Three Seniors to Captain 2018 Michigan Water Polo Squad
11/3/2017 11:52:00 AM | Water Polo
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan water polo head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi announced Friday (Nov. 3) that seniors Caroline Anderson, Laura Jimenez and Christina O'Beck will serve as team captains for the 2018 season.
"Each one of them adds a component that allows all three of them to lead together," said Leonardi. "All three of them support each other and are together one unit. They have the experience of being here four years and understand what it takes for us to be successful both academically and athletically at Michigan."
Anderson has been a three-year starter for the Wolverines. She holds the U-M career assists record with 195 as well as setting the single-season mark of 71 as a sophomore. She ranks fourth all-time with 335 points and is the only player in school history with three 100-point seasons.
"It is an honor," said Anderson, a senior from Palo Alto, California. "I have a lot of respect for my teammates and for the captains we have had in the past."
Anderson has experienced a lot of water polo situations in her three seasons and has the most game experience of anyone on the team, playing in 101 career games. Leonardi said that her great locker room presence is something that carries over into the pool with her teammates.
Jimenez, a Commerce, California, native, was described by Leonardi as the glue that holds the team together. A key reserve off the bench for the Wolverines the last three years, Jimenez has played in 97 games with 102 career points. A Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2017 and one of the more active team members in the community, Jimenez knows what it is like to represent the block M with pride.
"It is humbling being named captain," said Jimenez. "Now it is time for us to step up."
O'Beck has played in 58 career games, scoring 22 career goals as a reserve player. Leonardi described her being an important leader day-to-day, already taking the lead on being the liaison between the strength and conditioning staff, nutritionists and the coaches.
"I couldn't be more excited to be one of the three captains with my two classmates," said O'Beck. "We are going to work really well together, and we have a great team chemistry."
Not only do the three seniors bring experience from playing in more than 250 career games combined, they also have been through many ups and downs at Michigan. They went from a coaching change just before their freshman season to winning back-to-back CWPA championships. With 13 of the 19 student-athletes on the 2018 roster either freshmen or sophomores, the seniors' experience is going to be huge.
"They have all suffered hardships at some point, and they are survivors," said Leonardi. "They have experienced so much that they are able to relay a lot of experiences to the younger student-athletes. Our team will look to them in big moments for water polo, academics and life skills. There is a comfort level having all three of them to go to."
The team will be heading to Fresno, California, this weekend (Nov. 4-5) for the USA Water Polo Collegiate Cup, and the three seniors will get their first chance to lead the team in competition. The tournament is being held at four separate locations throughout Fresno.
