Indiana University Athletics
No. 20 Hoosiers Open Season At Michigan Kick-Off Tournament
1/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
Jan. 26, 2007
Michigan Kick-Off Notes
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THIS WEEK'S SLATE
The Indiana women's water polo team will open the 2007 season at the Michigan Kick-Off, held at Canham Natatorium in Ann Arbor, Mich., Jan. 27-28. The Hoosiers will take on UC-Santa Cruz at 11:15 a.m. to start the tournament on Saturday, Jan. 27, and close out the day against host Michigan at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, IU will take on Colorado State at 8 a.m. to start the day and will wrap up the tournament against Marist at noon.
A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS
Colorado State -- CSU enters its third season as a varsity program and begins ranked No. 7 in the WWPA Preseason Coaches Poll. In both previous seasons, the Rams have placed ninth in the conference. Eight letterwinners return from last year's squad, which went 17-21. Among them is the team's leading scorer from 2006, Annie Quinn. Her school-record 72 goals ranked 13th in the country last season, and as a result, Quinn earned All-WWPA honorable mention accolades. Jon Mattos, who also heads the Rams' swimming and diving program, is in his third year as head coach. The Hoosiers are 4-0 all-time against the Rams and defeated Colorado State 10-1 last season.
Marist -- The Red Foxes won their first MAAC championship in 2006 to reach the program's first NCAA Championship. Marist completed the campaign with a school-record 23 victories (23-15) and returns 11 players from that squad. The two top scorers from 2006 return for their sophomore seasons. First team All-MAAC member Katelin McCahill led the team in goals (68) and added 28 assists, while Kari Weston, who was also a first team all-conference member, was the team's leading point producer. Weston tallied 106 points on 58 goals and 48 assists, earning MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year honors. Reigning MAAC Coach of the Year Andrew Silva enters his third campaign at Marist. Indiana holds a 1-0 record against the Red Foxes, having defeated them 12-6 last season.
UC-Santa Cruz -- The Banana Slugs advanced to the Division III National Championships last season and have fallen to Indiana in all three previous meetings between the schools. IU defeated the Slugs 13-10 and 17-4 in 2001 and 14-2 in 2003. Santa Cruz enters the 2007 season ranked No. 9 in Division III.
Michigan -- The Wolverines, ranked No. 8 in the nation to open the season, bring back 11 letterwinners from last season and adds 10 newcomers for the 2007 season. Last year's leading scorer, Shana Welch, returns, along with five others who tallied at least 20 goals last season in Carrie Frost , Mary Chatigny , Julie Hyrne, Sharayah Hernandez and Michelle Keeley. The Maize and Blue notched five wins over ranked opponents in 2006 and finished with a 29-12 record.
IN THE RANKINGS
The Indiana women's water polo team opens the 2007 season where it finished the year before, ranked No. 20 in the National Collegiate Women's Top 20 Poll, which was released on Jan. 24. The Hoosiers were 11th in the preseason poll a season ago and went on to spend the rest of the season in the rankings. The Hoosiers share their preseason ranking with Brown University. The Hoosiers are also ranked No. 4 in the innagural CWPA Western Division Poll.
After winning its second straight regular-season CWPA Western Division title in 2006, the Indiana water polo team is looking to repeat as divisional champion, return to the CWPA Eastern Championship and compete for a national title in 2007. The Hoosiers, who went 24-11 a year ago, return four of their top five players, including returning 201 of their 311 goals from 2006.
SEASON OPENERS
Starting the season at the Michigan Kick-Off will mark the sixth straight season in which the Hoosiers have opened play in Ann Arbor. In 2006, Indiana went 1-3 at the Michigan Kick-Off, and won two of three contests at the Michigan Invitational to start the 2005 campaign. The Hoosiers have won just two season-openers at Michigan, a 6-5 overtime triumph over Arizona State on Jan. 24, 2004, and a 10-8 victory against Hartwick on Jan. 25, 2003.
20 WINS THE MARK
For the eighth time in its nine-year existence, the Indiana water polo program eclipsed the 20-win plateau in 2006. Indiana went 24-11 last season. The lone year IU failed to win 20 was 2001, when the Hoosiers finished 18-12-1.
Indiana head coach Barry King has led the Hoosiers during every season as a varsity sport. In his nine years, he has guided the Hoosiers to a 200-105-2 (.655) record.
The school record for wins is 26. Indiana won 26 matches in 1998 and 2003. The 2003 squad also was the first to win the CWPA and advance to an NCAA-sponsored Final Four.
LEADING THE WAY
The Hoosiers are returning four of their top five players from the team that won its second consecutive CWPA Western Division Championship. In goal, the Hoosiers return second team All-Western Division selection Jackie Pyrz a year after she posted 259 saves and a 6.24 goals against average. The Hoosiers will also have plenty of experience at defender, with seniors Emily Schmitt and Claire Nicholson anchoring the position. Schmitt returns to the Hoosiers after missing the 2006 season due to injury. The Beaverton, Ore., native has 82 career steals to go along with 66 scores in her 100 games as a Hoosier. Nicholson played in 30 matches last season for IU, registering 22 steals on the season to go along with four goals and 12 assists.
At attacker, the Hoosiers will rely on senior Kristen Zernicke and junior Brooke Zimmerman to run the offense. Zernicke is already in the top 10 in IU history with 155 career steals, while Zimmerman scored 53 goals in her first year as a Hoosier. Zimmerman also led all returning players in 2006 with 43 assists and 66 steals. The Hoosiers also return a strong scoring threat in center Melissa Soria. Soria returns for the Hoosiers after posting 61 goals a year ago, the third-most in the history of the Hoosier program, and earning second team All-CWPA laurels. She scored five goals on three different occasions last year and earned 42 kickouts on the year.
SETTING NEW MARKS
In 2006, freshman Melissa Soria scored 61 goals, tying former Hoosier Krista Peterson for third on the single-season list, while senior Janis Pardy posted a single-season record with 47 assists on the season. She also added 47 goals and 71 assists on the year, both career highs. Sophomore Brooke Zimmerman posted outstanding numbers in her first season as a Hoosier, finishing second on the team with 53 goals, 43 assists and 66 steals. Junior Kristen Zernicke tallied 25 goals, 38 assists and 64 steals, as well. In goal, sophomore Jackie Pyrz set a new Hoosier record by facing 673 shots, while her 259 saves are the third-most by an Indiana goalkeeper in a single season. Zimmerman's 53 goals tie her for eighth-most in a single season in IU history, while her steals total is also the eighth-best single season mark. Zernicke's 38 assists on the year are the seventh-most in a single season in IU history, while her 64 steals tie her with Ginger Wang for ninth in a season.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
In 2006, five IU water polo student-athletes were named to the AWCPA All-Academic Team and eight were named Academic All-Big Ten. Junior Kristen Zernicke posted her third straight year as an "Outstanding" selection to the AWCPA team, the highest level of academic honor a player can receive from the organization.
