April 27, 2007
BERKELEY, CALIF. -
The University of California women's water polo program has signed two more high school standouts, Coral Kemp and Kealy McLain, to national letters of intent, it was announced today by head coach Richard Corso.
Kemp is a 5-10 two-meter defender from El Segundo High School in El Segundo, Calif. She was recently selected the 2006-07 CIF Division VI Player of the Year, leading her team to the Division VI Water Polo title as a senior. Kemp is also a three-time All-CIF first-team selection, three-time all-league pick, a two-time Ocean League MVP and a two-time NISCA All-American.
A three-time The Daily Breeze Player of the Year selection as well, Kemp was a member of the 2005 Coastal California Zone Select team that competed in Kearns, Utah. She holds the El Segundo High School record for career goals, assists and steals. Kemp was an All-America swimmer and CIF champion in the 400 freestyle and 200 medley relay as a sophomore. She is planning on studying music with an emphasis in voice at Cal. Her parents are Kelly and Shelley Kemp, and her father is an inductee in the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame as a distinguished coach. Kemp's grandparents, Parker and Margaret Kemp of Hermosa Beach, both graduated from Cal.
McLain is a 5-7 driver from Tustin, Calif. and attends Foothill High School. At Foothill High School, she had 35 goals as a senior and finished her career with 63 goals. McLain was selected 2007 second-team All-CIF Southern Section and second-team All-Sea View League. She helped her squad to a 33-1 record as a senior, and 110-12 mark for her high school career. McLain was part of two CIF Division I titles, one CIF Division I runner-up finish and one CIF Division I semifinal.
In club water polo, McLain helped her teams to gold medals in the 2004 and 2005 16 & Under National Junior Olympics, a gold medal at the 2005 Senior Nationals and a gold medal at the 2006 18 & Under National Junior Olympics. She was a second-team Junior Olympic All-American in 2005.
Kemp and McLain now join Stephanie Peckham, Molly Patrick and Shannon "Cookie" Walsh as Cal's incoming freshman class for the 2008 season. Peckham, Patrick and Walsh had signed letters of intent during the early signing period in November. Peckham is a 5-11 goalie from Coto de Caza, Calif., and attends Santa Margarita High School. Patrick is a 5-9 utility player from Coronado High School in Coronado, Calif., and Walsh is a 5-8 utility player from Temple City High School in Temple City, Calif.
"This is a great recruiting class for us," said Corso, who was the head coach of the 1996 United States Men's Olympic Team, and the U.S. Olympic goalie coach in 1984 and 2004. "Coral was the player of the year in high school and is an outstanding two-meter guard. She will be a perfect fit for the Cal women's water polo program. Kealy is a great role player and an excellent student of the game. She has aspirations to be a coach someday, so what better place for her to attend school than at Cal. We are very excited about the abilities of this group."
