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Indiana Releases 2009 Season Preview
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The 2009
Indiana Hoosiers women's water polo team is coming off of a 20-16
overall record last season, including a 6-1 mark in the Collegiate
Water Polo Association Western Division. Head coach Barry King,
entering his 12th season at Indiana, returns five starters from
last year's team.
"This is probably the deepest team we've had in quite some time,"
King said. "I think overall, athletically, we've made improvements
from the previous years. The measure of the team is going to be how
we incorporate that increased athleticism into working as a
team."
Although the team only lost four letter winners from last season,
replacing Brooke Zimmerman's production will be a challenge.
Zimmerman finished third on the school's career scoring list with
206 goals and first in career assists with 172. Team balance will
be a key dynamic all season for the Hoosiers.
"I think this is going to require a real balanced situation," King
said. "I wouldn't trade the years that we had with Brooke for
anything, but we tended to rely on her a little too much sometimes
last year. This year we'll be much more balanced, which makes us
more difficult to prepare for, from a defensive point of view."
Indiana will be led by senior center Maggie Hannon, who scored 62
goals last year and is the top returning goal scorer for the
Hoosiers. She netted four or more goals in five games throughout
the 2008 season. Junior attacker Kelly Palmberg, who started in all
36 games last season, will also be an important returning player.
Palmberg tallied 34 goals and 23 assists last year.
The growth of the strong sophomore class will also be important
for the Hoosiers. This class got a great deal of valuable game
experience last season as freshmen, so they will be expected to
carry part of the load.
"Maggie Hannon is going to be
relied upon heavily at the center position," King said. "We'll be
looking for increased contributions from a number of people. Nicole
Redder building on her really solid freshman year, as well as
Lauren Wyckoff. They've gained a little more confidence with a year
under their belt. They know what's going to be demanded of them in
the pool, and hopefully they can contribute a little bit on the
leadership side also."
The goalkeeper will be a key position for the Hoosiers this
season. Junior Katie Carson and freshman Cassie Wyckoff will be
competing for the starting job. Carson started 18 games in 2008,
making 171 saves, while also being named to the CWPA All-Division
2nd team.
"I think the competition at the goalkeeper position has been
beneficial for us," King said. "We expect good things out of
whoever wins that starting position, either Katie or Cassie."
Indiana will also look for production from many of their nine
newcomers to this year's squad.
"We're looking forward to the contributions of a lot of the new
people," King said. "Jackie Köhli could turn out to be a
really special player for us. Kristin Harmidy is going to help us
with depth. I think Hanna Eimstad and Allison Silver are going to
be real sleepers for us and have some real breakout moments in
their freshman year."
The Hoosiers will be tested during their 2009 season, as their
schedule presents challenges from start to finish. They will get a
chance to play many teams ranked in the top 15 in the country
throughout their schedule.
"It's a very competitive schedule right from the beginning," said
King. "We'll be trying to prepare ourselves the best we can for
every weekend and every opponent that we see. It will be very
important for us to respond well to challenges, and not necessarily
just individual games, but the depth of competition on any given
weekend."
The CWPA will once again be extremely competitive. It features
many of the top teams in the nation, such as defending conference
champion Michigan. The Hoosiers are one of a handful of teams that
hope to contend for the conference title, in what could prove to be
a wide open league.
"I think Michigan would probably be considered the favorite to
repeat," King said. "They have a very productive senior class. I
think this should be a good year for Maryland. It's kind of their
first full rotation through their program. Michigan, Maryland,
Hartwick, and Indiana should all be in the mix. Princeton is right
there too."
Indiana will host the 2009 CWPA Western Division Championships on
April 18 and 19. The Hoosiers finished second last season, and look
to challenge for the championship this season at
Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center.
"We always like having the opportunity to play at home, especially
when a title is on the line." King said. "I think after last year,
and the way we finished the season on a bit of a down note, we will
learn from that when the time comes this season. I think we're more
prepared mentally for what that tournament means. Having that
tournament at home will make that more special."
Indiana will open the season at the Michigan Kickoff in Ann Arbor,
Michigan on January 24 and 25.
Release courtesy Indiana University Athletic Communications
