BRIDGEPORT, Pa. – The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) released Thursday the 2016 Division I/II All-Conference Team, as decided by a vote amongst the CWPA head coaches. Indiana senior Candyce Schroeder and sophomore Kelly Matthews picked up first team honors after leading the No. 14 Hoosiers to a 6-1 record and a second-place finish in the CWPA.
Matthews returns to the CWPA postseason honor roll after a dominating sophomore season on both sides of the pool. The Roxboro, Quebec native led Indiana in goals (69), steals (51), and field blocks (22) while finishing second on the assist tally (47). In 20 of Indiana’s 27 regular season games, Matthews scored more than one goal, and she netted a hat trick in 12 contests. The sophomore also boasted a +19 steals-to-turnovers differential.
The first team selection is the fourth CWPA award for Matthews. Last season, she was named to the All-CWPA second team in addition to her Rookie of the Year award. Matthews also earned a spot on the All-CWPA Championship first team with seven goals and one assist in the Hoosiers’ three-game run to the CWPA title game.
After garnering second team honors in her sophomore and junior seasons, Schroeder receives her first selection to the All-CWPA first team as a result of her illustrious final regular season. The San Clemente, California native netted 60 goals, a single-season career high, while also serving 17 assists. She led the Hoosiers with 37 drawn exclusions, which helped Indiana capitalize on 45% of their power play chances in CWPA play.
Schroeder adds this honor to three previous CWPA career honors. The senior received All-CWPA second team selections in 2014 and 2015, and an All-CWPA first team acknowledgement in last year’s tournament.
Indiana joins Harvard University as the only two teams to earn multiple first team honorees. This marks the 10th year, and the first since 2014, that the Hoosiers have received at least two All-CWPA first team selections.
The Hoosiers kick off their CWPA Championship campaign tomorrow, April 29, with a first-round matchup against seventh-seeded Brown at 1:30 p.m. ET. Follow the action via live stream (pay-per-view, $10 per game) or on Twitter @IUWaterPolo.
2016 CWPA Division I/II All-Conference Team
Player of the Year: Ali Thomason, University of Michigan
Rookie of the Year: Kim Johnson, University of Michigan
Coach of the Year: John McBride, Bucknell University
First Team
Cleo Harrington (GK), Harvard University
Yoshi Andersen, Harvard University
Kelly Matthews, Indiana University
Candyce Schroeder, Indiana University
Hannah Sunday, Bucknell University
Zsofia Polak, Hartwick College
Ali Thomason, University of Michigan
Second Team
Julia Campbell (GK), University of Michigan
Caroline Anderson, University of Michigan
Kim Johnson, University of Michigan
Allison Skaggs, University of Michigan
Pippa Temple, Princeton University
Haley Wan, Princeton University
Melissa Balding, Harvard University
Swimming news courtesy of Indiana Water Polo.
