TEMPE, Ariz. – As announced by head coach Todd Clapper, Hayley Ballesty, Eszter Kiss, Alison Cameron, Savannah Hampton, Itzahiana Baca, and Emma Fraser have signed National Letters of Intent (NLI) to attend Arizona State and play water polo for the Sun Devils starting in 2019-20.
Hayley Ballesty (Terrey Hills, New South Wales, Australia/Center Back)
Hayley Ballesty was selected as one of the top 50 athletes from Water Polo Australia to train for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at the Towards Tokyo Camp in 2017. She's a member of the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) High Performance Senior Squad and has been part of the Australian Development Program since 2015.
With the Australian Born 2000 Team, she won a U18 and U20 bronze medal at the Pan Pacific Youth Festival and placed fourth as a vice captain at Junior World Championships in 2018. In 2017, the team toured Holland, Hungary, and Greece, placing fifth in the Pythia Cup.
A member of Sydney Northern Beaches Breakers Water Polo Club, Ballesty helped lead the team to a national championship in 2015, 2016, and 2018 and was named MVP of the 2018 National Championship. She also was a captain both years on the NSW State Team (2014, 2015).
Eszter Kiss (Budapest, Hungary/Center Defender)
Eszter Kiss won four youth championships, four junior championships, and two silver medals with her youth team and two with her junior team. In 2013-14, she was named Best U14 Player of her club team and in 2015-16, she was named Youth Best Player for her club team. In 2015, she started playing with the senior team and has won three Hungarian Championships, three Hungarian Cups, and two Hungarian Super Cups. With UVSE, she participated in the European Championships, finishing second in 2016. In 2017, her team won the Len Cup and in 2018, they finished fourth in the Euro-League.
Since 2015, competing with the National Hungarian team, they finished fifth in her first international competition with the team at the European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. In 2016, the team finished eighth at the Auckland, New Zealand World Championships; in 2017, placed sixth at the Volos, Greece World Championships; and in 2018, finished fourth at the Madeira, Portugal European Championships.
Alison Cameron (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Utility, Attacker)
Alison Cameron, a captain for Team Canada, helped her team to a bronze medal in 2017 at the Youth Women's Pan-American Championships in Lima, Peru. In 2018, the team finished 10th at the World Women's Youth Water Polo Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
With Calgary Renegades Water Polo Club, Cameron has won two gold, two silver, and three bronze medals between Canadian national Championships and Western Canadian Championships since 2015. She has been named MVP four times (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018), Most Valuable Offensive Player three times (2014, 2015, 2016), and received the Trina Campbell Award for Most Dedicated Athlete in 2018. She's been named to two All-Star Teams at Western Canadian Championships and was named MVP at the 16U Canadian National Championship Finals in 2017.
Also competing in swimming, she won gold medals in 2015 and 2016 for freestyle and medley relays at the Alberta Summer Swimming Provincial Championships. A four-sport athlete, she won a gold medal in 2014 at the U14 Alberta Softball Provincial Championships and also competed in volleyball.
Savannah Hampton (La Quinta, Calif./Attacker)
Savannah Hampton is a four-year varsity starter from La Quinta High School. She's been named to the All-CIF First Team (Division 4) and All-DVL First Team two times each. In 2018, she was named DVL MVP and DVL Champion, also named Desert Sun Athlete of the Year.
Itzahiana Baca (Montebello, Calif./Goalkeeper)
Itzahiana Baca finished third at 2018 UANA Pan-Americans and was a part of the Youth NTSC Selection Camp in 2018, also placing first in the ODP National Championship Tournament in 2018. In the same year, she placed fourth at 16U Junior Olympics and was named a Junior Olympics 16U First Team All-American. In 2016, she was named a Junior Olympics 14U First Team All-American and in 2014, she was named a Junior Olympics 12U Second Team All-American.
With Commerce Club Water Polo, she received the Outstanding Defensive Award in 2015, 2016, and 2017, received the Best Goalkeeper 12U Award at US Club Championships in 2014, and earned the Women's Water Polo Most Potential Award in 2014. She also has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and competed in volleyball.
