Season Outlook • Women's Water Polo

The Lady Devils are the defending Big 7 South Champs. This year the league is combined to form the Big 7 with nine teams. The Devils have been league or co-league champions seven of the last ten years. Also, it must be noted that the Lady Devils have qualified for the State championship tourney nine of the last ten years.

The ten year record overall for the women’s program is an impressive 252 wins and only 74 losses. This is an average of 25 wins a season. Also during this same ten year period Merced College has had 41 Community College All-Americans. Many have continued their education and polo careers at four-year colleges or universities.

The 2006 season will be one with a lot of new faces. Twenty-one polo players make-up this years team. The Blue Devils will only return two starters from last years 25-13 team, but a total of seven sophomores all with playing experience return.

Returning starters are Jenn Dutcher (Buchanan-Clovis), (27 goals, 24 assists, and 54 steals), and Rachel Metcalf (Merced), (10 goals, 11 assists, and 34 steals). They will be supported with sophomores and co-captains Rochelle DeLong (Cy Creek-Houston, TX) (10 goals, 27 assists, and 10 steals), and Kelli Duran (Merced-Merced) (10 goals, 5 assists, and 11 steals). They will be joined by other returning sophomores Christine Phiripes (Buchanan-Clovis), Britt Wilkins (Atwater), Avi Barrom (Golden Valley-Merced) and Ashley Nawrocki (Golden Valley-Merced).

In coming freshmen that should make an impact on this years team will be Nikka Simoni (Lincoln-Stockton), Kara Andrews (Clovis East), Tiffany Swiggart (Atwater), and Shelby West (Pitman-Turlock). The Devils will also have the service of freshmen Bonnie Wylie (Golden Valley-Merced), Chrissy Robinson (Johansen-Modesto), Charlotte Janz (Buhach Colony-Atwater), Sarah Geiss (Buhach Colony-Atwater), Kaili Hill (Chowchilla), Carly Brown (Turlock), and Lianne Imperatrice (Sierra). Freshman Kat Brigham (Atwater) will be this years goalie along with back-up Carly Brown.

“This years team is young and inexperienced, but has a lot of balance. I’m looking for good leadership by our captains and returning sophomores. We have a lot of good freshmen that will hopefully blend in and make a good team. Our work will be cut-out for this year. We always play the best teams in the state. I know that this years team can come to the challenge. Our goals are always to win league, make the Nor-Cal, and play in the State Tourney.. With hard work this team can achieve these goals.” Says Coach Bill Halpin

“The Tradition Continues”