Princeton University Athletics
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Men's Water Polo Season Two Weeks Away
August 31, 2010 | Men's Water Polo
PRINCETON (8/30/10) -- The start of the 2010 Princeton men's water polo season is just two weeks away as the Tigers prepare for an exciting season at DeNunzio Pool. The season opens against Cal Baptist and Santa Clara on Sept. 10 as the reigning Eastern Champions look to compete for another Eastern title.
The team that takes the water on Sept. 10 will have a decidedly different look than the team that defeated Loyola Marymount in the NCAA third-place game in its final game of the 2009 season. Princeton lost eight players to graduation from that team including the team's three leading scorers in Mark Zalewski, Douglas Wigley and Eric Vreeland. Along with the departure of eight players, the Tigers will welcome 11 freshmen to the team for 2010. As a result, nearly 50 percent of Princeton's roster was not on the roster a season ago as Princeton returns 12 players.
The Princeton offense lost its three leading scorers to graduation and as a result will offer a variety of looks as the season gets underway. Junior Mike Helou will play as the set and will have many options on the perimeter including, but not limited to, senior Matt Hale, sophomore Tim Wenzlau, junior Tommy Parolin, sophomore Tommy Donahue, sophomore Chris Cottrell and freshman Kurt Buchbinder. Hale, Wenzlau and Parolin are Princeton's top-three returning goal scorers from a season ago. Wenzlau had 22 to lead the group, with Hale adding 19 and Parolin 14.
Defensively, the Tigers will look to Hale and sophomore Billy Tifft as two-meter defenders. The pair combined for 55 steals last season and are two of the top defenders on the East Coast. Hale was an ACWPC honorable mention All-America at the position last season. Freshman Connor Still will also have a presence in the 2-meter position both offensively and defensively.
In goal, Princeton returns a two-year starter in senior Mike Merlone. Merlone is a former All-Southern and All-Eastern goalie and has a .539 career save percentage for the Tigers. Joining him among the team's goalies are freshmen Ben Dearborn and Tyler Amina.
Princeton was ranked 14th in the first poll of the 2010 season, tied with Navy and St. Francis as the highest-ranked East Coast teams.
The team will face a tough schedule as always and that opens up on Sept. 10 against both 20th-ranked Cal Baptist and 13th-ranked Santa Clara at DeNunzio Pool. The game with Santa Clara on Friday night will be broadcasted live on ESPNU at 6 p.m. Princeton will also face Fordham and Harvard during its opening weekend of action.