TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State University water polo team will host The New York Athletic Club this weekend as part of a four-game exhibition series at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe, Ariz., beginning Saturday, Jan. 7.
The Sun Devils will host the exhibitions as part of the team's annual "Hell Week" as the team returns from the winter break to prepare for the coming 2017 season, set to begin Jan. 28 in Tempe against San Diego State.
The exhibition series marks the first of nine home appearances for the perennial top-five Sun Devil Squad in the month of January, before the team embarks on its annual February tournament schedule in California.
Prior to the 2016 season, the ASU schedule did not typically see the Sun Devils in the water at Mona Plummer until March. Fans are welcomed to take advantage of the free admission to this week's contests to get their first look at a 2017 roster that has head coach Todd Clapper – now in his 12th season at the helm of the program – looking forward to yet another run at the NCAA Tournament in May.
The Sun Devils have established themselves as one of the elite teams in the country in the last couple years. In the last four seasons, the Sun Devils have compiled an 103-41 record under Clapper. In that time, the team has posted 18 All-America honors while earning the first victory over UCLA in program history, beating Cal on the road for the first time ever and matching a program-best upset with a victory over second-ranked USC two years ago.
Head coach Todd Clapper and the Sun Devils will look to build on the 2016 season that saw the Sun Devils finish fifth overall at the NCAA Tournament.
ASU returns the bulk of the 2016 roster, including Maud Koopman who accounted for 35 goals and 32 assists last season. Koopman, a prolific goal scorer and creator, will be backed up by one of the nation's top goalies in Mia Rycraw. Rycraw made 23 appearances in the starting lineup for the Sun Devils and amassed an incredible 265 saves en rout to a .66 save percentage.
While the future is bright for the Sun Devils, the team will be tasked in replacing four veteran leaders who combined for nearly 130 of the Sun Devils' 240 total goals last season. ASU lost defenders Ao Gao and Katie Sverchek, attacker Daisy Carter and center Abbey Kerth, who all graduated in the spring.
The weekend's action will get underway Saturday morning at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. The two squads will play a pair of games on Saturday at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. followed by another set of games to wrap up the weekend on Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Admission is free to the public.
The Sun Devils will host the exhibitions as part of the team's annual "Hell Week" as the team returns from the winter break to prepare for the coming 2017 season, set to begin Jan. 28 in Tempe against San Diego State.
The exhibition series marks the first of nine home appearances for the perennial top-five Sun Devil Squad in the month of January, before the team embarks on its annual February tournament schedule in California.
Prior to the 2016 season, the ASU schedule did not typically see the Sun Devils in the water at Mona Plummer until March. Fans are welcomed to take advantage of the free admission to this week's contests to get their first look at a 2017 roster that has head coach Todd Clapper – now in his 12th season at the helm of the program – looking forward to yet another run at the NCAA Tournament in May.
The Sun Devils have established themselves as one of the elite teams in the country in the last couple years. In the last four seasons, the Sun Devils have compiled an 103-41 record under Clapper. In that time, the team has posted 18 All-America honors while earning the first victory over UCLA in program history, beating Cal on the road for the first time ever and matching a program-best upset with a victory over second-ranked USC two years ago.
Head coach Todd Clapper and the Sun Devils will look to build on the 2016 season that saw the Sun Devils finish fifth overall at the NCAA Tournament.
ASU returns the bulk of the 2016 roster, including Maud Koopman who accounted for 35 goals and 32 assists last season. Koopman, a prolific goal scorer and creator, will be backed up by one of the nation's top goalies in Mia Rycraw. Rycraw made 23 appearances in the starting lineup for the Sun Devils and amassed an incredible 265 saves en rout to a .66 save percentage.
While the future is bright for the Sun Devils, the team will be tasked in replacing four veteran leaders who combined for nearly 130 of the Sun Devils' 240 total goals last season. ASU lost defenders Ao Gao and Katie Sverchek, attacker Daisy Carter and center Abbey Kerth, who all graduated in the spring.
The weekend's action will get underway Saturday morning at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. The two squads will play a pair of games on Saturday at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. followed by another set of games to wrap up the weekend on Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Admission is free to the public.