Indiana University Athletics
IU's Canadian Trio
1/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
Jan. 27, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - For the Indiana trio of senior Janis Pardy, junior Kristin Zernicke and junior Brooke Zimmerman, the sport of water polo started long before they came to Indiana. Together these three women achieved gold medal honors at the World Championships as part of the 2003 Canadian Junior Women's team.
The group starts off with the leadership of attacker Pardy. In her time at IU, Pardy became only the fifth Hoosier in school history to collect 30-or-more goals, assists and steals in a single season. Pardy received American Water Polo Coaches Association (AWPCA) Superior All-Academic team honoree and Academic All-Big Ten selection.
"It's hard to play competitively in Canada and still be a full-time student, so when I heard from IU, I jumped at the chance," Pardy said. "It's a great opportunity to play the sport you love and get a great education."
Part two of the trio keeps opponents guessing with her quick hands. Attacker Zernicke led the team in steals averaging more than 45 in her first two seasons. Zernicke's honors range from a Collegiate Water Polo Association Western Division Player of the Week to Academic All-Big Ten selection. She is the only Hoosier ever to be recognized with two consecutive AWPCA Outstanding All-Academic honors.
"IU is an amazing opportunity, which has allowed me to receive a great educational experience and simultaneously play the sport I love," Zernicke said.
The trio is rounded out by a newcomer to IU. Zimmerman comes to the Hoosiers as a former member of the Calgary Renegades club team, where she earned Athlete of the Year honors in 2003. The attacker's honors include National MVP honors in 1999 and Senior Women's MVP in 2004 and 2005.
"After winning at the World Championships, personally I decided I needed a little change, and I really wanted to finish school," Zimmerman said.
The trio has been playing together for more than five years, and the experience will benefit the Hoosiers when they get their 2006 season underway.
"We have all played together for so long," Pardy said. "We have a lot of chemistry. We know how each other plays and can predict what they are going to do next."
The three have an untouchable quality between them that allows for great timing and trust.
"Our combined experience together has created an intangible connection between us that allows us to push our boundaries, take risks and trust in each other to ultimately become better players and help form the amazing team dynamic here at IU," Zernicke said.
The success of the group does not come from talent alone but rather years of friendship. Each one hopes to bring national success with them to IU as the three continue their careers together at the colligate level.
"We have great team chemistry and I think a lot of our success can be attributed to how well we all get along," Pardy said. "We aren't just teammate, we're more importantly friends."
The group of women has built a relationship that is strong both in and out of the pool.
"We know each other really well," Zimmerman said. "We have come to be great friends and when we play together, we get a real connection in the water. I believe this will be beneficial when playing at IU because we are always successful together."
When the three teammates look back at their time both here at IU and in Canada, they will take away many great lessons that have helped them become better players.
"I think my career with the Canadian National team and here with the IU water polo team has given me experiences that have made me a more adaptable player," Zernicke said.
The time spent at an international level has given each of them something that a player cannot learn at a colligate level.
"I have gained a lot of international experience, which has also helped me with my confidence and patience when it comes to pressure," Zimmerman said.
During their time, international play has contributed to the trio to help them become more versatile players
"It has allowed me to experiment with different styles of play to come up with the most successful one," Pardy said. "Everyone has something new to contribute, so you can learn from everyone on your team."
The No. 11 Hoosiers come into the 2006 campaign following a 24-10, 7-0 Collegiate Water Polo Association Western Division finish to the 2005 season. IU grabbed its first regular season title and finished ranked No.10 in the nation. The record marked the fourth straight season that the Indiana collected at least 20 wins. The Hoosiers look to continue their winning ways with the leadership and experience of the Canadian trio of Pardy, Zernicke and Zimmerman.
The Hoosiers will start its campaign at the Michigan Kickoff Tournament Feb. 4-5, where they will be facing three ranked opponents including No.17 UC-San Diego, No.8 Michigan and No.7 Long Beach State.
