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/ Women's Water Polo
2019 Will Bring Four New Women of Troy To USC
November 22, 2018 | Women's Water Polo, Features
Three newcomers join this spring, with one recent signee for the following season.
The USC women's water polo team will get three players stronger this spring with the addition of Spaniards Alejandra Aznar and Mireia Guiral and Australian Tilly Kearns. That trio is due to splash down at Troy this January as the newest additions to USC's 2019 roster. Kearns signed her national letter of intent this week, as did another talented new Trojan in Carolyne Stern. A senior out of La Cañada, Stern will be a freshman on USC's 2020 roster.
Aznar, Guiral and Kearns join their USC teammates this spring as the Trojans open up defense of their 2018 NCAA Championship. The three newcomers are expected to be quick fits into the USC gameplan, as they round out a strong class of now-seven USC newcomers along with Bayley Weber, Grace Tehaney, Sophia Lucas and Erin Tharpe, who signed back in November 2017.
"I think our 2019 class could be one of our best classes ever," USC head coach Jovan Vavic said. "I think they're going to make an impact immediately."Â
Aznar and Guiral teamed up for Spain in a winning run to the 2018 FINA Youth World Championships, with Aznar scoring four goals and Guiral adding one as the Spaniards beat Italy 8-7 in the final two months ago. A year prior, they were teammates again for Spain at the LEN Junior European Championships, where Spain again came out on top with gold. A lefty who was named MVP at both those events, Aznar hails from Barcelona, where she is a product of the Institut Centre d'Alt Rendiment Esportiu de Sant Cugat.
"Alejandra is one of the best young players in the world," USC head coach Jovan Vavic said of Aznar. "Her skill set is one-of-a-kind, and she's unique with her high water polo IQ, scoring ability and her speed."
A two-meter player, Guiral also is a product of Institut Centre d'Alt Rendiment Esportiu de Sant Cugat in Barcelona and was a captain on Spain's 2018 Youth World Championship team.
"Mireia is another one of the world's best young players," Vavic said of Guiral. "She is a gamer. She does everything, she's dynamic and she can play both sides of the ball."
USC's most recent overseas addition to the 2019 roster is Australian Tilly Kearns. A native of Sydney, Kearns captained Australia's 2018 FINA Youth World Championship team to a fourth-place finish at the event. While competing with Sydney University Lions, Kearns claimed silver in the National League. In 2017, she captained Australia's Junior World Championships team.
"She has the potential to be an Olympian," She's strong and she's tough. Her father was just inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, so she comes from great athletic genes. She's also versatile with a very good outside shot. Tilly is going to be an immediate impact player for us."
USC will wait until next fall to bring Carolyne Stern into the mix as a 2019-20 freshman, but Vavic is excited about the local product's potential in goal as a Trojan. A 6-2 goalie, Stern has been a member of the United States Youth National Team, winning gold at the 2017 UANA Youth Pan Ams last summer. Named All-Area Player of the Year as a junior, the La Cañada product is in her senior year of high school, set to join the Trojans in fall 2019.
"Carolyne is similar to Amanda," Vavic said of Stern, comparing her to current USC goalie and Cutino Award winner Amanda Longan. "She's a fighter, and she's lanky with long arms. She's our type of a player because of her attitude — she's positive, hard-working and a go-getter."
Aznar, Guiral and Kearns join their USC teammates this spring as the Trojans open up defense of their 2018 NCAA Championship. The three newcomers are expected to be quick fits into the USC gameplan, as they round out a strong class of now-seven USC newcomers along with Bayley Weber, Grace Tehaney, Sophia Lucas and Erin Tharpe, who signed back in November 2017.
"I think our 2019 class could be one of our best classes ever," USC head coach Jovan Vavic said. "I think they're going to make an impact immediately."Â
Aznar and Guiral teamed up for Spain in a winning run to the 2018 FINA Youth World Championships, with Aznar scoring four goals and Guiral adding one as the Spaniards beat Italy 8-7 in the final two months ago. A year prior, they were teammates again for Spain at the LEN Junior European Championships, where Spain again came out on top with gold. A lefty who was named MVP at both those events, Aznar hails from Barcelona, where she is a product of the Institut Centre d'Alt Rendiment Esportiu de Sant Cugat.
"Alejandra is one of the best young players in the world," USC head coach Jovan Vavic said of Aznar. "Her skill set is one-of-a-kind, and she's unique with her high water polo IQ, scoring ability and her speed."
A two-meter player, Guiral also is a product of Institut Centre d'Alt Rendiment Esportiu de Sant Cugat in Barcelona and was a captain on Spain's 2018 Youth World Championship team.
"Mireia is another one of the world's best young players," Vavic said of Guiral. "She is a gamer. She does everything, she's dynamic and she can play both sides of the ball."
USC's most recent overseas addition to the 2019 roster is Australian Tilly Kearns. A native of Sydney, Kearns captained Australia's 2018 FINA Youth World Championship team to a fourth-place finish at the event. While competing with Sydney University Lions, Kearns claimed silver in the National League. In 2017, she captained Australia's Junior World Championships team.
"She has the potential to be an Olympian," She's strong and she's tough. Her father was just inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, so she comes from great athletic genes. She's also versatile with a very good outside shot. Tilly is going to be an immediate impact player for us."
USC will wait until next fall to bring Carolyne Stern into the mix as a 2019-20 freshman, but Vavic is excited about the local product's potential in goal as a Trojan. A 6-2 goalie, Stern has been a member of the United States Youth National Team, winning gold at the 2017 UANA Youth Pan Ams last summer. Named All-Area Player of the Year as a junior, the La Cañada product is in her senior year of high school, set to join the Trojans in fall 2019.
"Carolyne is similar to Amanda," Vavic said of Stern, comparing her to current USC goalie and Cutino Award winner Amanda Longan. "She's a fighter, and she's lanky with long arms. She's our type of a player because of her attitude — she's positive, hard-working and a go-getter."
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