She has been the starting varsity goalie at Schurr High School since she was a freshman and was named League MVP, Team MVP, and Second Team All-CIF in 2017-18. In 2016-17, she was named First Team All-League and First Team All-CIF; in 2015-16, she was named Rookie of the Year, Third Team All-CIF, and First Team All-League. In 2015-16 and 2017-18, her team advanced to the CIF quarterfinals and in 2016-17, they won a CIF Division 2 Championship.
Also on the SHS swim team, she received the Most Improved Award in 2016, finished second in the Almont League in 200 medley relay and third in the 400 free relay and 50 free in 2016 and second in the 400 free relay and sixth in the 50 free in 2017. In 2018, she finished third in the 400 free, fourth in the 50 free, and fifth in the 100 free. She competed at CIF prelims and finals in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Emma Fraser (Victoria, BC, Canada/Santa Barbara CC/Utility)
Emma Fraser began playing club water polo in 2011 at the Saanich Water Polo School in Victoria, B.C. and became a member of the U19 British Columbia provincial team in 2015 and 2016. In 2016, she joined the U16 club team in Eger, Hungary.
In 2017, she was the U19 Canadian National Championship League top goal scorer, selected to the Western Championship Tournament's All-Star team. In the same year, she competed at FINA World Women's Junior Water Polo Championships in Volvos, Greece as part of the Women's U20 National Team. She was named MVP at state championships in 2017.
A member of the Santa Barbara City College water polo team, she helped the team to a CCCAA state championship in 2017 and 2018.
In 2018, she helped the Canadian Women's U19 National Team win a gold medal at the UANA Junior Pan-American Championships.
Hayley Ballesty (Terrey Hills, New South Wales, Australia/Center Back)
Hayley Ballesty was selected as one of the top 50 athletes from Water Polo Australia to train for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at the Towards Tokyo Camp in 2017. She's a member of the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) High Performance Senior Squad and has been part of the Australian Development Program since 2015.
With the Australian Born 2000 Team, she won a U18 and U20 bronze medal at the Pan Pacific Youth Festival and placed fourth as a vice captain at Junior World Championships in 2018. In 2017, the team toured Holland, Hungary, and Greece, placing fifth in the Pythia Cup.
A member of Sydney Northern Beaches Breakers Water Polo Club, Ballesty helped lead the team to a national championship in 2015, 2016, and 2018 and was named MVP of the 2018 National Championship. She also was a captain both years on the NSW State Team (2014, 2015).
We want to welcome the final member of the 2019 signing class...Hayley Ballesty! #SunDevilUnity pic.twitter.com/kiCoxWbGEa
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) December 10, 2018
Eszter Kiss (Budapest, Hungary/Center Defender)
Eszter Kiss won four youth championships, four junior championships, and two silver medals with her youth team and two with her junior team. In 2013-14, she was named Best U14 Player of her club team and in 2015-16, she was named Youth Best Player for her club team. In 2015, she started playing with the senior team and has won three Hungarian Championships, three Hungarian Cups, and two Hungarian Super Cups. With UVSE, she participated in the European Championships, finishing second in 2016. In 2017, her team won the Len Cup and in 2018, they finished fourth in the Euro-League.
Since 2015, competing with the National Hungarian team, they finished fifth in her first international competition with the team at the European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. In 2016, the team finished eighth at the Auckland, New Zealand World Championships; in 2017, placed sixth at the Volos, Greece World Championships; and in 2018, finished fourth at the Madeira, Portugal European Championships.
Help us welcome our newest Sun Devil, Eszter Kiss! #SunDevilUnity pic.twitter.com/yWYaWlPjEO
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 16, 2018
Alison Cameron (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Utility, Attacker)
Alison Cameron, a captain for Team Canada, helped her team to a bronze medal in 2017 at the Youth Women's Pan-American Championships in Lima, Peru. In 2018, the team finished 10th at the World Women's Youth Water Polo Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
With Calgary Renegades Water Polo Club, Cameron has won two gold, two silver, and three bronze medals between Canadian national Championships and Western Canadian Championships since 2015. She has been named MVP four times (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018), Most Valuable Offensive Player three times (2014, 2015, 2016), and received the Trina Campbell Award for Most Dedicated Athlete in 2018. She's been named to two All-Star Teams at Western Canadian Championships and was named MVP at the 16U Canadian National Championship Finals in 2017.
