By Michael Randazzo, Swimming World Contributor
Editor’s Note: this month Swimming World opens its coverage of the 2018 NCAA Women’s Varsity Water Polo season. Look for interviews, conference predictions and the best coverage of the sport in America and beyond.
When Swimming World last checked in on the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) women’s water polo conference —at the 2017 Women’s NCAA Water Polo Tournament last May—Stanford’s Maggie Steffens was breaking the hearts of Bruin fans with a last-second shot that gave The Cardinal their fifth NCAA title in eight straight trips to the championship game. Not only did Steffens’ shot cap a Stanford career that included three national championships sandwiched around two Olympic golds — and multiple Most Valuable Player honors — at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games, it also marked the end of Brandon Brooks’ eight-year tenure as Bruins’ head coach.
As MPSF teams prepare to open a new women’s season — UCLA and USC officially opened their campaigns Saturday at the UCLA Invitational — Swimming World offers the first of seven previews of the athletic conferences that will send teams to the 2018 NCAA Women’s Water Polo Tournament, to be held next May at USC’s Uytengsu Aquatics Center.
As has been the case in almost every single final that’s been contested since a women’s national championship was established in 1996, at season’s end two MPSF teams will almost certainly be fighting to be crowned the best women’s water polo’s team in America.
Makenzie Fischer, Jamie Neushul, Maggie Steffens and Jamie Neushul. Photo Courtesy: Stanford Athletics
Even though UCLA’s Maddie Musselman has inherited the mantle of the conference’s best player from the now graduated Steffens, it’s impossible to argue against Stanford’s combination of talent and experience, which is why the Cardinal were picked first in the recent MPSF coaches preseason poll.
The 2018 Cardinal losses besides Steffens include three All-Americans: goalie Gabbie Stone, driver Jamie Neushul and hole set Dani Jackovich. But John Tanner’s squad is incredibly deep; Stone is replaced by senior Julia Hermann, who backstopped Stanford to the 2016 title match. Replacing Jackovich is freshman Aria Fischer, who not only was a member of the U.S. gold medal-winning squad at the 2017 World Championships, but is the sister of Makenzie, a sophomore who was second on the team last year (58 goals) behind Steffens.
Neushul’s scoring will likely be picked up by junior Jordan Raney (29 goals), who came into her own last year as both a Cardinal and a member of Team USA.
So, even though the greatest female player in Stanford history has graduated, fear not Cardinal fans! All is sure to be fine on The Farm when it comes to women’s water polo.
Key Matchup: UCLA, Saturday, April 7, Los Angeles, CA
Even though they lost when it counted most, UCLA did win the conference last year, beating Stanford 6-3 in the MPSF title match. They had such a depth of senior talent, including Rachel Fattal, Kodi Hill, Alexa Tielmann and Alys Williams, that the disappointment after the loss in last year’s NCAA final — UCLA’s third in four years to Stanford — likely led to Brooks’ departure. But the 2018 roster is not exactly bereft of talent, and the situation with this year’s UCLA women’s team has similarities to last year’s Bruin men’s squad that concluded its season by winning an NCAA title at Uytengsu.
Musselman returns for her sophomore year after a first season that saw her become the top freshman goal scorer in program history (69). Her accomplishments at such a young age, including Olympic gold in the 2016 Rio Games, are comparable to Steffens’. This summer she was named MVP at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, where her 16 goals led the Americans to a second-straight FINA title. Carlee Kapana, entering her third year in Westwood, was the back-up goalie to Stone on Team USA. Sophomore Bronte Halligan was also in Budapest, playing for the Australian National Team.
Maddie Musselman in 2017 FINA Championships vs. Spain. Photo Courtesy: SIPA USA
The Bruins added four freshmen — Brooks clearly had success recruiting — but perhaps the biggest UCLA addition is at head coach, where Adam Wright steps in. Will the addition of a new coach make that much difference? It’s his first time leading the women’s program at UCLA — Wright was an assistant under Adam Krikorian in 2009 — but the former Bruin’s (’01) record of success on the men’s side is second to none. The 2017 UCLA men were picked fourth in the MPSF preseason poll, and all they did was win the national championship. If Wright produces men’s and women’s championship in the same calendar year, he’ll join Krikorian as the only Bruin coaches to have achieved that feat.
Like their men, the UCLA women will need to prove early in the season that they are for real, and only MPSF opponents can do that.
Key Matchup: California, Saturday, March 10, Berkeley, CA
Jovan Vavic’s USC team has sustained significant losses due to graduation. Irreplaceable — because they were both superb players and twins, are Ioanna and Stephania Haralabidis. Throw in Brigitta Games — like Stephania Haralabidis, now a member of the U.S. Women’s Senior National Team — and the Trojans are losing 194 goals from last year.
