Jan. 27, 2015
SAN DIEGO - Starting with the first week of classes back in late August, we began to look at every varsity women's water polo team in school history, which spans 20 seasons. This week we look at the 2007 team. The Aztecs finished with a 29-10 record (8-4 MPSF) and earned the program's first NCAA berth where they finished in fourth place under head coach Carin Crawford. The 29 wins established a new school record, which stood for only one season.
Where are they now?
Elana Cervantes played at SDSU from 2004-07, earning four varsity letters and helping the Aztecs to three top-7 finishes. A native of Davis, the utility still owns the school record for most assists in a career with 186 and ended her time on Montezuma Mesa with the 10th-most career goals (108) and steals (124).
Questions for Elana:
1. Where are you living these days and what have you been up to since graduating from SDSU?
"I'm currently living in the beautiful Bay Area of San Francisco. I actually just moved back to California four months ago and am ecstatic to be home! I was living in New York City for the last 6.5 years enjoying life and pursuing my career. My first job out of college was at IMG where I worked in their sports marketing division. During that time, I managed Coca-Cola's sponsorship with NASCAR and Kia's partnership with the NBA and Blake Griffin. My main focus was to create and run events for Kia at the NBA Draft and All-Star Weekend, as well as, an event for fans on NASCAR racetracks throughout the U.S. on behalf of Coke. Never in my lifetime did I think I'd be walking the campgrounds at Talladega or watch Blake Griffin dunk over a Kia! It was an incredible time with really special memories. I then began working for ESPN in 2012 where I still am today. Our team, CreativeWorks, functions like an in-house advertising agency and we create campaigns for our advertisers. We determine what the theme is and how it would live across ESPN properties, whether that's TV, ESPN.com or in ESPN The Magazine. I love the people I work with and feel very fortunate to be in a field that I genuinely enjoy. Outside the office, I spent two summers in the Hamptons with my best friends, traveled all over the East Coast and ate tons of unbelievable food with my brother who was also living in NYC. Our family is very into food and living in the culinary capital of the world was heaven on earth for us to explore. Looking back, my time on the East Coast was the perfect mix of professional and personal experiences."
2. What is your favorite memory of being a student-athlete at SDSU?
"There are so many memories I look back on, but the camaraderie with my team is definitely number one. The synergy with your teammates is always the most enjoyable part of being an athlete. You make friendships that last a lifetime and are a part of something bigger to represent the University as a whole. To me, that felt really special to play on such a big stage in a Division I program. It also helped that our team was very successful in what we did. Every team wants to win and we worked hard for what we achieved! The bus rides were always epic in games of "would you rather" and pit stops to Jamba Juice. I'd also have to say the abundance of free apparel and team dinners is high on the list. Our team was either loopy from too much chlorine, high off a win, or exhausted, so you can imagine how some of those dinners went with 25 girls!"
3. You were a member of the first team to play at the Aztec Aquaplex, what did it mean to you to play your first "home" game on campus?
"It was awesome. I still remember walking in those first few times after the pool was finished and observing the sea of water. It looked enormous and I felt so proud to call the Aquaplex home. Especially when it was decked out in ropes, banners, and official markings, it was a scene of beauty ready for battle. It also overlooks a row of palm trees with pure blue sky in the background. Pretty sure we were the envy of all visiting teams! But having a pool on campus wasn't only huge for us and the swimming team, but a win for the student body in general. Look at the weather! You'd think a pool on campus would be synonymous with the beach in San Diego. The SDSU athletic facilities are all crème de la crème and it was really special for our team to have our own home "court" on campus."
4. Your senior year was a memorable one in that your team made its first appearance at the NCAA Championship where you finished fourth. What was your favorite memory from that exciting weekend?
"Being at the NCAA Championship was an honor in general, but beating LMU to make the Final Four is my favorite memory. We finished among the ranks of UCLA, Stanford and USC. That's a pretty elite mix! We were, by far, the underdogs and I was so proud of our team that year. We worked very hard to reach the tournament and making program history solidified how talented our team was. No one outside SDSU believed we could reach the Final Four, and it was extremely gratifying walking around that pool deck, holding our heads high. It really went to show what a united group of young ladies we had and how much we all worked together to make it happen. That tournament culminated my 10-year career playing water polo and there's no better ending than to walk away after you've reached the highest level."
5. Can you recall a song that reminds you of 2007 and your senior year playing water polo?
"Oh man. People are going to laugh but a few come to mind. "Rockstar" by Nickelback, "Gimme More" by Britney Spears and "Fergaliscious" by Fergie.. Ha! Maybe even throw in a Kelly Clarkson hit for good measure. Stacy Werner and I would blast all kinds of music on the way to games. Marilyn Manson was definitely in there, too. Our team was big into music and creating our own versions of lyrics. And making up words in general for the most part. I still laugh thinking about the phrases we would create and how funny we found it. That was the real gold of our team. We were all comedians in our own right."
Stay Connected with SDSU Water Polo
Make sure to stay updated with Aztec water polo by liking them on Facebook, and following them on Twitter and Instagram.
Former Aztecs can also stay connected with other former student-athletes through the Aztec Varsity Club. For more information on the newly formed athletics group, visit goaztecs.com/avc or contact Johanna Pfeiffer at (619) 594-6444 or aztecvarsityclub@mail.sdsu.edu.
A Look Back at 20 Years of SDSU Water Polo: 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006