Team 18 Heads to Fresno for Collegiate Cup

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This Week
Saturday, Nov. 4
Game 1: Michigan vs. Hawai'i at Bullard High School, 9 a.m. PT
Game 2: Michigan vs. NYAC or USA 2 at Clovis West, noon or 1 p.m. PT
Sunday, Nov. 5
Games start at 8 a.m., opponents and times TBD

• Game Day Information: Tournament Schedule | Tournament Home

WHAT IS HAPPENING
Fans will get their first look at the University of Michigan water polo team this weekend (Nov. 4-5) as they play four exhibition games at the USA Water Polo Collegiate Cup in Fresno, California.

THINGS TO KNOW
• U-M returns five starters from Team 17 and welcome in six newcomers. All four players with 90 or more points and the starting goalkeeper from 2017 are back for another season.
• The Wolverines have a young roster with 13 of the 19 players in their freshman or sophomore seasons. U-M has three juniors and three seniors with a lot of game experience.
• The returners include sophomore honorable mention All-American Maddy Steere (51 goals, 49 assists as a freshman) and CWPA second-team selections junior Kim Johnson (121 goals, 76 assists in two seasons) and sophomore goalkeeper Heidi Ritner (freshman wins record with 27). Senior Caroline Anderson, the school's career (195) and single-season (71 in 2016) assists record holder, also returns along with junior Julia Sellers, who scored 56 goals a year ago.
• Dr. Marcelo Leonardi is entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Wolverines. He has an overall record of 77-30 (.720) and is 23-1 in the CWPA.
• Michigan has played in the Collegiate Cup each of the past three years, posting a 5-7 all-time record against the nation's top teams which compete each year in the tournament.
• Tickets for the Collegiate Cup are available at the door. Weekend passes are $20 for adults and $10 for USAWP members. Single-day passes are $15 for adults and $5 for USAWP members. Children 10 and under have free admission.
• The tournament games will take place at four different pool sites in Fresno, including Fresno State University, Clovis West High School, Clovis East High School and Bullard High School.

THE TEAMS
Group A
• NYAC -- The New York Athletic Club has produced more national and Olympic team players than any water polo program in the country. Featuring a star-studded roster, the NYAC includes two-time Olympic medalist and U-M alum Betsey Armstrong.
•Michigan (28-9, 8-0 CWPA in 2017) -- The Wolverines are coming off their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and back-to-back CWPA titles. U-M returns five starters.
• Hawai'i (15-11, 4-1 Big West in 2017) -- Michigan won both meetings in 2017, winning by two goals at Stanford (8-6) and one goal at UC Irvine (8-7). All three meetings since Leonardi became Michigan's head coach have been decided by two goals or fewer.
• USA 2 -- USA Water Polo will field two teams in the tournament.

Group B
• Stanford (23-3, 5-1 MPSF in 2017) -- Defeated UCLA, 8-7, for the 2017 NCAA Championship. Defeated U-M, 13-5, at UC Irvine.
• UC Irvine (23-7, 5-0 Big West in 2017) -- Lost to Cal, 9-7, in the NCAA Tournament. Big West Champions who won two one-goal games against Michigan in 2017.
• Pacific (21-9, 6-1 GCC in 2017) -- Won its NCAA play-in game against Pomona-Pitzer before falling to Stanford in the NCAA Tournament. GCC Champions who Michigan last played twice in 2016 with a pair of wins.
USA 1 -- USA Water Polo will field two teams in the tournament.

Group C
• UCLA (24-2, 6-0 MPSF in 2017) -- Lost by one goal in the national championship game. Topped U-M, 12-5, at the UCSB Tournament.
• China -- Placed 10th at the FINA World Championships in July.
• San Jose State (10-19, 1-5 MPSF in 2017) -- Lost to Michigan by one goal at the Stanford Invite. U-M has won the last four meetings.
• Fresno State -- Inaugural season for the program. Former Michigan assistant coach Caitlin Haskell is an assistant coach for the Bulldogs.

Group D
• USC (29-4, 4-2 MPSF in 2017) -- Season ended in the NCAA semifinals. Defeated the Wolverines three times, including the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 12-6.
• Cal (16-10, 2-4 MPSF in 2017) -- Reached the NCAA semifinals before losing to UCLA. Topped Michigan by four goals in the Stanford Invite.
• Marist (20-14, 11-3 MAAC in 2017) -- Season ended with a loss to Wagner in the MAAC Championships. Michigan defeated them, 17-4, at the UCSD Triton Invitational.
• Pomona Pitzer (17-19, 10-1 SCIAC) -- Beat Whittier for the SCIAC Championship and lost to Pacific in the NCAA play-in game. Lost to Michigan, 14-4, at LMU.