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Millie Quin is more than Sun Devil Water Polo history

Arizona State senior Millie Quin became the Sun Devils’ all-time leader in goals and points, cementing her legacy in ASU water polo history. But she's also much more than just a name in the record book.

Millie Quin is more than Sun Devil Water Polo historyMillie Quin is more than Sun Devil Water Polo history
Sun Devil Athletics

Millie Quin celebrates Senior Day with (from left to right) Head Coach Petra Pardi, Athletics Director Graham Rossini, Assistant Coach Ethan D'Souza, Graduate Assistant Luca Petovary and Assistant Coach Amira Van Buren

by Meredith Cunningham

Millie Quin’s name now sits at the very top of the Arizona State record book.

At the conclusion of the Convergence Tournament on March 7, 2026, the senior became Sun Devil Water Polo’s all-time scoring leader with 354 career points, recording 260 goals and 94 assists to surpass former teammate Luca Petovary.

The milestone cemented Quin as the most prolific offensive player in program history. Petovary previously held the record with 331 career points on 252 goals and 79 assists.

Quin can still accomplish more. With a handful of games remaining this season, she also has a chance to break the MPSF Conference goals record of 294, set by Rae Lekness of San José State from 2013 to 2016.

As impressive as the achievement is, Quin doesn’t seem phased by her place in Sun Devil history.

“I honestly haven’t really thought about it. I had no idea about the record until the day before,” Quin admitted. “But it’s something that obviously is a great privilege, and it’s a really cool thing to have achieved.”

Spoken like a true leader, Quin’s focus isn’t on herself. It’s on the team.

“The team does come first, especially this year,” she said. “This team is so special. We’re so talented, and we have all the abilities right at our fingertips to win. I think qualifying for Nationals is something I’m really thinking about rather than my goals.”

While Millie chases greatness, both for the team and the school’s record books, she’s setting the mark higher and higher for future Sun Devils in the pool. 

But it’s important to know that she’s also more than just a name in a record book. 

“You focus a lot on the stats and how many games you win and the performance in the pool,” Quin said. “Now that I’m ending my senior year, I think it’s always an important reminder that you’re not just an athlete. You’re not just the sport that you play. It’s something I think everyone needs to hear at some point.”

So who is Millie Quin?

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A girl from New Zealand
Quin hails from a sports family in Tauranga, New Zealand. Her mother was a field hockey player, her father a rugby player and water polo goalie who introduced her to the sport at a young age.

The oldest of four children, Quin grew up surrounded by competition. Her three brothers played water polo, field hockey and rugby, and her brother Jake is now pursuing a path toward professional rugby.

With four children, each two years apart, and all playing multiple sports, the schedule could have been chaos. But Quin’s parents made it work.

“When I was growing up in competitive swimming, there were a lot of early mornings, and we spent a lot of time in cars,” Quin recalled. “They never complained about having to take me to practice. I’ve always had that support from my family.”

This unwavering support made her decision to attend boarding school at age 14 especially difficult. She enrolled at the Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland, two hours from home, in order to pursue water polo.

“When I went to boarding school at 14, it was a really tough decision that I made myself,” Quin said. “But for my parents, it was really tough to see their only girl move away.”

The move was a sacrifice that paid off, however. It helped elevate her career. At Diocesan, Quin was able to play for both her high school team and the New Zealand national program under the same coach, Angie Winstanley-Smith. 

“Growing up, my parents always gave me as many options as they could,” Quin said. “So we made that move for me to be under the best coach in New Zealand and really develop my skills.”

Quin wasn’t alone in Auckland for long. Two years later, her family relocated so her brothers could attend the same school as their father and be closer to Millie. Today, Millie’s family remains her biggest supporters, and they make the trip to Tempe about once a season to support their daughter. 

“It’s really cool to be able to have them come and visit and see me play in person, rather than on the TV, which is most weekends,” Quin beams. 

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A best friend
During high school, Quin formed a lifelong friendship with fellow Sun Devil senior Sophie Shorter-Robinson. The two have been teammates since their time together at Diocesan and with the New Zealand national team.

Their chemistry in the pool has become one of Arizona State’s biggest strengths. It's almost like they've formed some type of psychic-like connection. 

“We just click so well, and we always support each other,” Shorter-Robinson said. “We know each other’s tendencies and what’s going to happen. All we have to do is make eye contact.”

Head Coach Petra Pardi sees the same connection.

“I genuinely believe the two of them think they are actually biological sisters,” Pardi joked. “But yes, the two are always looking for each other, and 90 percent of Sophie’s highlight video is assists from Millie.”

“It’s been such a great experience coming here with Sophie,” Quin said. “It’s so nice to have someone here from the same place and be with someone who just gets you.”

The pair doesn’t plan on separating anytime soon. Both are pursuing professional water polo opportunities in Europe after graduation.

