Women's Water Polo | June 21, 2019

PHILADELPHIA -- Women's water polo has announced its incoming freshman class for next season. With eight athletes joining the team, the size of the roster will swell to an all-time high. 11 women debuted for the new program in 2017 and that number grew to 13 last year. In head coach Tom Hyham's first campaign in 2019, the roster expanded to 20. Now eight incoming recruits will add to those ranks.

COACH'S TAKE

Coach Hyham gave his perspective on the fit of the new athletes in his team: "I am very excited about the incoming freshman class. The group of recruits covers all areas of our game from offense to defense, speed and strength. I am confident that each one will have an immediate positive impact on our young program. We are bringing in solid talent from the west--California, Hawaii and Washington--as well as the top local Pennsylvania athletes. "

MEET THE 2019 CLASS

Sophie Appler

• Hometown: Reading, Pennsylvania
• High School: Wilson
• Position: Driver
• Major: Business
• Notes: Appler has been named First Team All-Conference and First Team All-County every year. For the last three, she was elected to First Team All-State. Appler has won Pennsylvania's Rookie of the Year, Berks County Player of the Year, and Pennsylvania's Miss Water Polo (for best player in the state). In addition to four letters in water polo, she also has four letters in swimming and lacrosse. Appler was District Champion in the 50 Freestyle, a four-time All-American in swimming, and All-Division in lacrosse.

Sofia Curtis

• Hometown: Wyomissing, Pennsylvania
• High School: Wilson
• Position: Utility
• Major: Nursing
• Notes: In 2018-19 Curtis, along with Appler, helped Wilson to a 27-3 overall record (6-1 in league play). Her team finished runner up in State and in Beast of the East. Curtis, for her part, was named Third Team All-State and Second Team All-Conference her senior year. Along with her four letters in water polo, she has four in swimming and two in lacrosse.

Casey Malone

• Hometown: Eastvale, California
• High School: Eleanor Roosevelt
• Position: Set guard
• Major: Political Science
• Notes: Malone noticeably improved between her sophomore and junior campaigns. She played 30 games each season, but her goals rose from 39 to 54 and her shots on goal from 125 to 160. Her shot percentage elevated from 31 percent to 34. Her assists spiked from 13 to 44 and, defensively, her steals increased from 63 to 85. Malone was named MVP and team captain as a sophomore, and retained her captaincy while being named top offensive player on her team as a junior. She led Elanor Roosevelt to victories in the Redlands Winter Classic and the Nogales Tournament. She has four letters in water polo and swimming. She broke the school record in 100 Breaststroke.  

Emma Kim

• Hometown: Kaneohe, Hawaii
• High School: Kamehameha Schools Kapalama
• Position: Attacker
• Major: Social Work
• Notes: Kim was named to the Second Team All-Conference as a sophomore. Her team won the Second State Championship three years in a row between 2016 and 2018. She has lettered all four years for water polo and swimming, placing first in the 100 Backstroke in the 2015 JV ILH Championships and being named 2015 Second Team All-State. Kim excelled outside of the pool, being recognized as a USA Water Polo Academic All-American for 2016-17 and 2017-18, while winning numerous Semester Honor Certificates.

Shanna Zuanich

• Hometown: Westminster, California
• High School: Marina (freshman-sophomore), Huntington Beach (junior-senior)
• Position: Utility / Driver
• Major: Nursing
• Notes: While at Marina, Zuanich was awarded Scholar Athlete, named to All Sunset League First Team and Sunset League All-Academic Team her freshman year. Second year accolades include MVP, Scholar Athlete, and All Sunset League Second Team. Despite not being allowed to play due to transfer rules her junior year, Zuanich won the Coach's Award at Huntington Beach. She has four letters in water polo and two in swimming.

Emma Gurasich

• Hometown: Long Beach, California
• High School: Ernest McBride
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Major: Biology
• Notes: Gurasich chose La Salle over Cal State Long Beach and Arizona State. She was part of the SET Water Polo Club, and placed third in the Junior Olympic qualifiers. While in the Junior Olympics in 2018, she finished fourteenth. Out of the pool, Gurasich was named Outstanding Academic All-American three straight years between 2016 and 2018.

Noelle Brown

• Hometown: University Place, Washington
• High School: Woodrow Wilson
• Position: Utility, Center, Goalkeeper
• Major: Criminal Justice
• Notes: Brown's team placed sixth in the Washington State Championships in 2017, and in 2018 finished with a 15-7 record. She is a four letters in both water polo and swimming. In the latter sport, she was named Rookie of the Year and became the only freshman to make the state team in 2015. She played in the Junior Olympics in 2014, 2016, and 2017. Academically, Brown will graduate with honors this year.

Caitlin Valentine

• Hometown: Blue Bell, Pennsylvania 
• High School: Homeschooled
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Major: Accounting
• Notes: Valentine landed Third Team All-Conference honors her first year and followed that up with Third-Team All-League her sophomore season. Her junior campaign saw her listed on Second Team All-Conference and Second Team All-League. Notably, in her final season she improved to Third Team All-State, First Team All-Conference and First Team All-League. During her senior year, Valentine's team finished second in its conference and were crowned Beast of the East Flight 2 Champions. Valentine won the Scholar Athlete Award all four years, lettered in water polo every year and swimming for three years.