Princeton University Athletics
2001 Women's Water Polo Outlook
February 09, 2001 | Women's Water Polo
Plan your work. Work your plan. Luis Nicolao stuck by a goal to make the Princeton women's team the best in the East, and the Tigers came through with a sparkling 25-6 record and their first Eastern championship ever. Princeton established itself as the No. 8 team in the country by notching a first-round win at Nationals. Now the plan is to remain at the top.
"Now that we've established ourselves, we have to stay there," Nicolao says. "With last year's finish, we're there now. Everyone's gunning for us. We have to work hard to maintain our position as Eastern champion." Princeton graduated only goalten-der Goga Vukmirovic, though she was a four-year starter and winner of the C. Otto Von Kienbusch Award as the top senior Princeton female athlete.
"Any time you lose your starting goalie, it's a big loss," Nicolao says. "She's been the backbone of Princeton water polo for four years. Whoever takes over will have big shoes to fill. She was one of those special players." Vukmirovic's replacement comes from one of three players--Jenny Hildebrand, Lisa Rockefeller or incoming freshman Lauren Lister. Replacing the honorable mention All-America won't be as difficult thanks to the experienced returnees and a more balanced attack.
"Last year we moved from being one-dimensional," Nicolao says. "We were able to take pressure off our leading scorer, Cassie Nichols. We were a young team, and we came together. The whole nucleus will return, and I'm looking forward to getting off to a strong start."
A strong start will help build momentum for the end of the season when the Tigers defend their Eastern title. Princeton hopes to earn an invitation to the national tournament in the first year that women's water polo will be an official NCAA-sanctioned sport.
Nichols, a junior driver who scored 43 goals last season, is still the Tigers' catalyst, but sophomores Adele McCarthy-Beauvais and Jenny Edwards have taken much of the scoring load on their shoulders and senior 2-meter defender Katherine Kixmiller, a co-captain with fellow senior Alina Brown, is a proven scorer.
"This past year we had some freshmen that had to play early, and they got a lot better as the season progressed. Another year together will make us a stronger team."
Brown, as well as Megan Bouchier, Joanna Armstrong and Devon Watts are all strong two-way players. Brown had 20 goals and a pair of assists last season, while while Armstrong added 13 goals and Bouchier had nine. The Tigers will also try to work freshmen Paige Gallas, Vanessa Jackson, Alexis Olle, Annie Olsen and Courtney Welsh into the picture.
"It's another good year recruiting-wise," Nicolao says. "With the success we had last year, the women are all excited about this year."