TEMPE, Ariz. – Head Coach Petra Pardi's first official signing class is in the books, as announced this week, and the class of 2023 is highlighted by eight new faces from five different countries. The program is set to graduate four seniors in the spring, but Pardi praises the incoming class' ability to fill larger roles roles, "It is a well rounded class with a lot of potential."
The group of eight is represented by Erika Staine, Sandra Garcia, Gabby Gaetano, Genesis Jasper, Jasmijn Dikmans, Katherine Featherstone, Ashley Ferguson, and Kendra Norman who bring talent at each position.
This being one of the largest classes in recent years, head coach Petra Pardi emphasized the immediate impact these student athletes can make upon arrival in Tempe in August 2023, "It is a well rounded class with a lot of potential."
"I loved getting to know all these girls throughout the recruiting process and I think they'll fit great with our team culture, and I can't wait to welcome them to Tempe," noted Pardi.
Erika Staine (Whittier, CA./Goalkeeper)
Erika Staine is a goalkeeper out of Schurr High School, the same school current senior goalkeeper Itzahiana Baca graduated from. She was a two sport athlete at Schurr as a member of both varsity water polo and swim since 2019. In high school Staine was a two time Outstanding Defensive Player (2018, 2021) and was back-to-back Almont League Champion in 2021 and 2022. Staine was also selected for the Olympic Development Program Coastal Zone Cadet Red Team in 2021, and the Coastal Zone Youth Red Team in 2022.
Sandra Garcia (Barcelona, Spain/Center Defender)
Sandra Garcia has been a member of the Barceloneta national team for seven years, spending the last four with the senior national team. Garcia is a two time gold medal winner in the European Championships, once in Russia in 2019 with the u15 team and the other time in Israel with the u19 team. The last two years Garcia has been playing in the "Division de honor" which is the top division in Spanish water polo. In this division she has earned a gold medal in the most recent season.
Gabby Gaetano (Lake Forest, CA./Attacker)
Out of El Toro High School, Gabby Gaetano has been a three year varsity starter and two time captain of the water polo team, while also competing on the varsity swim team for two years. In 2020 and 2021 she was named 2nd team All-League member. Outside of high school, she's been a member of SET Water Polo Club since 2015 and has been a member of their Junior Olympic teams in her respective age group since 2016. Gaetano has placed second in two JO's in 2019 and 2020 and won the USSC Championships in 2020. In the Olympic Development Program, she is a two-time SOPAC Zone Cadet Team member (2020, 2021) and a member of the Youth Cadet Team in 2022 where they placed 5th nationally.
Genesis Jasper (Clovis, CA./Utility)
Genesis Jasper is from Buchanan High School where she was a four year starter and earned the Newcomer of the Year Award and Top Offensive Player award in 2019. In 32 total varsity league games she recorded 133 goals, 104 assists, and 120 steals. She was also selected to be a member of the USA Youth Zone Team and the USA Cadet Zone Team. Jasper has also earned a gold and bronze medal at the USA Girls National Championships. Academically, she was named a USA Water Polo Academic All-American for the 2020-21 season.
Jasmijn Dikmans (Netherlands/attacker)
Dikmans has competed for the Polar Bears Ede club since she was 12, and won the u15 National Championship in 2018. She competed in the top league, womens honor division, and has won back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022 with the team. In 2021, she also helped the team win the supercup of the women's honor division. With the National team, she has competed on the u17 team where she placed 5th in the European Youth Championships in 2021, and the u19 team where she placed 4th in the European Youth Championships in 2022. In 2022, she also competed with the u18 where she placed 7th in the World Youth Championships.
Kendra Norman (Johannesburg, South Africa/Left Handed Attacker)
She attended Crawford International Lonehill where her school's water polo team was ranked number one in the country for the 2022 season. With Crawford International, she competed in Junior Nationals.
Katherine Featherstone (Canada/Attacker)
Featherstone has competed for the Calgary Renegades for many years, but most recently in 2022 in 21 games, she was on the roster for the Canadian Youth National Team in the U18 World Championships, and on the Canadian Junior National Team for the U19 Pan American Championships in 2021 and 2022.. Her 52 goals were the 9th most in the U17 National Championship League. This led her team to a 2nd place finish in the U17 Nationals.
Ashley Ferguson (Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada/ Utility)
Ferguson is a member of Team Canada, and was most recently named to the Junior National Team selection roster for the 2022 Junior Worlds cycle. In six games she recorded nine goals and was awarded player of the game in the game against Serbia. She has also played on the Quebec Provincial Team since 2018 where she's been awarded a Gold Medal at the Alberta Open in 2022. For club, Ferguson is a member of DDO Water Polo Club where she was a back-to-back U14 Eastern National Champion in 2017 and 2018, and in 2018 was awarded Most Valuable Player; In 2022 as a member of the U19 team she was also awarded Most Valuable Player. In the 2020 National Championship league she notched 21 assists in 13 games.
The group of eight is represented by Erika Staine, Sandra Garcia, Gabby Gaetano, Genesis Jasper, Jasmijn Dikmans, Katherine Featherstone, Ashley Ferguson, and Kendra Norman who bring talent at each position.
This being one of the largest classes in recent years, head coach Petra Pardi emphasized the immediate impact these student athletes can make upon arrival in Tempe in August 2023, "It is a well rounded class with a lot of potential."
