Indiana University Athletics
Four Hoosiers Earn CWPA All-Western Division Honors
4/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 28, 2006
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A quartet of Indiana water polo players were recognized as Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) All-Western Division selections at the conference championship banquet on April 28. Senior Janis Pardy and junior Brooke Zimmerman garnered first team honors, while junior Melissa Soria and sophomore Jackie Pyrz notched second team accolades. The four all-conference selections equaled the school record for the second straight season. In 2005, the Hoosiers had three first team choices and one second team honoree.
"I am proud of all four of these young ladies," Indiana head coach Barry King said. "They have competed at the highest level for us and represented Indiana University the right way. Janis, Brooke and Melissa have been our top offensive threats this season, and our improvement offensively has been a reflection of the work they have put in. Jackie has developed as the season has gone along and had an exceptional game to clinch the regular season division title at Michigan."
Pardy earned the first all-conference accolade of her career. The Calgary, Alberta, Canada native leads the Hoosiers with 42 assists on the season, which ranks second in school history. She trails the school record by only three, while also ranking third on the team with 45 goals. That total also ranks in the top 50 nationally. Pardy currently ranks in the top seven in school history in steals (seventh with 134), assists (third with 102) and goals (seventh with 102).
In her first season as a Hoosier, Zimmerman recorded all-conference accolades as one of the IU's top offensive threats. Zimmerman ranks second on the team in goals (47), assists (41) and steals (58), while notching 26 kickouts earned to rank third on a team. The former Canadian Junior International also tops the team with 11 hat tricks on the season in only 27 matches.
Soria received second team All-Western Division honors, but has been one of the hottest Hoosiers in recent weeks. The Villa Park, Calif., native tops Indiana with 53 goals and 36 kickouts earned. The 53-goal total is tied for 23rd nationally. In the last 10 games, Soria has led IU in scoring on seven occasions, all hat tricks, and recorded 32 goals. On three different occasions, she has notched five goals in victories over Marist, Sonoma State and Slippery Rock.
For the fourth straight season, the Hoosier goalkeeper earned second team All-Western Division honors. After Jessica Goldner earned the distinction the last three years, sophomore Jackie Pyrz earned her first all-conference accolade in 2006. Pyrz has a goals against average of 6.52 with 230 saves and 31 steals. Her saves' total ranks seventh nationally and is the third-highest mark in school history.
The Hoosiers are the No. 4 seed at the CWPA Eastern Championship and will open with Bucknell at 10:30 a.m., on Saturday, April 29. The winner will advance to the first semifinal against the winner of the top-seed Hartwick and No. 8-seed Harvard. The Eastern Championship will be hosted by Brown University at the Smith Swim Center.
