Churnside Adds Five to 2026 Signing Class
11/14/2025 10:00:00 AM | Water Polo
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan water polo program and head coach Cassie Churnside announced Friday (Nov. 14) the signing of five student-athletes to scholarship agreements -- Ayla Ackerman, Courtney Smith, Natalie Whitfield, Sarah Wright and Sophie Yonker.
The class includes two utility players, an attacker, a center guard and one goalkeeper, with four from Southern California and one from Texas.
Ayla Ackerman | CG | 5-10 | Newport Beach, Calif. | Club: Regency Water Polo Club
• Won the 16U Junior Olympics (2024)
Natalie Whitfield | UT | 5-8 | Arroyo Grande, Calif. | Club: Arroyo Grande Water Polo Club
• CIF Central Section MVP (2023, 2024)
• CIF Central Section champions (2023, 2024)
• Finished third in U19 Pan American games (2023)
• Junior Olympic All-American
• USA Water Polo Development National team and Youth National team
• Arroyo High School all-time state leader in goals, assists, steals, earned exclusions and field blocks
Sarah Wright | GK | 5-9 | Lafayette, Calif. | Club: Diablo Alliance Water Polo
• Junior Olympic Honorable Mention (2022)
• ODP National Team (2022)
• East Bay Athletic League Defensive Player of the Year
• East Bay Athletic League first team all-league
• Four-time East Bay Athletic League champion
• D1 Norcal State champion
Courtney Smith | UT | 6-2 | Flower Mound, Texas | Club: Thunder Water Polo Club
• Marcus High School MVP (2022, 2023, 2024)
• First team All-Region (2023, 2024)
• First team All-District (2024)
• Second team All-State (2024)
• Honorable Mention All-State (2023)
• Newcomer of the Year All-State (2022)
Sophie Yonker | AT | 5-7 | Santa Barbara, Calif. | Club: Santa Barbara 805 Water Polo Club
• Finished second in Junior Olympics (2024)
• Four-time Channel League champion
• Three-time All-Channel League honors
• Two-Time All-CIF Open Division
