CAMBRIDGE, Mass.- The Friends of Harvard Water Polo Head Coach and James Herscot ’58 Coach of Excellence, Ted Minnis, announced the addition of three members to the Harvard women’s water polo team to compete over the next four years. Brooke Hourigan, Alexis Kieckhafer and Jaiden Miller make up the Class of 2023 that will arrive to campus this upcoming fall.
“Coming from a variety of backgrounds, these three student-athletes will fit right into our program and help us compete in the CWPA (Collegiate Water Polo Association),” said Minnis.
Brooke Hourigan |Attacker | Newport Beach, Calif. | Orange Lutheran
Junior Olympic All-American in 2017… Three-time USA Water Polo Outstanding All-Academic All Orange County first team… Two-time NISCA and Speedo Girls Water Polo All-America from 2017-19…Member of the 2019 Division 1 CIF SS Regional Championship team, two-time Santa Barbra Tournament of Championship winning team and two-time Trinity League Champions team… A four-year varsity letterwinner as a member of the women’s water polo and swimming teams at Orange Lutheran High School… Served as captain for the Orange Lutheran water polo and swim teams in addition to the Northwood Water Polo Club… Four-time All-Trinity League team… Two-time Division 1 All-CIF SS Team… 2019 Santa Barbra Tournament of Champions MVP… Involved in her community through Operation Christmas Child, Day of Dreams, Second Harvest Food Bank and many more…Two-year member of the National Honors Society… Daughter to Chad and Nicole Hourigan.
Alexis Kieckhafer | Goaltender | Coto de Caza, Calif. | Santa Margarita Catholic
Started all four years as goaltender at Santa Margarita Catholic… Awarded USA Water Polo All-Academic and Outstanding Achiever in back-to-back seasons… Named All-CIF SS Division II second team during junior season… Collected All-Trinity League second team accolades all four years of high school career… Member of the CIF-SS Division II Champion team, 2018-19… CIF SS Division II semi-finalist member, 2017-18… Named team captain for junior and senior seasons… Earned back-to-back Most Improved team award for 2015-2017 seasons… Set the school record for saves during her freshman and sophomore year… Set record for single-game saves by a freshman… National Honor Society member… Served as a volunteer tutor for Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano… Daughter to Jim and Lia Kieckhafer.
Jaiden Miller | Center Defender | Coquitlam, British Columbia | Dr. Charles Best Secondary
Invited to play with Senior Canadian National team as center defender and utility… Lettered in water polo, volleyball, basketball and soccer… Member of the 2018-19 NCL Women’s All-Star Team… Recognized by Sport Canada, Water Polo Canada and Canadian Olympic Committee as a national team athlete… Named Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back years…Earned the bronze medal at the Youth World Championship in Belgrade, Serbia in Sept. 2018… Named Canada’s top scorer at the 2018 Youth World Championship… Captured the gold medal at the 2018 Crossover Championships and silver at the 2018 National Championships… Earned Honor Roll with Distinction four years in a row… Recipient of diploma in French Language Studies… Daughter to Barbara and Bruce Miller.
Release courtesy Harvard University Athletics Communications