“We’re like sisters, so it would be great to go over to Europe together,” Shorter-Robinson said. “It would be so cool to keep playing together, living together and doing it all again.”

Pardi, a former European professional player herself, is helping them navigate that process.

“In Europe, the NCAA is considered a lower level, and I think that’s misplaced,” Pardi said. “Our conference is strong and competitive with any of the European leagues, but those coaches don’t always know that. So I’m sending them video and comparing them to European players the coaches already know.”

MIllie Quin hugs coach Petra on Senior Day vs. USC

A transfer to Tempe
If there’s a common theme among Quin’s coaches and teammates, it’s how much she has grown since arriving at Arizona State.

She arrived in Tempe for her sophomore year in 2024, following a one-year stint at Cal, where she played for the Golden Bears. 

But not all was golden. 

“She barely played, which really surprised me because she’s a great player,” Pardi said. “Obviously, she wasn’t happy with it and entered the transfer portal. I reached out to her, but so did everybody else.”

Pardi had one advantage. She had already built a relationship with Quin through previous recruiting conversations.

In fact, Pardi still has the first message Quin sent her.

“Okay, here it is,” Pardi said while scrolling through her phone.

Thanks for reaching out, but I am in a dialogue with another college, and I need to allow that process to run its course before being in a position to have additional dialogues with other colleges.

“Who writes like that? ‘All the best,’ really?” Pardi laughed. “It turned out her dad actually wrote that message because Millie didn’t know how to say no to me.”

When the two met in person at the World Cup in Long Beach, Quin’s decision became clear. She was going to transfer to Arizona State.

“She told me I was the least awkward and most normal coach she met,” Pardi joked. “So she ended up coming here, which I’m very thankful for.”

Quin is equally grateful.

“When I first came here, it felt like a relief to finally feel appreciated and seen,” Quin said. “My time at Cal definitely took a toll on my self-confidence. But Petra gave me that confidence back and allowed me to play into my own.”

Play into her own she did.

In her first season as a Sun Devil, Quin started all 31 games, scoring 73 goals with 42 assists for 115 points. The total ranked second in the MPSF, trailing only her teammate Petovary.

Millie Quin was well on her way.

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A stoic leader
As the seasons progressed, Quin grew into a leader willing to do whatever it takes to help the team succeed.

By mid-March, Arizona State held a 23–4 record and ranked fifth in the nation.

“Millie is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever coached,” Pardi said. “She’s leading by example and bringing others with her. She’s doing a beautiful job of that.”

“We have six seniors leaving at the end of the year, and they’ve really taken it upon themselves to make sure we finish with a fantastic season.”

Her reputation has not gone unnoticed by the program’s younger players.

“All nine freshmen were intimidated by Millie at first because she has this presence of being a hard-core water polo player,” Pardi said. “But once they get to know her, they realize she’s actually a sweetheart with huge emotions.”

From a teammate’s perspective, Shorter-Robinson sees the power in Quin’s quiet leadership.

“She’s a woman of very few words,” she said. “But when she speaks, it means a lot. People listen because what she’s saying actually matters.”

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A great teammate
For a player with record-setting numbers, Quin remains remarkably humble.

She experienced the moment from the other side during her sophomore season when Petovary broke the program scoring record.

“I learned so much from her,” Quin said. “Just being there when she broke that record and won player of the year was so cool. Then for me to take it over from her two years later is kind of crazy.”

Petovary has remained one of Quin’s biggest supporters.

“Luca has been such a big supporter of mine,” Quin said. “She’s been my graduate assistant and coach for two years and continues to give me advice. She even helped me overtake her record.”

Despite the accolades, Quin credits the team for her success.

“It’s crazy and definitely a real privilege,” she said. “But I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without the team and Petra giving me back the confidence I lost in my freshman year.”

An aspiring prosecutor
As Quin approaches the end of her collegiate career, her future remains open.

She hopes to play professionally in Europe, potentially alongside Shorter-Robinson. If that opportunity doesn’t materialize, she has a different path waiting. 

Quin will graduate with a degree in interdisciplinary studies focused on psychology and criminal justice and plans to return to New Zealand to attend law school with the goal of becoming a prosecutor.

It’s a path that fits her personality perfectly, according to Pardi.

“She’s strong, very strong, and also very stubborn,” Pardi said. “When you’re a high-performance athlete, stubbornness is one of the indicators of greatness.”

 

MIllie Quin

A Sun Devil for Life
Whether she’s chasing championships, records or a career in law, Quin’s impact at Arizona State is already clear.

She may leave as the most prolific scorer in program history, but if you ask her, the legacy she hopes to leave behind is much bigger.

“I would love for someone else to break the record,” Quin said. “I think it shows that the program is growing. That would be really cool to see.”

 

 

Have a Sun Devil story to share? Fork it over to Meredith Cunningham, digital content manager for sundevils.com, at mcunni43@asu.edu.