Jan. 24, 2007
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State water polo team received a No. 6 preseason ranking according to the first 2007 national varsity poll released Wednesday by the Collegiate Water Polo Association. The Aztecs received 72 points, trailing Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) rivals Southern California (99 points), UCLA (96), Stanford (88), California (86) and Hawai'i (81), which rounded out the top five. In all, the MPSF had 12 of its 13 member institutions ranked in the top 20, including 10 in the top 11.
SDSU returns 10 letterwinners and five starters from a 2006 squad that finished the season with a No. 7 national ranking after posting a 22-12 overall record and a 5-7 mark in the MPSF. In 12 years of varsity competition, the Aztecs have never placed below 11th in the final national poll.
Head coach Carin Crawford, entering her ninth year at the helm of the Scarlet and Black, has a strong nucleus and a solid supporting cast in place for 2007, led by seniors Stacy Werner, Elana Cervantes and Sarah Kilgore. Werner led the Aztecs last season with 43 goals and also chipped in a team-high 87 steals. Cervantes also enjoyed a productive 2006 campaign, notching 39 goals and leading the squad with 48 assists. Kilgore, meanwhile, will once again occupy the starting goalkeeper position after making 259 saves last year, the third-highest season total in school history.
Also back are junior Becca Ur (22 goals, 18 steals) and sophomore Anna Gonzales (24 goals, 31 assists, 24 steals).
SDSU will kick off its 2007 season on Thursday, Feb. 8, against No. 12 Hartwick College at the Kroc Community Center pool. Game time is set for 3 p.m.
Collegiate Water Polo Association
2007 Preseason National Varsity Poll
(Points in parentheses)
1. Southern California (99)
2. UCLA (96)
3. Stanford (88)
4. California (86)
5. Hawai'i (81)
6. San Diego State (72)
7. Arizona State (66)
8. UC Irvine (62)
9. UC Davis (57)
10. UC Santa Barbara (55)
11. San Jose State (52)
12. Hartwick College (42)
T13. Loyola Marymount (33)
T13. Michigan (33)
15. UC San Diego (26)
16. Long Beach State (25)
17. Santa Clara (24)
18. Princeton (17)
19. Cal State Northridge (9)
T20. Indiana (6)
T20. Brown (6)