2007 - Katie Grogan - University of Massachusetts

The all-time leader in points (571), goals (336), assists (235), shots (638), ejections drawn (150), blocks (19), steals (351) and swim-offs won (147) in program history, Katie Grogan of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst was a four-time All-America selection. The first player in Minutemen history to be named to the American Water Polo Coaches Association (AWPCA) All-America first team in 2000, she previously earned second team All-America honors in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

The All-America honors highlight a career in which she was named the 1999 CWPA Eastern Championship Most Valuable Player; 1997 and 1999 CWPA New England Division Player of the Year; 1997 and 1998 CWPA All-Conference first team; 1997 United States Water Polo Eastern Championship All-Tournament first team; and 1997 and 1998 United States Water Polo National Championship All-Tournament honorable mention. In addition, she finished as a runner-up for the inaugural Peter J. Cutino Award in 2000, presented by the Olympic Club of San Francisco to honor the nation’s top male and female collegiate water polo players.

During her career at Massachusetts, she led the Minutemen to a 118-29 record, including a 31-8 record and a fifth place finish at the 2000 National Championship tournament as a senior.

“Katie was the backbone of the UMass program during the late 90’s,” said former University of Massachusetts water polo coach Russ Yarworth. “She not only was a great individual player, but elevated the play of all those around her. A great competitor and teammate, she was a pleasure to have in the UMass water polo family.”

As a freshmen in 1997, she scored 91 goals and 82 assists for 173 points with three blocks, 88 steals, 38 swim-offs won, 35 kickouts-drawn and 16 hat-tricks in 99 quarters played while leading UMass to a 26-7 record, including a 11-0 CWPA New England Division record and the division championship, and a ninth place finish at the National Championship.

She improved as a sophomore scoring 97 goals and 77 assists for 174 points with two blocks, 108 steals, 51 swim-offs won and 41 kickouts drawn in 130 quarters while leading the Minutemen to a 30-6 record and an eighth place finish at Nationals.

In 1999, she tallied 80 goals and 41 assists for 121 points with 11 blocks, 87 steals, 40 swim-offs won and 42 kickouts drawn in 124 quarters as a junior as UMass finished with a 31-8 record and 10th place at Nationals.

Grogan concluded her collegiate career in 2000 by finishing as a runner-up for the Cutino Award by recording 68 goals and 35 assists for 103 points with three blocks, 68 steals, 18 swim-offs won and 32 kickouts drawn in 132 quarters as the team finished 31-8 for a fifth place finish at Nationals.

A native of Costa Mesa, California, she was a two-year water polo and four-year swimming letter-winner at Costa Mesa High School. An honorable mention All-Pacific Coast honoree as a senior, she led Costa Mesa to the 1996 Pacific Coast League title while serving as team captain. A two-year member of the United States National Water Polo team, she was a four-time junior Olympics participant and twice earned Most Valuable Player honors.

A 2000 graduate of UMass with a degree in Economics, she resides in Irvine, California with her husband Oscar Alaniz.