Also competing in swimming, she won gold medals in 2015 and 2016 for freestyle and medley relays at the Alberta Summer Swimming Provincial Championships. A four-sport athlete, she won a gold medal in 2014 at the U14 Alberta Softball Provincial Championships and also competed in volleyball.
Our first signee of the season is official! A member of Team Canada, Alison Cameron has won two ??, two ??, and three ??between Canadian National Championships and Western Canadian Championships #SunDevilUnity pic.twitter.com/D2jMujhXOG
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 15, 2018
Savannah Hampton (La Quinta, Calif./Attacker)
Savannah Hampton is a four-year varsity starter from La Quinta High School. She's been named to the All-CIF First Team (Division 4) and All-DVL First Team two times each. In 2018, she was named DVL MVP and DVL Champion, also named Desert Sun Athlete of the Year.
Savannah Hampton, an All-CIF First Team honoree and four-year varsity starter from La Quinta, CA is now a Sun Devil! #SunDevilUnity pic.twitter.com/4bkVoShG0a
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 19, 2018
Itzahiana Baca (Montebello, Calif./Goalkeeper)
Itzahiana Baca finished third at 2018 UANA Pan-Americans and was a part of the Youth NTSC Selection Camp in 2018, also placing first in the ODP National Championship Tournament in 2018. In the same year, she placed fourth at 16U Junior Olympics and was named a Junior Olympics 16U First Team All-American. In 2016, she was named a Junior Olympics 14U First Team All-American and in 2014, she was named a Junior Olympics 12U Second Team All-American.
With Commerce Club Water Polo, she received the Outstanding Defensive Award in 2015, 2016, and 2017, received the Best Goalkeeper 12U Award at US Club Championships in 2014, and earned the Women's Water Polo Most Potential Award in 2014. She also has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and competed in volleyball.
She has been the starting varsity goalie at Schurr High School since she was a freshman and was named League MVP, Team MVP, and Second Team All-CIF in 2017-18. In 2016-17, she was named First Team All-League and First Team All-CIF; in 2015-16, she was named Rookie of the Year, Third Team All-CIF, and First Team All-League. In 2015-16 and 2017-18, her team advanced to the CIF quarterfinals and in 2016-17, they won a CIF Division 2 Championship.
Also on the SHS swim team, she received the Most Improved Award in 2016, finished second in the Almont League in 200 medley relay and third in the 400 free relay and 50 free in 2016 and second in the 400 free relay and sixth in the 50 free in 2017. In 2018, she finished third in the 400 free, fourth in the 50 free, and fifth in the 100 free. She competed at CIF prelims and finals in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Our next signee placed first in the ODP National Championship Tournament in 2018...Itzahiana is a goalkeeper from Montebello, CA! #SunDevilUnity pic.twitter.com/do94nb6uJm
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 19, 2018
Emma Fraser (Victoria, BC, Canada/Santa Barbara CC/Utility)
Emma Fraser began playing club water polo in 2011 at the Saanich Water Polo School in Victoria, B.C. and became a member of the U19 British Columbia provincial team in 2015 and 2016. In 2016, she joined the U16 club team in Eger, Hungary.
In 2017, she was the U19 Canadian National Championship League top goal scorer, selected to the Western Championship Tournament's All-Star team. In the same year, she competed at FINA World Women's Junior Water Polo Championships in Volvos, Greece as part of the Women's U20 National Team. She was named MVP at state championships in 2017.
A member of the Santa Barbara City College water polo team, she helped the team to a CCCAA state championship in 2017 and 2018.
In 2018, she helped the Canadian Women's U19 National Team win a gold medal at the UANA Junior Pan-American Championships.
The top goal scorer in the U19 Canadian National Championship League in 2017, Emma Fraser of Victoria, BC, Canada is now a Sun Devil! pic.twitter.com/JmHvSA66fS
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 19, 2018