeds University and was the 2013 European Triathlete Champion
Leonardi on Rogers
"She is a natural defender that can guard centers or elite perimeter attackers. She is fast and explosive in her movements in the water. She brings a wealth of international experience and will make an immediate impact to our system of play. She has also dedicated herself in improving her game by moving to London, England, to play for Otters Water Polo Club."
• Applied to the School of Kinesiology
• Member of the 2016 USA Youth National Team
• Spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons on the USA Cadet National Team
• 2015 USA Water Polo Nick Johnson Olympic Inspiration Award
• Competes for Greenwich Aquatics
• Attends The Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, Pa.
• Two-time USA Water Polo Academic All-American
• Two-year team captain
• All-time leading scorer (male or female) for EA Water Polo with 460 goals as of October, 2016
• Two-time CWPA High School All Star team selection
• First team honors for "Beast of the East" in 2014-15 and 2015-16
• MVP of the 2014-15 Eastern Water Polo Championship, leading her team to the Eastern Prep Water Polo title
• Featured in the Sept. 29, 2014, Sports Illustrated Faces in the Crowd
• Also on the swimming and track & field teams
• School record holder in the javelin and discus while guiding EA to the 2016 PAISSA state championship
• Two-time Eastern Prep Swimming & Diving champions
• Senior captain of the swimming team
• Father, Matthew, played basketball at William & Mary
Leonardi on O'Reilly
"She is a left-handed attacker that has the ability to be a second option post-up player on the four-five side of the pool. Maddie also plays a physical style of water polo and has a strong outside shot. She has trained with our youth national team and will fill an immediate role in our program. Maddie has dedicated herself to the sport of water polo, where she commutes from one state to the next to participate with the Greenwich Aquatics Water Polo."
• Applied to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts
• Competes with Santa Barbara 805
• Two-time Academic All-American
• First team Junior Olympic All-American in 2014-15 after leading her team to a gold medal at 16U and silver medal at 18U
• Junior Olympic silver medalist in 2013-14, earning second team All-America honors
• Led her team to fourth place at the 18U Junior Olympics in 2016
• Attends San Marcos High School
• Won the 2016 Eastern Prep School championship, earning MVP honors
• First place in the Channel League three straight years
• Second team All-CIF as a junior
• Also on the swim team
Leonardi on Prentice
"She is an attacker that can play on both sides of the pool. She is creative, physical, and has a high water polo IQ. She has the ability to gain advantages in transition, on drives and in post-up options. She has been an integral part of San Marcos High School and Santa Barbara Water polo club, one of the premier water polo clubs in the U.S."
• Applied to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts
• Attends Corona del Mar High School
• USA Water Polo Academic All-American
• Three-time Pacific Coast League champions
• Reached the CIF semifinals in 2014-15 and the quarterfinals in 2013-14 and 2015-16
• Earned the JV Sea Queen Award as a sophomore
• Most Inspirational Player Award her freshman season
• Also a member of the swim team
• Sister, Heidi, is a freshman goalkeeper on the Michigan water polo team
Leonardi on Ritner
"She is an attacker that can play on both sides of the pool. She has great vision, a great outside shot and a great feel for the game. She has the ability to move really well over the hips and will provide a boost to our attacker position. Emily is a student of the game, and she prides herself on making improvements. She comes to us from Corona del Mar High School."
Alex Corbett
• Will enroll in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at Michigan in January 2017
• Member of the Australia Junior and Youth Women's National Team
• Participated in the 2020 Australian Towards Tokyo Camp at the Australia Institute of Sport
• Member of the Born 1997 Australian squad that did a training tour through Europe
• On the 2015 Australian All Stars open team
• Competed at the Australian Senior Camp in 2015 for the World League Finals
• Member of the 2014 and 2015 Junior U/20's squad
• Attends Australian Catholic University
• Named to the Australian Universities Green and Gold team
• Placed first in the Australian University Games
• Graduated from the MLC School in 2015
• MLC Senior Student Athlete of the Year in 2015
• Three-time MLC School Senior first team member, placing third all three years
• Was also a rower in 2013
• Competes with the Drummoyne Devils club
• Reached the Australian National League finals in 2015
Leonardi on Corbett
"She is a true center that will provide depth and experience in a position that is pivotal to our style of play. She is extremely strong, physical, and has the ability to finish with a variety of moves. She brings a wealth of international experience playing for the Australian national team.
