Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Gear Up for the 2006 Season
10/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
Oct. 11, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana women's water polo team recently finalized its 2006 season schedule. Last year, the Hoosiers finished with an impressive 24-10 record and made it to the Collegiate Water Polo Association Eastern Championships. This season, the Hoosiers will look to improve on last year's mark with 10 newcomers and 12 returning players.
The 2006 campaign will begin February 4 with a trip to Ann Arbor, Mich., for the Michigan Invitational. After a loss to the Wolverines in last season's CWPA Eastern Championship game, the Hoosiers will look to avenge their loss against Michigan during the first tournament of the year. From there, Indiana will travel to La Jolla, Calif. for the UC-San Diego Triton Invitational. Last year, IU downed the then-No. 15 Tritons 7-4 at the UCSB tournament. The Hoosiers last competed in the Triton Invite in 2004 and placed fourth.
The weekend of February 18 will see IU head to Princeton, N.J., for the Princeton Invitational. The last time Indiana took part in the Princeton Invitational it claimed the invite title in 2003. The Hoosiers then travel to Pennsylvania from March 3-5 with CWPA Western Division matches against Gannon, Grove City, Mercyhurst, Penn State-Behrend, Slippery Rock and Washington and Jefferson.
Indiana concludes its regular season Western Division slate at Michigan on March 17. Last season, IU knocked off Michigan 7-6 in sudden victory to claim the program's first regular season CWPA Western Division title. The following two days the Hoosiers will compete in the Wolverine Invitational for the second year in a row.
The Hoosiers return to Bloomington at the end of March for their first home meet of the year. On March 28 and 29, Indiana will host the Fluid Five at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center. During last year's Fluid Five, IU went 3-0 with wins over Colorado State, UC-Davis and San Jose State.
Indiana will head back to California at the beginning of April for the Davis Shootout. IU then has 12 days to prepare for the CWPA Western Division Championships, which are set to be held in Bloomington.
The Hoosiers can qualify for the CWPA Eastern Championships in Providence, R.I. with a top two finish in the Western Division Championships. The Eastern Championships run from April 29-30.
"The schedule gives a chance to really grow as a team, compared to last year's schedule where we opened against the best team in the country and things did not slow down from there," Indiana head coach Barry King said. "I think that there are a lot of opportunities for us to be competitive and grow up as a team so that we can reach our goals later in the season, which includes winning the CWPA Championship and making the NCAA tournament."
In the coming weeks, be sure to keep an eye on IUHOOSIERS.com for a full preview of the 2006 Water Polo Season with player interviews, position-by-position previews and a look at last year's graduating class.
