Ten CSUN Water Polo Players Gain All-Academic National Honors
By Bob Vazquez, Assistant Athletic Director (Media Relations)
Northridge, Calif. – Ten members of the Cal State Northridge women's water polo team have earned national recognition for their success in the classroom.
Geneva Capos (Sophomore, Computer information Technology, Granite Bay, Ca), Melissa Doll (Sophomore, Math, Harleysville, Pa), Kelcie Ferreira (Freshman, Kinesiology, Trinidad & Tobago), Jessica Goforth (Senior, Kinesiology, Visalia, Ca), Molly Henehan (Sophomore, Sociology, Corona, Ca), Leah Janke (Junior, Psychology, Canyon Lake, Ca), Katie Kammer (Freshman, Kinesiology, Fullerton, Ca), Lindsy Nelson (Sophomore, Kinesiology, Murray, Ut), Heidi Pettinger (Senior, Liberal Studies, Chino Hills, Ca) and Marisa Young (Freshman, Marine Biology, Fountain Valley, Ca) have each been named to the 2012 Women's Water Polo All-Academic team by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC).
Goforth and Young earned "Outstanding" status for their cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) that averaged between 4.00 and 3.71.
Capos, Doll, Ferreira, Henehan and Kammer earned "Superior" honors for their GPA's that ranged between the 3.70 and 3.41 range.
Janke, Nelson and Pettinger all earned "Excellent" honors for their GPA's that ranged between the 3.40 and 3.20 range.
As a team, Cal State Northridge posted a GPA of 3.270 that was ranked ninth-best in the country, and just ahead of NCAA champion Stanford University (3.270 gpa). Wagner and Harvard were the top academic schools as a team with 3.515 and 3.507 gpa's, respectively.
Matador Memo …
Twenty-one student-athletes from the Big West Conference were named to the 2012 Women's Water Polo All-Academic team … That included ten players from Cal State Northridge, six players from UC Irvine, four players from Pacific, and one from UC Santa Barbara … Jessica Goforth and Heidi Pettinger were named All-Academic for a third straight year … Melissa Doll, Molly Henehan, Leah Janke and Lindsy Nelson were named All-Academic for a second season.
Geneva Capos – Sophomore, Attacker, Granite Bay, Ca.
Named All-Academic by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) … Also named to the Big West All-Academic team … Scored two goals along with five assists, three steals and two field blocks in 21 games.
Melissa Doll – Sophomore, Attacker, Harleysville, Pa.
An Honorable Mention All-Big West selection in 2012 … Named All-Academic by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) … Named to the Big West All-Academic team … Tallied 36 goals in 2012, fourth-best on the Matadors … The team leader in assists (46), and second on the Matadors with 46 steals and field blocks (23) … Her 46 assists were only one short of the single season Top-10 at Cal State Northridge … Scored at least one goal in 25 games … Tallied a career-high four goals against La Verne (3/24/12) … Her shooting percentage of .434 (36-for-83) was third-best among the Matador regulars.
Kelcie Ferreira – Freshman, Center/Defender, Trinidad & Tobago
Named All-Academic by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) … Led the team in steals (79), fourth-best for a single season in school history … Tallied 27 goals (#6 on the Matadors) … Scored a season-high three goals against Concordia-Irvine (3/2/12) and Brown (3/24/12) … Tallied two or more goals in seven games … Her shooting percentage of .429 (27-for-63) was third-best among the Matador regulars.
Jessica Goforth – Senior, Defender, Visalia, Ca.
Named All-Academic by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) … Also named to the Big West All-Academic team … Scored 15 goals, the second straight season she has scored in double-figures … Scored a season-high three goals against #15 UC Santa Barbara (1/12/12) … A shooting percentage of .441 (15-for-34) … Also tallied 25 steals and 12 assists in 39 games.
Molly Henehan – Sophomore, Center, Corona, Ca.
Named All-Academic by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) … Also named to the Big West All-Academic team … Enjoyed her best season with 27 goals in 39 games … Chalked up a shooting percentage of .397 (27-for-68) … Scored a career-high three goals against Pomona-Pitzer (2/4/12) … Scored two goals in seven games … Fourth on the team in kickouts drawn (29) … Voted co-Most Improved.
Leah Janke – Junior, Attacker, Canyon Lake, Ca.
Named All-Academic by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) … Also named to the Big West All-Academic team … Scored 13 goals … Tallied a season-high three goals against Cal State Bakersfield (1/28/12) in the season opener… Scored twice against then ninth-ranked UC Irvine (1/29/12) … Third on the team in assists (40) … Has 91 assists in two seasons, tenth-best in school history.
Lindsy Nelson – Sophomore, Attacker, Murray, Ut.
Heidi Pettinger - Senior, Defender, Chino Hills, Ca.
First Team All-Big West Conference … Named All-Academic by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) … Also named to the Big West All-Academic team … Scored 29 goals along with a team-leading 29 field blocks, #2 in kick outs drawn (40), #3 in steals (44) and #6 in assists (30) … Scored a season-high three goals against then sixth-ranked Hawaii (2/25/12), Cal Baptist (4//12) and La Verne (4/22/12) … Finished her career with 132 goals (#6 in school history), 116 assists (#5 in school history), and 143 steals (#6 in school history).
Marisa Young - Freshman, Center, Fountain Valley, Ca.
Honorable Mention All-American by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) … The Big West Freshman of the Year, and Second Team All-Big West … Named All-Academic by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) … A rising star in water polo at Cal State Northridge … Became the first Matador in school history to claim Big West Freshman of the Year accolades … Finished third in the Big West Conference with 65 goals … Her 65 goals tied for the sixth-best total in CSUN history while qualifying her for ninth-most in Big West history … Compiled a .389 (65-for-167) shooting percentage … Young's production helped the Matadors finish the year with a school record 378 goals, surpassing the old mark of 371 by the 2010 squad … Led the team in kick outs drawn with 64 (#7 for a career in school history) … Scored at least one goal in 28 of the 39 games played … Scored a career-high five goals against #13 Hartwick (2/4/12) … Scored at least two goals in 20 games … The team's leading scorer in nine games … Tallied four goals against Fresno Pacific (3/2/12), Occidental (3/13/12), Bucknell (3/18/12) and La Verne (4/22/12) … Scored three goals in four games.