Indiana University Athletics
IU Water Polo Season Preview: The Centers
1/21/2016 9:32:00 PM | Women's Water Polo
Schroeder leads a deeply talented two-meter unit into 2016
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After a long offseason, the 2016 NCAA water polo season is two days away. The Hoosiers are building from a successful 2015 season, finishing with a No. 11 national ranking and amidst a three-way tie at the top of the CWPA. This season, head coach Barry King and the Hoosiers look to extend their success, with their sights set on the CWPA Championship and a return to the NCAA Championships in Los Angeles, Calif.
While the Hoosiers lost six valuable seniors to graduation over the summer, they return a group filled with talent across all classes and position groups. This week, IUHoosiers.com will breakdown this year's team by position, taking a look at the team's new leaders and new faces of Indiana Water Polo.
The Hoosiers are loaded with talent at the center position, beginning with standout senior Candyce Schroeder. She joins junior Bronwyn Smith, sophomore Jennifer Beadle, and freshman Kaybree Albright as Indiana hopes to control the two-meter area on both ends of the pool.
The Centers: Candyce Schroeder (Sr.), Bronwyn Smith (Jr.), Jennifer Beadle (So.), Kaybree Albright (Fr.)
"Candyce is in the best shape of her IU career, and this is the longest time of period she has been injury-free," King said, when asked about his two-meter senior. "I think her understanding of her teammates is the best that it's been. We're expecting a great year from her.
Like her sophomore teammate, Kelly Matthews, Schroeder found a lot of her success last year from open chances created by the dynamic Indiana offense. Opponents gravitated toward 2015 seniors like Rebecca Gerrity and Colleen McNaught, leaving Schroeder in opportunistic scoring situations.
This season, she'll be the primary focus of every opposing defense. They know that Schroeder is capable of dominating in the middle, and they'll do everything they can to shut her out of the attack.
"The basis of opponents' defenses this season will be to flat-out eliminate Candyce's ability to touch the ball," King said. "That means she'll have to earn touches in the counterattack and earlier in the shot clock."
King is confident in Schroeder's ability to tailor her game with respect to her defensive pressure. She may not find immediate success in isolation moves, but the added attention will open chances for her teammates.
"She'll have to be patient, hold her space, and be able to create the situations where people have to pay attention to her," King began, laying out the optimal strategy for Indiana's sole senior field player. "That will open up opportunities for her teammates, which will in turn cycle back to opportunities for her."
Schroeder is Indiana's leading returning scorer, tallying 108 goals and 52 assists over her three seasons. She may not jump out to the same start she had last season, in which she netted 56 goals, but the chances will come when opponents notice that the Hoosiers have offensive talent all over the pool.
Junior Bronwyn Smith enters the season after a five-goal, six-assist sophomore year. Now, with two years of experience under her belt, Smith will put into practice the valuable knowledge she gained from watching those before her at the position.
"She's worked with and watch two great centers in Candyce Schroeder and Rebecca Gerrity," said King. She understands the level and energy that she needs to bring to the position on a consistent basis.
After a solid freshman year as a utility player in 2015, Jennifer Beadle will make the transition to the center position this season. Physically and athletically, she has what it takes to control the middle of opposing defenses. In this transition, however, the sophomore will need to respond to the position's demands on both ends of the pool.
"The emphasis won't be on her scoring," King said. "Rather, she'll need to show how she contributes to goal-scoring opportunities and swinging the time of possession in our favor."
Kaybree Albright will begin her Indiana career this weekend, and she comes to Bloomington with a promising track record. In her senior season at Corona Del Mar High School, Albright slotted 48 goals with 16 assists and 24 steals, and helped the Sea Kings to a third-place finish in the CIF-SS Division-I playoffs. She was also an outstanding swimmer in her prep career, a four-time All-League honoree and an All-American qualifier in the 400m freestyle.
Albright also played at the club level for nationally renowned Saddleback-El Toro water polo club. The club, helmed by water polo extraordinaire Bradley Schumacher, has a knack for developing the center position. Their alumni list includes three players who went on to Indiana Water Polo, including current senior Candyce Schroeder.
"Kaybree is a blank slate with a wide open future," King said. "She'll look to gain experience at the collegiate level this season, hoping to apply the lessons learned as the season progresses. I see great things for her in the future."
