Foothill's recruiting class reigns supreme

Foothill’s signing ceremony for girls water polo featured so many players the Knights could have fielded a team of college-bound seniors.

Five players signed, one reported a commitment and one player talked about promising to join Princeton.

It takes seven players to field a water polo team, and that was the impressive number of players on hand for the ceremony at the school’s events center.

“This was probably rare for a water polo team,” Foothill girls coach Jeff Colton said. “We’ve kind of got every position. This could be our starting lineup for some games. I think it’s unique, and I’m really excited. This is a special class.”

The five players who signed letters of intents were left-handed attacker Ashley Zwirner (UCLA), goalie Kelsey Roland (Cal), right-handed attacker Katy Schneider (San Diego State), defender Eleanor Lee (Loyola Marymount) and utility Nikki Stansfield (USC).

Speedy right-handed attacker Brenna Thomas has committed to UC Santa Barbara and anticipated signing soon.

Foothill center Hannah Lapkin, a backup last season to McKenna Mitchell, is hoping to join rising eastern power Princeton.

All seven players have strong grades and play year-round water polo, Colton said. Four play club for SOCAL while the other three are part of the Huntington Beach club.

“All these girls deserve it. We’ve been working hard,” Lee said. “I think we’re all very committed, and that goes along with having a lot of practice time. We all do team stuff. We’re very bonded. We’re a very committed team.”

NEW GIRLS ON BLOCK SIGN WITH USC

Twin sisters Stephania and Ioanna Haralabidis of Corona del Mar signed with USC, their mother, Janet, confirmed.

The girls are transfers from Greece, where they have played for the junior and senior national teams. They helped Greece's junior team capture the European title.

Stephania is a left-handed attacker. Ioanna plays right-handed attacker.

CdM's PAPA PICKS NCAA CHAMPS

News of Cassidy Papa's decision surfaced later in the afternoon. The Corona del Mar senior attacker picked NCAA champion Stanford.

"I committed to Stanford after school (Wednesday)," she wrote in a text. "And honestly, in the end, it came down to where I could see myself the most and where I felt the most comfortable while also getting to experience something totally new in my life. ... I just felt like I belonged there."

AQUATICS SIGNING LISTS

BOYS SWIMMING

Mark Anderson (El Toro) Texas, diving

Janardan Burns (Aliso Niguel) Cal

Jack DesCombes (Capistrano Valley) Stanford

Christian Garkani (Corona del Mar) Louisville

David Heron (Mission Viejo) Tennessee

Dylan Payne (Mater Dei) Duke

Zach Yong (University) UC San Diego

GIRLS SWIMMING

Maggie Burton (University) UCLA

Cheyenne Low (University) Texas

Jamie Dang (Fountain Valley) UC Santa Barbara

Casey Duckworth (Newport Harbor) Wyoming

Hailey Golden (Orange Lutheran) Cal Baptist

Katelyn Martin (Troy) Boise St.

Emma Henderson (University) Cal Poly SLO

Jiana Vargem (Mater Dei) UC Santa Barbara

Brynne Wong (Corona del Mar) Texas

Jordan Marthens (Trabuco Hills) Boise State, diving

Madison Young (Crean Lutheran) Georgia Tech, diving

Amanda Casillas (El Modena) Utah, diving

GIRLS WATER POLO

Cassidy Papa (Corona del Mar) Stanford

Mackenzie Barr (Mater Dei) UCLA

Mackenzie Baldridge (Laguna Beach) UC Santa Barbara

Risa Burke (Edison) San Diego St.

Jessica Castellano (Yorba Linda) Cal Baptist

Alyssa Diacono (Tesoro) San Diego St.

Stephania Haralabidis (Corona del Mar) USC

Ioanna Haralabidis (Corona del Mar) USC

Emily Loughlin (Santa Margarita) Cal

Elissia Schilling (Newport Harbor) UCLA

Jackie Villarreal (Santa Margarita) San Diego State

Avery Peterson (Newport Harbor) USC

Carly Christian (Newport Harbor) UC Santa Barbara

Eleanor Lee (Foothill) Loyola Marymount

Kelsey Roland (Foothill) Cal, GK

Nikki Stansfield (Foothill) USC

Ashley Zwirner (Foothill) UCLA

Katy Schneider (Foothill) San Diego State

Brenna Thomas (Foothill) UC Santa Barbara

Nikki Quinn (Los Alamitos) UC Santa Barbara, GK

Stephanie Mutafyan (Los Alamitos) Cal

Shannon Crowley (Los Alamitos) Brown

Emily Browning (El Toro) Michigan, GK

Delaney Riley (El Toro) UC Santa Barbara

Allison Skaggs (El Toro) Michigan