THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.— The Cal Lutheran women's water polo team enters 2020 as the No. 1 team in the nation according to the Collegiate Water Polo Association. The Regals return 11 and welcome nine to the program.
Cal Lutheran returns to the pool after winning the 2019 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) title and competing in the National Collegiate Water Polo Championship.
This year features a new postseason playoff system as USA Water Polo is sponsoring a four-team playoff to crown a Division III national championship. The two tops teams from the SCIAC and the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) will compete in the tournament.
The senior class, all of which had big contributions to last year's conference championship squad, is made up of Christin Hirn, Victoria Rose Meek and Mackenzie Thomas.
Meek earned All-America Honorable Mention and plays center as Hirn and Thomas are attackers. In 2019, Meek totaled 43 drawn ejections, 29 goals and 16 steals, while Hirn recorded 29 steals and 27 goals and Thomas added 44 steals and 26 goals.
Returning for the junior class is Jay Clerou, Jessica Diaz and Taylor Campbell. They are joined by two new Regals, transfers Kemi Dijkstra and Elyse Koe.
Diaz, a utility player, transferred in last year, and made an impact right away, tallying 33 goals and 18 steals. Clerou and Campbell look to continuing to grow in Coach Rond's system and are both attackers. Koe, an ACWPC All-Academic honoree at CSUN a year ago, and Dijkstra, bring experience to the Purple and Gold.
The sophomore class impressed last year and is made up of Bri Bulkeley, Kaitlin Gardhouse, Kaitlin Moreno, Rachel Ray and Lexi Rond.
In Rond's freshman season, the center was All-America First Team, All-SCIAC First Team and SCIAC Newcomer of the Year as she recorded 112 drawn ejections and 59 goals. Gardhouse, a utility player, added 22 goals, 40 steals, 30 drawn ejections and 18 assists, while Bulkeley, Moreno and Ray all gained valuable playing experience. Bulkeley and Ray are both attackers and Moreno will take over the goalkeeper position.
The Freshmen class has six student-athletes putting on the Purple and Gold. Ready for the first season with Cal Lutheran is Isabella Garcia (attacker), Bethany Metcalfe (attacker), Kim Reidel (utility), Taryn Sato (goalkeeper), Hayley Smith (attacker) and Maddie Stuart (attacker).
The Regals start their 2020 campaign on the road this weekend as Cal Lutheran travels to Fresno, Calif., to play in the Fresno State Tournament. CLU opens the tournament with Fresno State on Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
2020 Roster: Regals Water Polo
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
