Michigan Heads to California for Five Exhibition Games

THIS WEEK
Saturday, Nov. 2
Game 1: Michigan vs. USC (Irvine, Calif.), 9:30 a.m. PDT
Game 2: Michigan at UC Irvine (Irvine, Calif.), 12:30 p.m. PDT
Game 3: Michigan vs. UCLA (Irvine, Calif.), 5 p.m. PDT
Sunday, Nov. 3
Game 4: Michigan vs. Canada (Irvine, Calif.), 12 p.m. PST
Game 5: Michigan at Pomona-Pitzer (Claremont, Calif.), 4:30 p.m. PST

• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Fans will get their first look at the 2020 University of Michigan water polo team this weekend (Nov. 2-3) when they play five exhibition games in Irvine, California, and Claremont, California.

Team 20

This season marks the 20th in program history. Head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi is entering his sixth season at Michigan. The Wolverines have won four consecutive CWPA Championships and reached the NCAA Tournament each of the last four years. The team returns three-year starting goalkeeper Heidi Ritner (23-9 in 2019) as well as junior Sofie Pontré (15 goals, 16 assists in 2019) from last season's starting lineup. Other top returners include senior Skyler Pyle (21 goals, 19 assists in 2019), sophomore Erin Neustrom (30 goals, four assists in 2019), junior Maddie O'Reilly (16 goals, 16 assists in 2019) and junior Kathy Rogers (14 goals, five assists in 2019). The Wolverines lost 68 percent of its scoring from 2019.

The Teams

The Wolverines will test themselves against high-quality opponents this weekend. USC was the No. 1 ranked team in the country last year and lost by one goal in the national championship game against Stanford. UCLA defeated Michigan in the NCAA quarterfinals and reached the semifinals before the Bruins' loss to Stanford. UC Irvine went 19-9 a year ago and lost to Hawai'i, 7-6, in the Big West Championship. Michigan will face 2020 Olympic qualifier Canada to start out Sunday (Nov. 3). U-M will conclude the weekend at Pomona-Pitzer, a team that compiled a 20-13 record last season and went 14-0 in conference play.

Youth

Eight freshmen and six sophomores give Leonardi a young squad. Neustrom and Ava Morrant were the only two sophomores to play in 25 games or more a year ago, while goalkeeper Sophie Jackson redshirted her first semester on campus.

Captains

Ritner, Pontré and Pyle were announced as tri-captains for the 2020 season on Tuesday (Oct. 29). [ Release ]

Sixth Season

Leonardi is entering his sixth season as the head coach of the Wolverines. He has an overall record of 132-48 (.733) and is 36-2 in the CWPA. He has guided U-M to four consecutive CWPA Championships and four NCAA appearances.

Regular Season

The 2020 regular season will get underway Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 18-19, when Michigan plays four games in the UCSB Winter Invitational in Santa Barbara, California. U-M starts with Cal State Northridge and UC Irvine on Saturday, Jan. 18, and closes with games against Cal and host UCSB on Sunday, Jan. 19. [ Full schedule ]