"I loved getting to know all these girls throughout the recruiting process and I think they'll fit great with our team culture, and I can't wait to welcome them to Tempe," noted Pardi.
Erika Staine (Whittier, CA./Goalkeeper)
Erika Staine is a goalkeeper out of Schurr High School, the same school current senior goalkeeper Itzahiana Baca graduated from. She was a two sport athlete at Schurr as a member of both varsity water polo and swim since 2019. In high school Staine was a two time Outstanding Defensive Player (2018, 2021) and was back-to-back Almont League Champion in 2021 and 2022. Staine was also selected for the Olympic Development Program Coastal Zone Cadet Red Team in 2021, and the Coastal Zone Youth Red Team in 2022.
devils don't stop ??
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 11, 2022
Erika Staine is next up in Tempe ??#O2V /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/sbiQ2tkfR5
Sandra Garcia (Barcelona, Spain/Center Defender)
Sandra Garcia has been a member of the Barceloneta national team for seven years, spending the last four with the senior national team. Garcia is a two time gold medal winner in the European Championships, once in Russia in 2019 with the u15 team and the other time in Israel with the u19 team. The last two years Garcia has been playing in the "Division de honor" which is the top division in Spanish water polo. In this division she has earned a gold medal in the most recent season.
we've got another great one ??
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 9, 2022
alllll the way from Barcelona ?? Sandra Garcia is coming to Tempe ??#O2V /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/2CJ79tBV2W
Gabby Gaetano (Lake Forest, CA./Attacker)
Out of El Toro High School, Gabby Gaetano has been a three year varsity starter and two time captain of the water polo team, while also competing on the varsity swim team for two years. In 2020 and 2021 she was named 2nd team All-League member. Outside of high school, she's been a member of SET Water Polo Club since 2015 and has been a member of their Junior Olympic teams in her respective age group since 2016. Gaetano has placed second in two JO's in 2019 and 2020 and won the USSC Championships in 2020. In the Olympic Development Program, she is a two-time SOPAC Zone Cadet Team member (2020, 2021) and a member of the Youth Cadet Team in 2022 where they placed 5th nationally.
just inked ??
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 11, 2022
Gabby Gaetano is the newest Dev in the desert ???? #O2V /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/ukAtAlIvLg
Genesis Jasper (Clovis, CA./Utility)
Genesis Jasper is from Buchanan High School where she was a four year starter and earned the Newcomer of the Year Award and Top Offensive Player award in 2019. In 32 total varsity league games she recorded 133 goals, 104 assists, and 120 steals. She was also selected to be a member of the USA Youth Zone Team and the USA Cadet Zone Team. Jasper has also earned a gold and bronze medal at the USA Girls National Championships. Academically, she was named a USA Water Polo Academic All-American for the 2020-21 season.
cali devil incoming ??
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 14, 2022
?? Genesis Jasper is SIGNED?? pic.twitter.com/6JooUi38LT
Jasmijn Dikmans (Netherlands/attacker)
Dikmans has competed for the Polar Bears Ede club since she was 12, and won the u15 National Championship in 2018. She competed in the top league, womens honor division, and has won back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022 with the team. In 2021, she also helped the team win the supercup of the women's honor division. With the National team, she has competed on the u17 team where she placed 5th in the European Youth Championships in 2021, and the u19 team where she placed 4th in the European Youth Championships in 2022. In 2022, she also competed with the u18 where she placed 7th in the World Youth Championships.
our first signee is in the books ??
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 9, 2022
welcome to Tempe, @jasmijndikmans ??#O2V /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/txJPpxeUX0
Kendra Norman (Johannesburg, South Africa/Left Handed Attacker)
She attended Crawford International Lonehill where her school's water polo team was ranked number one in the country for the 2022 season. With Crawford International, she competed in Junior Nationals.
?? inked all the way from South Africa, join us in welcoming the newest member of this year's signing class! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/LQWlFxK4vi
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) November 30, 2022
Katherine Featherstone (Canada/Attacker)
Featherstone has competed for the Calgary Renegades for many years, but most recently in 2022 in 21 games, she was on the roster for the Canadian Youth National Team in the U18 World Championships, and on the Canadian Junior National Team for the U19 Pan American Championships in 2021 and 2022.. Her 52 goals were the 9th most in the U17 National Championship League. This led her team to a 2nd place finish in the U17 Nationals.
coming in hot ????
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) December 7, 2022
Katherine Featherstone joins our signing class ?? #O2V /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/EimUFbp5E7
Ashley Ferguson (Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada/ Utility)
Ferguson is a member of Team Canada, and was most recently named to the Junior National Team selection roster for the 2022 Junior Worlds cycle. In six games she recorded nine goals and was awarded player of the game in the game against Serbia. She has also played on the Quebec Provincial Team since 2018 where she's been awarded a Gold Medal at the Alberta Open in 2022. For club, Ferguson is a member of DDO Water Polo Club where she was a back-to-back U14 Eastern National Champion in 2017 and 2018, and in 2018 was awarded Most Valuable Player; In 2022 as a member of the U19 team she was also awarded Most Valuable Player. In the 2020 National Championship league she notched 21 assists in 13 games.
last but certainly not least ??
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) December 7, 2022
Ashley Ferguson completes our signing class ? #O2V /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/MyStKec5dv