ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan water polo team celebrated its season and head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi handed out awards at the Junge Family Champions Center.
Seven individual awards were given along with participation awards for each letterwinner and class. The seniors were presented rings, the juniors blankets, the sophomores watches and the freshmen letter jackets.
Two players shared the team’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player honor as senior captain Caroline Anderson and junior Julia Sellers each had big seasons. Anderson set single-season records with 85 assists and 131 points. She also had 46 goals, 57 steals and nine field blocks. Sellers led the team with 81 goals to go with 33 assists, 114 points, 36 drawn exclusions, 46 steals and 46 sprints won.
Junior Kim Johnson was named the team’s Most Valuable Defensive Player. A versatile athlete, Johnson played her third different position within Michigan’s system and thrived once again. Johnson tallied 64 goals, 31 assists, 48 drawn exclusions, 58 steals and 11 field blocks.
Sophomore Maddy Steere received the Coaches Award. An extension of the coach in the water, Steere was one of the team’s top performers all season long. She reached 100 points for the second straight season and was a first-team All-Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) selection. She finished with huge numbers, posting 74 goals, 34 assists, 50 drawn exclusions, 47 steals and 18 field blocks.
The Wolverine Award went to senior captain Laura Jimenez for the second straight year. One of the team’s top bench performers, Jimenez exemplified the hunter mentality of a Wolverine. Her mental and physical toughness — as well as her intelligence in the pool — helped her give the team a go-to bench player. Coming off the bench she tallied 13 goals, 20 assists, 23 steals and eight field blocks in 41 games.
Senior captain Christina O’Beck was given the Maize & Blue Award, which goes to someone who shows up in big moments. O’Beck not only played big minutes in the postseason but also more than doubled her career production from her first three years on the team. She ended the season with 37 goals, seven assists, 26 drawn exclusions and 20 steals, while playing in all 41 games.
The Most Improved Player Award went to freshman Brittany Prentice. The Santa Barbara, Calif. native steadily improved throughout the season and saw big minutes during the CWPA and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournaments. She played in 34 games with 19 goals, 10 assists and 19 steals.
Freshman Sofie Pontré joined the team in January and made an immediate impact to earn the team’s Rookie of the Year honor. Her strong defensive presence helped the Wolverines hold opponents to under 10 goals in 38 of the 41 games. She had 23 goals, 15 assists, 33 steals and six field blocks in 39 games.
Michigan, ranked ninth in the latest CWPA National Top 25 Poll, made the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in school history and third straight year, falling to No. 3 University of California in the quarterfinals on Friday, May 11. The Wolverines qualified for the NCAA Tournament by winning their third consecutive CWPA championship. U-M finished the season with a 32-9 overall record.
2018 MICHIGAN WATER POLO AWARDS
Most Valuable Offensive Player: Caroline Anderson and Julia Sellers
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Kim Johnson
Coaches Award: Maddy Steere
Wolverine Award: Laura Jimenez
Maize & Blue Award: Christina O’Beck
Most Improved Player: Brittany Prentice
Rookie of the Year: Sofie Pontré
Release courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications
