Thursday, June 6, 1996
Poloists to play on U.S. national teamBy Mark J. Dittmer
Daily Bruin Contributor
The United States National women’s water polo team travels to
Montreal Tuesday to play games against both Canada and Japan. Then
they move on to Holland, for the Olympic tournament.
Three members of the UCLA women’s water polo team Â
Catherine von Schwarz, Coralie Simmons and Nicholle Payne Â
will all be leaving finals week early to represent their
country.
The Olympic tournament is women’s water polo’s answer to the
Olympic games. Unlike ping-pong and beach volleyball, women’s water
polo is not yet an Olympic sport. So although the national women’s
water polo team may not be able to pick up a medal in Atlanta this
year, they hope to at least bring one back from Holland.
Part of those hopes are in Bruin hands. Payne is the national
team’s starting goalie. Simmons is returning to the travelling team
for her second year. And von Schwarz is also in her second year on
the team, although she didn’t travel last year.
"They’ve gotten a lot better over the last year (since their
last stint with the national team)," said Bruin head coach Guy
Baker, referring to all three Bruins who will make the trip to
Canada.
As if that isn’t enough to do for the summer, Simmons and von
Schwarz will serve double duty by playing on the U.S. Junior
National team beginning in August.
The junior national team is made up of the best female players
in the nation under 19 years of age. Joining von Schwarz and
Simmons on this year’s junior national team is another UCLA
freshman, Mandy McAloon.
This year, the junior national team travels to Cuba for the
Pan-American Games. There, the U.S.will attempt to qualify for the
Junior World Championships to be played next year.
***
UCLA’s recruiting class for 1996-97 will also make the trip to
Cuba in August. As of now, that recruiting class is made up of Erin
Golaboski and Serela Mansur.
Both hail from the same Annapolis club team that graduated
McAloon and von Schwarz. Mansur was recruited more recently. She is
a left-handed driver, which gives the Bruins a whole new set of
options on the offensive side of the pool.
Golaboski is primarily a goalie, and she backs up Payne as
goalie on the national team. She will likely do the same at UCLA,
and in the meantime she can play the field as well as the goal.
Is this a good recruiting class? Yes, if you listen to Baker
tell it. He calls his two new recruits, "the two best high school
players in the nation."
Add that to a national championship team, and you have a happy
head coach.
"I think things look pretty good for next year," he said.
PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin
UCLA’s Catherine von Schwarz will be working double-time during
the summer, with stints on the U.S. National junior and senior
teams.