Returning for this season on offense are Maud Megens (58 goals; #2 in 2017), Brianna Daboub (36) and Haley McKelvey (36; tied for 5th most on the team). They’ve added Paige Hauschild, who spent the summer with Team USA, and Sabrina Garabet, a lefty who will look to follow the path of Stephania Haralabidis, a 2016 Cutino Award winner. The Trojan defense will again be anchored by two All-American goaltenders: Victória Chamorro and Amanda Longan.
Vavic has carved out one of the greatest records in NCAA coaching history by always having a deep pool of talent to call on. Megens, Denise Mammolito, Kelsey McIntosh and Elise Stein form a potent group of sophomores who will combine with seniors Daboub and McKelvey and provide a strong core for USC this season. Will they be enough to get the Trojans to the top of the MPSF?
Key Matchup: UCLA, Saturday, April 21, Los Angeles, CA (Uytengsu)
In her first season in Berkeley, Coralee Simmons had Cal playing its best at season’s end. The Golden Bears went into the2017 MPSF Tournament and gave top-seed UCLA all they could handle before dropping a 9-8 decision in the semifinals, then led USC by one late in the game before dropping an 8-6 decision in the third place game. But the most important game they played was in the tournament’s opening round; a 9-7 win over Arizona State gave Cal the edge in the fight for an at-large bid to NCAAs.
It’s almost certain that Cal will continue to improve this year, but in the talented MPSF, leap frogging Stanford, UCLA or USC is a tall order. But Simmons, who was a spectacular player for UCLA, and her team are up to the challenge.
With a strong returning cast, including seniors Dora Antal and Anna Illes of Hungary and sophomore Emma Wright of Canada. This trio of international stars played for their respective nations last summer at FINA Worlds. Antal and Illes are likely to continue playing professional in Hungary, while Wright will be a major contributor to the Canadian Olympic effort.
Before they leave Berkeley, the hope is not only that this year’s seniors qualify for a second-straight NCAA berth, but that they find their way to the top of the conference. Replacing goalie Madeline Trabucco, who graduated fourth all-time on Cal’s saves list, may be Simmons’ biggest task. Junior Madison Tagg will likely get the nod over freshmen Cassidy Ball and Daily Hartmeier; net play may be determine if the Golden Bears greatest qualify for back-to-back NCAA berths.
Key Matchup: USC, Saturday, April 7, Los Angeles, CA (Uytengsu)
After capturing an NCAA berth two years ago — the Sun Devils’ second appearance ever — Arizona State was shut out of the national championship picture last year by a fourth place Cal squad. The challenge this year for Todd Clapper’s squad is therefore clear; finish fourth (or better) in MPSF and they’ll make NCAAs.
The team’s offense certainly looks up to the task. Led by graduate student Alkistis Benekou (46 goals) senior Lena Mihailovic (45) and junior Maud Koopman (41 goals), ASU has an experienced one-two-three scoring punch. And the Sun Devils are strong on the backline, as senior goalie Mia Rycraw returns following a second-straight All-MPSF First Team campaign.
New to the ASU roster are Meghan Beaudet, Kate Cassidy, Belen Ehinger, Amira Van Buren and Layla Waters, with Beaudet likely to see plenty of minutes as the back-up set to Benekou. With an experienced squad — half the roster is upper classmen — the time is now for Sun Devil water polo.
Key Matchup: Cal, Saturday, March 17, Tempe, AZ
For San José State — now that CSU Bakersfield has dropped women’s water polo — there’s no place to go but up in the conference. Which, given how competitive the MPSF is, represents a huge challenge to Gabor Sarusi’s squad. Now in his second season leading the Spartans, the former Trojan knows what it takes to compete in the MPSF.
That doesn’t mean San José State is quite ready for the challenge.
The Spartan’s top two goal scorers graduated last spring; Carla Toha Vilanova (38 goals) and Donia Momen (32). Returning is Klaudia Paradi (23 goals), an All-MPSF Third Team selection in 2017, Sheila Jensen (19) and top goalie Katelynn Thompson (24 starts; 10.24 GAA).
Sarusi has recruited nine freshmen to his team, and he’s looking for immediate results from them.
“I think a number of them will make a big impact right away,” he said via email. “I’m hoping for them to get experience and get a good amount of playing time under their belts in their first season.”
This year may not see a conference win for Sarusi’s team, but a better future appears to be on the horizon in San José.