Setting the Scene
After a long offseason, the Hoosiers are set to take the pool for their first weekend of the 2016 season. This season’s campaign begins in Tempe, Arizona, where the Hoosiers face a weekend series against the sixth-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils. The Hoosiers, led by seniors MacKenzie Bonk, Mary Campbell, and Candyce Schroeder, aim to make another run at the CWPA title this season, and they’ll prepare for CWPA play with a schedule that’s loaded front-to-back with nationally ranked opposition.
A New Beginning
The Indiana Hoosiers begin their 19th season as a varsity program, all under the tutelage of head coachBarry King. Their 30-game season commences with the opening sprint this Saturday at Arizona State’s Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.
Indiana returns 10 letterwinners from their 2015 campaign, including All-CWPA selections Kelly Matthewsand Candyce Schroeder.
Scoping the Sun Devils
Indiana and Arizona State will compete in a doubleheader on Saturday, January 23, with game scheduled at 12 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET. On Sunday, January 24, the two teams will play a pair of exhibition games.
The Sun Devils have become a recurring opponent for the Hoosiers since their first meeting in 2003. Arizona State leads the overall series, 6-3, and they took the last meeting, 12-5, in 2015.
Last season, the Sun Devils jumped out to a 15-4 start before falling in six of their final seven games. Their season concluded after an 0-2 finish at the MPSF Championships.
Turn Back the Clock
The Hoosiers finished their 2015 regular season in a three-way tie atop the CWPA with Princeton and Michigan. Indiana battled through the CWPA Tournament all the way to the title game, but fell short of an NCAA berth by one goal in a 7-6 loss to Princeton.
Senior Leadership
Three members of Indiana’s 2016 squad begin their senior season this weekend: goalkeeper MacKenzie Bonk, goalkeeper Mary Campbell, and center Candyce Schroeder. Campbell and Bonk provide depth and a strong ability to communicate from the cage, while Schroeder aims to guide a youth-heavy attack front into a dynamic force.
Up Next: Bruno Classic (Feb. 6-7, 2016 • Providence, R.I.)
Following their weekend series with Arizona State, the Hoosiers head to Brown University to take part in the annual Bruno Classic. There, they’ll face off against three teams ranked in the top 25 while getting an early look at CWPA foes Brown and Harvard.
Of Note…
• 2015 CWPA Rookie of the Year Kelly Matthews is back for her sophomore season with the Hoosiers. Matthews netted 73 goals, an IU freshman record, in her debut campaign.
• Senior goalkeeper Mary Campbell begins her second season starting in the cage for Indiana. She currently ranks seventh on Indiana’s all-time saves list (406).
• Center Candyce Schroeder is IU’s top returning scorer in 2016. The an Clemente, Calif. native has 108 career goals and 52 career assists to her name, and she’ll look to cause problems for opposing defenses this season.
• The Hoosiers will roll out three newcomers for the 2016 season: center Kaybree Albright, attacker Kate Pipkin, and attacker Mackenzie Rosenthal. This freshman trio plans to make an immediate impact on the Hoosiers’ success this season.
Swimming news courtesy of Indiana Water Polo.