BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — 2017 Hartwick College Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Kirsten Hudson scored five goals in helping New Zealand to a 12th place finish at the 2017 FINA World Championship in Budapest, Hungary.
Facing Spain, South Africa and defending Olympic Gold Medalist the United States of America in Group B action at the Alfred Hajos Pool, she scored four goals in aiding New Zealand to place third in the four team group.
After being held scoreless in a 10-2 loss to Spain on July 16, she recorded a hat-trick with three goals as New Zealand sank South Africa, 8-6, on July 18. Hudson added another goal against the Americans on July 20 as Team USA, which went on to win the FINA World Championship title, claimed a 22-7 victory.
She did not score against either Canada (16-3 L, July 22) or the Netherlands (19-4 L, July 24) prior to putting away a shot in a 9-7 defeat at the hands of France on July 26 to finish 12th in the 16-team field.
She holds a significant spot in the history of Hartwick water polo as she rates as the first player in program history to achieve All-America or All-America Honorable Mention honors in each of her four years of competition. After receiving Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) All-America Honorable Mention accolades in 2007, 2008 and 2009, Hudson was named a Third Team All-America selection, becoming just the fifth player at Hartwick to do so.
A four-time Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Eastern Championship and Northern Division First Team pick, Hudson was also tabbed a Northern Division Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Team MVP three times and twice named a Hartwick College Anna Meyer Female Athlete of the Year.
A 10-year member of the New Zealand Senior Women’s National Team who continues to compete for Hutt/Wellington in the New Zealand Water Polo National League (NZWPNL), Hudson finished her career at Hartwick with 367 goals, 248 assists, and 615 points, which are all program records at the time of her induction into the Hall of Fame. She also holds records for points and assists in a season with 201 and 77, respectively. During her four years, Hudson helped the Hawks to a record of 113-39, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament appearance and CWPA Championship in 2007, a program-record 32 wins in 2007, and four CWPA Northern Division championships (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) to accompany 2008 and 2009 CWPA Championship runner-up finishes.
