USC Adds Nine To Women's Water Polo
November 20, 2007 | Women's Water Polo
Nov. 20, 2007
Head coach Jovan Vavic has an eye for talent, and this year he's loaded up another strong class of incoming players for the USC women's water polo program. Nine athletes have signed national letters of intent to join the Women of Troy in 2009, Vavic announced today. Armed and ready to begin their Trojan careers next season are USC's newest members: Kristine Cato, Nadia Dan, Kara-Leigh Huse, Emily Klug, Alexandra Powers, Paige Squiller, Briana Vogelzang, Sarah Welty and Kendall Wootten.
"I think this is a very good group," Vavic said of his nine signees. "We have nine girls, so it's one of the deepest classes we've had, but it's also very balanced and we have a little bit of everything."
Kristine Cato out of La Canada High has the goalie position covered. A 6-2 goalie who earned 2006-07 CIF Southern Section Division III Second Team honors, Cato will come to Troy set to help in the cage.
"She's very good," Vavic said of Cato. "She will really add depth to the goalie position."
Another Southern Section standout, Nadia Dan brings a powerful left hand to the Trojan roster. She was a Division IV First Team selection last season out of Harvard Westlake.
"She has a cannon for an arm," Vavic said of Dan.
Standing out in the defensive realm for the Women of Troy are Kara-Leigh Huse out of La Salle High and Emily Klug of Foothill High. Huse earned CIF Division IV First Team honors last year, while Klug claimed First Team honors in Division I after helping her Foothill squad claim the CIF title. Klug also is a member of the U.S. National Youth Team.
"Huse and Klug are two really strong two-meter defenders," Vavic said.
Also set to come to Troy are Palos Verdes native Alexandra Powers and San Diego's Paige Squiller, who was a Second Team All-CIF pick last season out of University City High. Both boast strong defensive skills to bring to the pool for the Trojans in 2009.
"Powers is a good all around player. She can play two-meter offense and two-meter defense," Vavic said. "And Squiller is a utility player who is very team oriented and can play defense."
The next three USC newcomers come in as high school teammates at Wilson High. The Long Beach group of Brianna Vogelzang, Sarah Welty and Kendall Wootten combine for a speedy talent pool coming into USC. Wootten, whose brother Kyle is on the USC men's team, was a CIF Southern Section Division I First Team selection last season, and Welty was honored on the Second Team.
"The three girls from Long Beach all have good speed and good driving skills," Vavic said. "Brianna is very fast and very good on the counterattack, Welty is a good attacker and good offensive shooter, and Kendall plays utility with the ability to post up. She really has a good understanding of the game."
The nine new Women of Troy will join the USC roster for the 2009 season.
