University of California Athletics

April 20, 2007

BERKELEY, CALIF. - The waters are stirring within the confines of Spieker Aquatics Complex this spring, as the California women's water polo program takes dead aim the highest levels of the sport.

Water polo is sacred at Cal, where Kirk Everist's men's team just won its NCAA record 12th championship this past fall, and the Golden Bear women would like nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of their male counterparts.

"Our goal is to win the national championship, and we are getting closer and closer to being able to realize that goal," said women's coach Richard Corso, who guided the U.S. men's water polo team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. "The benchmark is our training. We are training like a national team and our players are embracing it. Fitness, technique and tactics are three things that are going to help us make it to the NCAAs."

The Bears have plenty of reason to be optimistic, and the 2007 campaign could be the year Cal makes it to the eight-team NCAA Tournament in Los Alamitos. Ranked No. 4 in the preseason poll, the Bears feature a world-class coach in Corso, a USA National Team player in senior Elsie Windes, and a freshman class considered by many to be the nation's best. Mix in a steady core of returnees, and the Bears have more than a solid chance of qualifying for the national championship in May.

If the 2007 Bears do make it to the promised land, it will be due in large part to the efforts of the coaches and players who preceded this year's team and helped build the Cal women's water polo program.

BECOMING A VARSITY SPORT

Cal women's water polo is the Athletic Department's second newest intercollegiate program, becoming a varsity sport in 1996 after several years as a successful club team, and some of the Bears' greatest female athletes played during those early times, including Hall of Famer Lynn Wittstock and longtime National team member Maggi Kelly.

The emergence of women's water polo as a varsity sport at Cal was helped by the wholehearted encouragement of men's water polo coaching legends Pete Cutino and Steve Heaston.

"There was a movement within USA Water Polo and the NCAA to bring women's water polo up to varsity status," said Steve Doten, Cal's first assistant women's water polo coach and now the head men's coach at UC Davis. "Both Pete and Steve endorsed having women's water polo at Cal and knew we would have a great program. They were ambassadors for the game, and the more people involved in water polo, whether it be men or women, the more it would help the sport."

EARLY SUCCESS

It did not take long for the Bears to become a force in varsity collegiate women's water polo. In fact, it was immediate.

Coached by Maureen O'Toole, Cal stormed to a 32-6 mark in its first season, winning the Western Regional, but falling to UCLA, 8-4, in the national championship match. Courtney Johnson became the Bears' first star when she was named an All-American and selected the 1996 Collegiate National Tournament MVP.

Cal knocked on the national championship door again in 1997 and 1998, only to drop the title match to the Bruins both years. In 1997, the Bears were 30-8 and Alisa von Hartitzsch garnered Collegiate National Tournament MVP honors. A year later, the Bears finished 27-6, under head coach Peter Asch, a 1972 Olympian and former Cal water polo standout.

Cal remained one of the nation's top programs in 1999 and 2000, placing fourth at the national championship and finishing 28-7 both seasons. The Bears also captured the 1999 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title with Colette Glinkowski being named MPSF Co-Player of the Year. Asch was named the 2000 MPSF Coach of the Year and Fana Fuqua was selected 2000 MPSF Goalie of the Year.

But in 2001, when the NCAA began sanctioning the national championship for the first time, qualifying for the postseason suddenly became much more difficult. For the next four years, only four teams were invited to the tournament - similar to men's water polo - and Cal was shut out of a berth each time. In 2005, the NCAA increased the field to eight teams to give more schools a shot at the title.

CAL OLYMPIANS

The world of women's water polo also changed in 2000 when it became an Olympic sport.

In the first year, the USA roster featured an impressive array of former Bears - 1996 standout Courtney Johnson, Heather Petri (1997-99, 2001), Ericka Lorenz (2001-02) and Maureen O'Toole - and the squad went on to capture a silver medal in Sydney.

Four years later, Petri and Lorenz, both All-Americans at Cal, were again on the National team, helping the United States to a bronze medal at the Athens Olympics. Now three Bears are candidates to play for the U.S. squad at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing - Petri, Lorenz and senior Elsie Windes.

Windes is in a unique situation this spring, as she will be alternating between competing for the Bears and training with Team USA. Among her commitments was a trip to Melbourne, Australia, in March to compete on the National team at the World Championships.

Talk of Olympic heritage is natural when referring to Richard Corso, who, besides directing the U.S. men's team in 1996, was the Olympic goalie coach for Team USA in 1984 and 2004. Among the standouts he has mentored are former Cal stars Kirk Everist, Chris Humbert, Gavin Arroyo, Troy Barnhart and Chris Oeding, who played for Corso at the '96 Atlanta Games. Considered one of the most highly respected teachers in the sport, Corso joined the Bear staff in August 2005 when Director of Athletics Sandy Barbour hired him to lead the Cal program.

"I had job offers from several other universities and club teams in Europe," said Corso. "But I like a challenge ... a healthy challenge. I have had several amazing bosses, but after talking with Sandy Barbour, I wanted to become a Golden Bear. Cal's alumni do a great job of supporting aquatics, and it is an integral part of the Athletic Department. The other aquatic coaches - Nort Thornton, Mike Bottom, Terri McKeever, Kirk Everist - are the best. I came to Cal because it is a fantastic public university, it has a wonderful aquatics tradition, and because of Sandy Barbour's vision for the future of the Athletic Department.

"I have a special respect for Pete Cutino and Steve Heaston and what they accomplished with the Cal program, as well. I had more kids on my 1996 Olympic team from Cal than from any other university. There is something special about Cal kids. They are real smart, but they are also real gritty."

A PEEK AT THE FUTURE

Smart, gritty and talented are attributes that can be used to describe Corso's 2007 freshman class of Reynolds, Corso, Anderson, Hewko, Sara Henry and Erin Scully. Acknowledged by much of the water polo community as the best collection of rookies in the nation, the group includes Junior National team members Darby Anderson and Grace Reynolds. In addition, Meghan Corso, the coach's daughter, was the 2006 CIF Co-Player of the Year, and Camille Hewko was the 2006 CIF Division III Player of the Year.

"These freshmen have come into the program at a much higher level," said Corso. "Not only have they brought increased intensity, the water polo IQ of the team has gone way up. This freshman group has been playing high level water polo for years. Before, we would have young women in our program who have played water polo. Now, we have established water polo players who happen to be young women.

"When kids come to Cal they now know what direction the program is going," Corso continued. "First and foremost, they are going to be student-athletes. They realize academics are paramount. Secondly, the goal of winning a national championship is attainable. Thirdly, we strive to place kids on Olympic teams and help them win medals. At the University of California, we can help them accomplish their dreams."