ANN ARBOR, Mich. — After opening the season with a 3-2 record at the UCSB Invitational last weekend, the No. 12 Michigan water polo team captured all three weekly awards by the CWPA.
Senior Ali Thomason was selected as the CWPA Player of the Week for the second time in her career. She earned the honor on April 7, 2015. This past weekend the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar started her final year in impressive fashion with 19 goals, two assists, four steals and 17-19 sprints won.
Thomason scored 15 goals in the final three games. She matched a career high with six goals in an 18-9 victory over No. 8 San Jose State. The win snapped a 21-game losing streak against top 10 teams for U-M and was the first victory over a top 10 team since 2012. The 18 goals were the highest U-M had ever scored against a top 10 foe.
The senior from San Rafael, Calif. became the ninth player in Michigan’s history to hit the 150 career steals mark with her first steal against No. 7 Hawai’i on Friday. She also hit 200 career points with her fifth and final goal against Cal Baptist. In a battle with No. 2 UCLA, she scored four of the team’s seven goals.
Senior goalkeeper Julia Campbell claimed her fourth career CWPA Defensive Player of the Week award. She started all five games in goal for the Wolverines, stopping 35 shots and allowing just 34 goals in 144 minutes. In three wins, she allowed just 12 goals with 19 saves to her credit. The Naperville, Ill. native also had three assists and three steals on the weekend.
Campbell’s previous honors all came last year when she won once in March and twice in April. Her four career honors are the third most by a Michigan player, one shy of Kiki Golden (2010-13).
Freshman Kim Johnson is the 17th different Wolverine to garner Rookie of the Week honors. She completed the weekend with 12 goals, four assists, seven drawn exclusions and three steals. In her college debut, she scored three goals and had one assist against No. 7 Hawai’i. It was one of three hat tricks for the Walnut Creek, Calif. native. She also had three goals and one assist against No. 19 Cal State Northridge and then finished with three goals and two assists vs. No. 8 San Jose State.
The three Michigan players will look to lead their team again this weekend as U-M hosts the Michigan Invitational on Saturdayand Sunday at Canham Natatorium.
Swimming news courtesy of Michigan Water Polo.
