Mesa’s women’s water polo team comes back this season defending their third consecutive Pacific Coast Conference Championship title. They are also currently ranked number five in the pre-season state poll.

This season’s team has only two returning players, defender Lauren Cono, and driver Alicia Harding. The rest of the team consists of freshmen. The drivers are Crystal Patterson of Mt. Carmel High School and Natalie Thompson of Clairemont High School. The center forwards are Catalina Barraza of Point Loma High School and Brianne White of Ramona High School, and the sprinter is Julie Wells from Atlanta.

“This year’s team has good speed and good two-meter play,” says Coach Jim Fegan. “It’s a pretty young team, a lot of freshmen. A lot of new girls trying to learn a new system. We’re pretty much a brand new team.”

They are the favorite to win the Pacific Coast Conference Championship again. Coach Fegan is confident that they should be able to win the conference as long as they work together.

“If they work hard every day and practice, I know they will improve and we’ll be successful,” says Coach Fegan.

He adds, “I’m also expecting them to remember they’re here for academics. Last year, the team won the academic award.”

They had a scrimmage on Aug. 30, and did pretty well the first half, and struggled the second. They were supposed to have a game on Sept. 3, but the other team pulled out beforehand. On Sept 10, they won to Southwestern with a score of 8-3. Upcoming games include one Sept 17 versus Grossmont at Joan Kroc Pool, and the Mt SAC Tournament at Walnut on Sept 19 and 20. On Sept 24, they have a game versus Palomar College home at 2 p.m.