(Michigan Photography)
2021 Fall Season Recap: Water Polo
12/13/2021 1:38:00 PM | Water Polo
» Michigan enters its 22nd season overall and eighth under head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi.
» Ava Morrant, Erin Neustrom and Maddy Steere have been named Team 22 Captains.
» U-M welcomes two freshman, Ashley O'Neill and Fiona Young, to the program for the season.
» Former CPWA Player of the Year Maddy Steere also makes her return to Canham.
The University of Michigan water polo team wrapped up its fall season last week before heading home for winter break. Here's a look back at the 2021 Fall campaign.
Game vs. Indiana
- The Wolverines took down Indiana in Bloomington, 10-6, in the lone game of the fall campaign. Â
- Junior Alex Brown started in goal for U-M, playing the first half and helping the Maize and Blue to a 6-3 halftime lead. Senior Sophie Jackson was in net for the second half and kep Michigan in front.
- Sixth-year senior Maddy Steere and fifth-year senior Maddie O'Reilly led Michigan with three goals each.
- Senior captain Ava Morrant also tallied a multi-goal game, scoring two on the afternoon.
- Also scoring goals were fifth-year senior Sofie Pontré and sophomore Kata Utassy.
Team 22 Captains
- Team 22 voted sixth-year senior Maddy Steere and seniors Ava Morrant and Erin Neustrom captains for the upcoming campaign.
- Steere returns to Michigan after two years away from the team. The Pascoe Vale, Australia native was an alternate for the Australian National Team.
- Morrant receives the honor after the best statistical year of her career in 2021, scoring 23 goals with a career-high .489 shot percentage and winning 28 sprints.
- Neustrom was an ACWPC All-America honorable mention nominee in 2021 and 2020.
New Faces
- Michigan welcomed two new faces to Team 22 this fall, as Ashley O'Neill and Fiona Young joined the Wolverines on campus in Ann Arbor.
- O'Neill, a Canada native, has found a new home in Canham.
- Young came to Wolverine Water Polo camp as a 15-year old and seemed destined to become part of the Michigan community.
- Re-joining Michigan this season is sixth-year senior Maddy Steere. After two years away from the program, Steere is ready for one final ride with the Wolverines.
One Last Go-Around
- Team 22 received a huge lift when fifth year seniors Maddie O'Reilly and Sofie Pontré decided to use their COVID-19 exception to return to the pool for a final season in 2022.
- O'Reilly not only brings four years of high-level experience back for the Wolverines; she also returns to the pool having been named the CWPA Player of the Year and Player of the Tournament, as well as an ACWPC All-American second team member.
- Pontre brings a strong presence to the defensive end of the pool, but also provides incredible leadership qualities as a two-time team captain (2020 & 2021).
2022 Schedule
- Michigan will open the season at the Arizona State Invitational, Jan. 21-23, where it will take on Fresno State, Cal, UC Irvine and Arizona State.
- The following weekend, the Wolverines will return home to the friendly confines of Canham to host the Michigan Invitational, Jan. 29-30, with participants including Hawaii, Stanford, Marist and 2021 national runner-up UCLA.
- U-M will welcome 10 opponents to Canham during the course of the spring, including a second home tournament, the Wolverine Invitational, March 5-6.
- The University of Michigan is the host for the 2022 NCAA Water Polo Championship, May 6-8.
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Water Polo
GK
/ Water Polo
AT
/ Water Polo
C
/ Water Polo
AT
/ Water Polo
AT
/ Water Polo
UT
/ Water Polo
AT
/ Water Polo
AT
/ Water PoloInternational Series: Freshman Karampetsou Showing Skill, Leadership Beyond Her Years
Thursday, April 10
Water Polo Highlights vs. Harvard - CWPA Championship (April 27)
Saturday, April 27
Water Polo Highlights vs. Bucknell, UC Merced (March 24)
Sunday, March 24
Water Polo Ushers in New Era with New Staff
Monday, October 10
