Three SMCHS Eagle Water Polo players were recently named to the 2012-2013 NISCA/Speedo Girls All-America Water Polo Team. Recent Eagle graduate and now UC Berkeley student-athlete Emily Loughlin ’13 (San Clemente, CA.), and seniors to be, Kacey Avalos (Lake Forest, CA.) and Haley Wan (Irvine, CA.) were recognized as High School All-Americans by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association, Emily and Haley received 2nd Team recognition while Kacey was placed on the 4th team.
In addition to be recognized as a High School All-American’s, each student-athlete was also recognized as All-League and All-CIF team members following the 2012-2013 season in which they won the program’s 11th League Championship and claimed the CIF-SS Division II Championship (program’s 2nd). In addition to being named All-CIF, Wan earned the Orange County and CIF Player of the Year honors.
In order for a player to be considered as a NISCA High School All-America, athletes must compete for an interscholastic team and be scholastically eligible as determined by his/her state athletic association or school authority.
Avalos, Loughlin and Wan are the first All-American’s for the girls’ water polo program since Mackenzie Beck earned 4th team honors in 2011 and honorable mention in 2010.
Avalos, Loughlin and Wan were 3 of 137 athletes nationwide to make the All-American team, 48 of which came from California, more than any other state by at least 30.