Michigan
California
Wolverines to Lift Lid On 2022 Season at Arizona State Invitational
1/20/2022 2:16:00 PM | Water Polo
» No. 8-ranked Michigan travels to a star-studded Arizona State Invitational, where all five teams competing are ranked in the Varsity National Preseason Top 25.
» The Wolverines take on No. 5 California, No. 4 Arizona State, No. 8 UC Irvine and No. 10 Fresno State over a three-day span.
» U-M returns 81 percent of its offense from the 2021 team that won the CWPA Championship and made the NCAA Tournament.
THIS WEEK
Fri-Sun., Jan. 21-23 -- at Arizona State Invitational (Tempe, Ariz.)
Saturday, Jan. 21 -- vs. #5 California, 10 a.m. MST
TV: ASU Live Stream | Live Stats | Live Video
Saturday, Jan. 22 -- vs. #7 UC Irvine, 1:30 p.m. MST
Live Stats
Sunday, Jan. 23 -- vs. #4 Arizona State, 8:30 a.m. MST
TV: ASU Live Stream | Live Stats | Live Video
Sunday, Jan. 23 -- vs. #10 Fresno State, 1:30 p.m. MST
Live Stats
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The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan water polo team kicks off the 2022 campaign by traveling to Tempe, Ariz., to take part in the extremely competitive Arizona State Invitational, Friday through Sunday (Jan. 21-23) at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. The Wolverines will take on No. 5 California, No. 7 UC Irvine, No. 4 Arizona State and No. 10 Fresno State.
Team Notes
• Michigan begins the season ranked No. 8 in the Varsity National Top 25 and No. 1 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association.
• The Wolverines went 21-5 in 2021, including a perfect 6-0 record in CWPA competition. The Wolverines have won five consecutive CWPA championships and reached the NCAA Tournament in each of those years.
• U-M's three captains for the 2022 season are Ava Morrant, Erin Neustrom and Maddy Steere.
• Michigan's offense returns 81 percent of its total offense from 2021, including 86 percent of its goal scoring. Leading scorer and reigning CWPA Player of the Year Maddie O'Reilly is back for her fifth season with the Maize and Blue after scoring 47 goals and dishing out 33 assists in 2021.
• Perhaps the biggest returner to the Wolverine lineup is sixth-year senior Maddy Steere. The Australia native spent 2020 and 2021 training for the Olympics, but fell just short of making the Aussie Stingers. In Steere's last season with Michigan, she scored 55 goals and had 42 assists for 97 total points and was named the CWPA Player of the Year. She is second all-time in goals per game (1.64) and ranks sixth in career assists (125) and ninth in goals (180).
• There are two newcomers on the 2022 roster, freshmen Ashley O'Neill (Calgary, Alberta) and Fiona Young (Orinda, Calif.).
Opponent Preview
California: The Golden Bears closed out the 2021 season with a 12-7 overall record and enter 2022 as the Varsity National Preseason No. 5 team. The team's top offensive performers include Dutch Olympian Kitty Lynn Joustra (27 goals), senior Elli Protopapas (25 goals, 20 assists) and sophomore Reagan Whitney (20G, 14A). Isabel Williams competed in 10 games last season between the pipes, making 36 saves.
UC Irvine: The Tigers finished the 2021 season tied with Michigan at No. 7 in the rankings with a 12-8 overall record. Top offensive performers include junior Piper Smith (26G, 8A), and seniors Toni Shackelford (18G, 14A), and Jessica Lynch (19G, 9A). Tara Prentice is returning for the Tigers after taking time off to train for the 2021 Olympics. She re-enters with 168 career goals. UC Irvine is starting the 2022 season as the No. 7-ranked program. Michigan trails 8-5 in the all-time series.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils went 14-12 in 2021, earning a trip to the national semifinal with a win over Michigan in the NCAA Tournament. ASU returns plenty of firepower, including sophomore Luca Petovary (45G, 12A), senior Blaire McDowell (26G, 21A) and junior Lara Kiss (20G, 26A). Goalkeeper Itzahiana Baca played in all 10 games last season and tallied 53 saves. In the 2022 Varsity National Preseason Poll, the Sun Devils check in at No. 4. Michigan trails 13-8 in the all-time series with ASU.
Fresno State: The Bulldogs checked in at No. 10 in the final 2021 Poll after going 11-5, and come in to the 2022 season ranked No. 10 as well. Top offensive performers from last year's squad that return include Daphne Guevremont (35G, 43A), Sienna Jagielski (22G, 20A) and Emily Nicholson (37G, 3A). Mackenzie Matheny competed in 11 games and tallied 23 saves on the season. Michigan leads 3-0 in the all-time series.
Up Next
Sat-Sun., Jan. 29-30 -- host, Michigan Invitational (Canham Natatorium)
