Water polo set to begin 2010 season

By Tom Schreier

Every year, the Santa Clara women's water polo team writes down their team goals on a poster and places it on a wall inside their locker room. Perennially on top of that list is winning the Western Water Polo Association tournament in April.

"What it all comes down to is our conference tournament at the end of the year," says Jenny Knutson, one of three senior captains.

In years past that goal may have seemed unattainable, but when the team lost to Loyola Marymount University in the WWPA conference championship last year, they established a new standard for women's water polo at Santa Clara.

In order to get to the championship game this year, they will have to replace the production of the six seniors who graduated last year. This was a class that included the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-American Amy Lamb.

"My philosophy is that, if you are going to be good consistently, you are always going to graduate a good senior class," states Keith Wilbur, who is in eighth year as the Broncos' Head Coach.

"Last year I was worried about the senior class we graduated...but last year's senior class stepped up. I'm taking the same approach. I'm going to expect the same thing from this group."

Current seniors Meg Zimmerman, Rochelle Stowe and Knutson were named team captains after spending a lot of time in the water during significant games last year. Wilbur believes that Zimmerman and Knutson have developed into well-rounded impact players and have benefitted from Stowe's breakout junior year, one in which Stowe shut down the opposition's top scorers and improved her offensive production.

On a team with few upperclassmen, junior transfers Caitlin Espe (West Valley College) and Whitney Allen (Bucknell University) bring additional experience to a team that carries nine freshmen on their roster.

"They're jumping right into practice and I think they're picking up our system of play really quick," said Wilbur. "I think our junior (and) senior class looked kind of thin going into this year, but to have those two, we're normal or even stronger than we were in years past."

Stowe believes that the biggest challenge for her team this year is getting the freshmen used to playing at a college level and building team chemistry.

"We're about half new players, so we're getting used to working with everyone," she said.

However, fellow captain Zimmerman feels that the freshmen are comfortable with the seniors on the team and that they will offer their help any time it is asked for.

"We've gotten a lot of questions, (like) little things in the middle of the play. If someone has a quick question they will come ask us," said Zimmerman.

With his team ranked among the top-20 in the NCAA for four consecutive years, Wilbur has put together one of the nation's toughest schedules in order to prepare his team for the WWPA tournament; many of the teams the Broncos will face are of top-20 caliber. Wilbur expects that matches against Sonoma State University -- Jan. 31 and Mar. 24 -- and UC San Diego -- Mar. 5 -- will give him an idea as to how his team will fare against conference rival Loyola Marymount in the WWPA tournament.

Santa Clara's accomplishments in the pool have not come at the cost of academic success in the classroom. Last year marked the third straight year that the team has been ranked among the top-11 most academic teams nationally.

Wilbur believes that the student-athletes that are attracted to his program are motivated and put forth the effort necessary to balance outstanding performance in the pool with academic prowess in the classroom.

"I just try to coach them as best I can and then I just really take into consideration their studies. There are players who have to miss a little bit of practice here or there," he said. "When academics become crunch-time and serious for them, they talk to me and I adapt to that either personally or as a team with our practice schedule. I think there's a way to do that and balance it and still work hard and be committed to water polo."

The seniors understand that a high standard has been set for Santa Clara water polo. They will be expected to compete at a high level every time they enter the pool while at the same time balancing their studies in Santa Clara's rigorous curriculum.

When asked if the team feels a lot of pressure because of the expectations that have come along with their recent success, Zimmerman was poised in her response.

"Yes, but I also think it's kind of motivating. It's pressure, but it also makes us want to hold up to that standard and get higher if we can, so it's a motivator more so than pressure."

Contact Tom Schreier at tschreier@scu.edu or (408) 551-1918.