While students are lining up by the masses to get their San Diego State men’s basketball tickets, there’s another nationally ranked team at SDSU many people haven’t heard about.
For each of the past 16 seasons, SDSU women’s water polo has served as a model of consistency, finishing each of those 16 seasons ranked as one of the top 11 teams in the country.
This year’s team is currently ranked 10th in the nation, and is off to a 4-1 start this season. SDSU head coach Carin Crawford realizes this year’s team has the chance to be special.
“This year we are very talented,” Crawford said. “We have the potential to be one of the best teams in the history of the school.”
The Aztecs have already taken down the No.12 team in the nation, UC Santa Barbara, and their only loss so far came at the hands of seventh-ranked Michigan.
Senior driver and team captain Sarah Brady thinks this is the best team she has been on since her career began at SDSU.
“Team-wise, this is the best team I’ve been on in my four years here at school,” Brady said.
“Depth is a strong suit for us. We can go deep on our bench and not have much of a drop-off.”
Along with good depth, team chemistry has been noted as a strong area for this year’s team.
Even though the team is flying under the radar, Crawford credits the players for the consistency and high expectations set for the program.
“We don’t always recruit blue-chip players,” Crawford said. “We recruit players who have a chip on their shoulder. They set the attitude for the team by working hard, being prepared and having a championship mentality.”
Younger players such as sophomore Amber Pezzolla have high expectations for this team, too.
“The goal is to win the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, and to make it to the NCAAs,” Pezzolla said.
Brady shared the same sentiments.
“We just hope to get better throughout the season and hopefully get to the NCAA Tournament,” she said.
The Aztecs get the chance to prove themselves against Marist, a NCAA Tournament participant a year ago, at 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Aztec Aquaplex.
