California State University Northridge Athletics
Photo by: Minette Rubin
CSUN Water Polo Announces 2020-21 Recruiting Class
1/19/2021 10:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Water Polo head coach Matt Warshaw has announced the signings of five recruits in the 2020-21 recruiting class. All incoming freshmen, Alexis Smith, Madison Little, Kelsey Meyers, Katelyn Cornejo and Nicole Bacoyanis will join the Matadors for the 2022 season.
A 5-6 driver, Smith will be graduating from El Capitan High School in Merced, Calif. later this year. She has spent all four years on the school's varsity water polo team. Smith helped lead the Gauchos to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship game in 2019 after winning 22 games. Her efforts earned her All-Central California Conference First Team and All-Section First Team honors as a junior. Smith has played club water polo with Royal 559 in Fresno.
"Alexis is from a smaller school that doesn't have a huge water polo history so we really feel like we found a diamond in the rough," said Warshaw. "She literally drives for hours to club practice all for a love of the game. We think she'll be able to grow leaps and bounds here with the resources we can offer, both in and out of the pool."
Hailing from Corona, Calif., Little played club water polo team with CHAWP and for Santago High School's varsity squad. She helped Santiago win a league championship this past season including 24 matches on the year. During her time with the Sharks, her school had a winning record each season.
"Maddi is one of the two lefties in this class that will really shore up that side of the pool for us," said Warshaw. "The ability to have a team with three left-handed attackers will open up the pool in ways we've never been able to before."
A 5-8 center defender, Meyers played high school water polo at College Park in Pleasant Hill, Calif. She was a presence on both sides of the pool including a top scorer with the team. Meyers racked up 156 points in her high school career and helped College Park win a league championship and post 20 victories in 2019-20. She earned all-league first-team honors in her junior campaign. Meyers had played club water polo for Diablo Alliance.
"Kelsey will fill the role of center defender with big shoes to fill, her explosive nature in the pool will undoubtedly transfer to the speed of the college game well," said Warshaw. "We are excited to see her make that leap."
Bringing versatility to the Matadors as a utility player, Cornejo also played club water polo for CHAWP. She has prepped at Vista Murrieta High School where she was a team captain on the water polo team. Cornejo played at driver and wing for her high school team and she earned All-CIF Southern Section Second Team honors in 2019-20.
"Katelyn adds depth to a class that is specialty heavy," said Warshaw. "She does a little bit of everything and we're excited to see her fit in a variety of roles once she's here. Playing for one of the premier clubs in Southern California at CHAWP, she also checks in with a vast amount of experience."
Rounding out the class, Bacoyanis has attended high school at Glenbrook South High School in Glenview, Ill. She was selected to the 2020 Youth Olympic Development Program to represent the Midwest Zone but due to COVID-19 did not get an opportunity to participate. Bacoyanis also played club for East Side Water Polo in Chicago.
"Nicole is the second of two lefties in this class," said Warshaw. "With her size and speed, she'll be a nice addition to the program. We've had Nicole on our radar for two-plus years and we're really excited to add her to next year's roster."
#UniteTheValley
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A 5-6 driver, Smith will be graduating from El Capitan High School in Merced, Calif. later this year. She has spent all four years on the school's varsity water polo team. Smith helped lead the Gauchos to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship game in 2019 after winning 22 games. Her efforts earned her All-Central California Conference First Team and All-Section First Team honors as a junior. Smith has played club water polo with Royal 559 in Fresno.
"Alexis is from a smaller school that doesn't have a huge water polo history so we really feel like we found a diamond in the rough," said Warshaw. "She literally drives for hours to club practice all for a love of the game. We think she'll be able to grow leaps and bounds here with the resources we can offer, both in and out of the pool."
Hailing from Corona, Calif., Little played club water polo team with CHAWP and for Santago High School's varsity squad. She helped Santiago win a league championship this past season including 24 matches on the year. During her time with the Sharks, her school had a winning record each season.
"Maddi is one of the two lefties in this class that will really shore up that side of the pool for us," said Warshaw. "The ability to have a team with three left-handed attackers will open up the pool in ways we've never been able to before."
A 5-8 center defender, Meyers played high school water polo at College Park in Pleasant Hill, Calif. She was a presence on both sides of the pool including a top scorer with the team. Meyers racked up 156 points in her high school career and helped College Park win a league championship and post 20 victories in 2019-20. She earned all-league first-team honors in her junior campaign. Meyers had played club water polo for Diablo Alliance.
"Kelsey will fill the role of center defender with big shoes to fill, her explosive nature in the pool will undoubtedly transfer to the speed of the college game well," said Warshaw. "We are excited to see her make that leap."
Bringing versatility to the Matadors as a utility player, Cornejo also played club water polo for CHAWP. She has prepped at Vista Murrieta High School where she was a team captain on the water polo team. Cornejo played at driver and wing for her high school team and she earned All-CIF Southern Section Second Team honors in 2019-20.
"Katelyn adds depth to a class that is specialty heavy," said Warshaw. "She does a little bit of everything and we're excited to see her fit in a variety of roles once she's here. Playing for one of the premier clubs in Southern California at CHAWP, she also checks in with a vast amount of experience."
Rounding out the class, Bacoyanis has attended high school at Glenbrook South High School in Glenview, Ill. She was selected to the 2020 Youth Olympic Development Program to represent the Midwest Zone but due to COVID-19 did not get an opportunity to participate. Bacoyanis also played club for East Side Water Polo in Chicago.
"Nicole is the second of two lefties in this class," said Warshaw. "With her size and speed, she'll be a nice addition to the program. We've had Nicole on our radar for two-plus years and we're really excited to add her to next year's roster."
#UniteTheValley
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