Indiana's quartet at the center position hopes to control the inside this Saturday, January 23, in their first game of the season against sixth-ranked Arizona State. The Hoosiers lost a hard-fought contest to the Sun Devils at last season's ASU Invitational, but they'll look to pick up some west coast wins in their four games against the Sun Devils this weekend.
While the Hoosiers lost six valuable seniors to graduation over the summer, they return a group filled with talent across all classes and position groups. This week, IUHoosiers.com will breakdown this year's team by position, taking a look at the team's new leaders and new faces of Indiana Water Polo.
The Hoosiers are loaded with talent at the center position, beginning with standout senior Candyce Schroeder. She joins junior Bronwyn Smith, sophomore Jennifer Beadle, and freshman Kaybree Albright as Indiana hopes to control the two-meter area on both ends of the pool.
The Centers: Candyce Schroeder (Sr.), Bronwyn Smith (Jr.), Jennifer Beadle (So.), Kaybree Albright (Fr.)
"Candyce is in the best shape of her IU career, and this is the longest time of period she has been injury-free," King said, when asked about his two-meter senior. "I think her understanding of her teammates is the best that it's been. We're expecting a great year from her.
Like her sophomore teammate, Kelly Matthews, Schroeder found a lot of her success last year from open chances created by the dynamic Indiana offense. Opponents gravitated toward 2015 seniors like Rebecca Gerrity and Colleen McNaught, leaving Schroeder in opportunistic scoring situations.
This season, she'll be the primary focus of every opposing defense. They know that Schroeder is capable of dominating in the middle, and they'll do everything they can to shut her out of the attack.
"The basis of opponents' defenses this season will be to flat-out eliminate Candyce's ability to touch the ball," King said. "That means she'll have to earn touches in the counterattack and earlier in the shot clock."
King is confident in Schroeder's ability to tailor her game with respect to her defensive pressure. She may not find immediate success in isolation moves, but the added attention will open chances for her teammates.
"She'll have to be patient, hold her space, and be able to create the situations where people have to pay attention to her," King began, laying out the optimal strategy for Indiana's sole senior field player. "That will open up opportunities for her teammates, which will in turn cycle back to opportunities for her."
Schroeder is Indiana's leading returning scorer, tallying 108 goals and 52 assists over her three seasons. She may not jump out to the same start she had last season, in which she netted 56 goals, but the chances will come when opponents notice that the Hoosiers have offensive talent all over the pool.
Junior Bronwyn Smith enters the season after a five-goal, six-assist sophomore year. Now, with two years of experience under her belt, Smith will put into practice the valuable knowledge she gained from watching those before her at the position.
"She's worked with and watch two great centers in Candyce Schroeder and Rebecca Gerrity," said King. She understands the level and energy that she needs to bring to the position on a consistent basis.
After a solid freshman year as a utility player in 2015, Jennifer Beadle will make the transition to the center position this season. Physically and athletically, she has what it takes to control the middle of opposing defenses. In this transition, however, the sophomore will need to respond to the position's demands on both ends of the pool.
"The emphasis won't be on her scoring," King said. "Rather, she'll need to show how she contributes to goal-scoring opportunities and swinging the time of possession in our favor."
Kaybree Albright will begin her Indiana career this weekend, and she comes to Bloomington with a promising track record. In her senior season at Corona Del Mar High School, Albright slotted 48 goals with 16 assists and 24 steals, and helped the Sea Kings to a third-place finish in the CIF-SS Division-I playoffs. She was also an outstanding swimmer in her prep career, a four-time All-League honoree and an All-American qualifier in the 400m freestyle.
Albright also played at the club level for nationally renowned Saddleback-El Toro water polo club. The club, helmed by water polo extraordinaire Bradley Schumacher, has a knack for developing the center position. Their alumni list includes three players who went on to Indiana Water Polo, including current senior Candyce Schroeder.
"Kaybree is a blank slate with a wide open future," King said. "She'll look to gain experience at the collegiate level this season, hoping to apply the lessons learned as the season progresses. I see great things for her in the future."
Indiana's quartet at the center position hopes to control the inside this Saturday, January 23, in their first game of the season against sixth-ranked Arizona State. The Hoosiers lost a hard-fought contest to the Sun Devils at last season's ASU Invitational, but they'll look to pick up some west coast wins in their four games against the Sun Devils this weekend.
Players Mentioned
Center
/ Women's Water Polo
Center
/ Women's Water Polo
Utility
/ Women's Water Polo
Defender
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Center
/ Women's Water Polo
Center
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