Season in Review: 2017 Michigan Water Polo
5/24/2017 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
• Team Captains: Danielle Johnson, Heidi Moreland, Allison Skaggs
• Record: 28-9 overall, 8-0 CWPA (1st place)
• CWPA Championships: Champions (W, 5-4 vs. Princeton)
• NCAA Tournament: Quarterfinals (L, 12-6 vs. USC)
The 2017 season marked the 17th year of the University of Michigan water polo program. Team 17 won the CWPA Championship for the second straight season and seventh time in school history to qualify for its seventh NCAA Championship. The Wolverines earned a 5-4 victory over No. 9 Princeton in the CWPA championship game and would later lose, 12-6, to No. 3 USC in the NCAA quarterfinals.
U-M ended the year with a 28-9 record, including an undefeated 8-0 mark in conference play during the regular season. The Wolverines are now 23-1 in CWPA play under head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi. Michigan finished the season with a No. 7 ranking, extending its streak to 36 consecutive weeks in the top 10.
Team Highlights
• Michigan competed in the NCAA Championship for the second straight year and seventh time in program history.
• Freshman goalkeeper Heidi Ritner recorded 37 saves in the CWPA Championship, including 14 in the championship game to lead her team to a 5-4 victory over No. 9 Princeton. Senior captain Allison Skaggs scored six goals in the tournament to earn MVP honors.
• The Wolverines went on a 16-game winning streak with 13 straight victories to end the regular season and a sweep through the CWPA Championship. It was the longest winning streak for U-M since a 20-game streak in 2010. Michigan has had double-digit winning streaks in back-to-back seasons.
• U-M earned its third win over a top five team in school history, knocking off a top five opponent for the second straight year. Michigan battled to a 7-6 win over No. 5 Arizona State in its home tournament, the Wolverine Invitational, on March 4. Senior Danielle Johnson netted a hat trick in the first half to help U-M build a 4-1 lead.
• On April 1, Michigan routed George Washington 21-0 for the eighth shutout in school history. Freshmen goalkeepers Ritner and Cameron Cordial combined for nine saves as each played one half. The defense in front of them contributed nine steals and three field blocks.
Individual Highlights
• Allison Skaggs led the team in goals with a career-high 61 on the season. She scored a team-best 23 goals during conference play with five straight games with three or more goals to end the regular season. She was also the team leader with 42 drawn exclusions and 27 field blocks. She finished her career ranked fourth in career drawn exclusions (158) and sixth in career goals (173).
• Junior Caroline Anderson led the team in assists (68) and points (113) despite missing six games during conference play. She became the first player in school history to record 100 or more points in three seasons and broke the school's career assists record (195). She had 11 games with five or more points on the year and was also second on the team with 46 steals.
• Sophomore Kim Johnson finished second on the team with 59 goals, 53 assists and 112 points despite moving to a new position for the season. She adjusted well to her new role, becoming just the third player in school history to record at least 50 goals and 50 assists in the same season.
• Freshman Maddy Steere joined Anderson as the only two freshmen to reach 100 points. Steere tallied 51 goals and 49 assists, scoring in the NCAA quarterfinals to reach the century mark. She consistently guarded the opponent's best offensive player as U-M's center defender as well, posting 45 steals and eight field blocks on the defensive end.
• Freshman Heidi Ritner had a terrific rookie season in the cage. Her 307 saves were the second most by a freshman in school history and made her only the second player at U-M to hit 300 or more saves in a single year. She set a freshman wins record with 27 and had 10 or more saves in 13 games.
Honors and Awards
Danielle
Johnson
Kim
Johnson
Heidi
Ritner
Allison
Skaggs
Maddy
Steere
CWPA Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Allison Skaggs
CWPA All-Conference
First Team: Allison Skaggs, Maddy Steere
Second Team: Danielle Johnson, Kim Johnson, Heidi Ritner
CWPA Tournament
MVP: Allison Skaggs
Doc Hunkler Coach of the Tournament: Dr. Marcelo Leonardi
CWPA All-Tournament
First Team: Allison Skaggs, Maddy Steere
Second Team: Danielle Johnson, Kim Johnson, Heidi Ritner
CWPA Player of the Week
Allison Skaggs (Feb. 18)
Danielle Johnson (Feb. 15, March 9)
Julia Sellers (March 30)
Allison Skaggs (April 6)
CWPA Defensive Player of the Week
Heidi Ritner (Jan. 26, March 3, April 12, May 15)
Danielle Johnson (April 6)
CWPA Rookie of the Week
Heidi Ritner (Jan. 26, Feb. 15, March 3, April 12, May 15)
Maddy Steere (March 22)
Michigan Team Awards
Rookie of the Year for top freshman academically and athletically: Heidi Ritner
Academic Achievement Award: Caroline Anderson, Emily Browning, Kaitlyn Cozens, Laura Jimenez, Danielle Johnson, Kim Johnson, Heidi Moreland, Skyler Pyle, Sami Pratt, Heidi Ritner, Julia Sellers, Allison Skaggs, Maddy Steere
Most Valuable Offensive Player: Allison Skaggs
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Maddy Steere
Coaches Award: Danielle Johnson
Wolverine Award: Laura Jimenez
Maize & Blue Award: Heidi Moreland
Most Improved Player: Delaney Cleveland
Rookie of the Year: Heidi Ritner
Communications Contact: Ben Blevins
