After an impressive fourth place finish to last year’s campaign, the CSU East Bay water polo team is ready to carry over their success from last season as they prepare to open up the 2012 water polo year this weekend.

The Pioneers will welcome Sonoma State on Friday, Feb. 3 at the Pioneer Pool in their first match up of the season, then face off against Azusa Pacific later on in the day.

Last year, East Bay’s water polo team displayed their best season in the university’s eight-year water polo history with a fourth place showing in the Woman’s Water Polo Association (WWPA) Tournament to end the 2011 campaign.

East Bay posted a 20-15 overall record that included wins over six Division I opponents.

This year, East Bay is predicted by conference coaches to finish fifth in the WWPA, in the 2012 Preseason Coaches’ Poll released last week, with Loyola Marymount predicted to finish first.

When asked about these predictions, last year’s leading scorer for the Pioneers Claire Pierce expressed her confidence in this year’s team’s ability to turn heads around the conference once again.

“In my past two years here at East Bay the team has continuously surprised people. We are the underdogs and I think this works to our advantage,” said Pierce. “I don’t believe in the rankings as it’s impossible to determine ones ranking based on paper. I will let our performance put us in our rightful position as we get into the season.”

This season, the Pioneers return a pair of All-WWPA honorees in Pierce and Jayme Pekarske.

Pierce was a first team all-league selection after finishing with 87 goals to finish second in the conference and among the nation’s leaders in scoring last season.

“I am very excited to finally start the season. The team has worked very hard throughout the past few months in preparation,” said Pierce.

“We have a very different team from last year so everyone’s roles and expectations have changed, which should work to our advantage. I believe if we take it game by game we are quite capable of another high place finish this year.”

In addition to earning a first-team All-WWPA selection, Pierce collected her second straight Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) first-team All-American and was named to the Capitol One Academic All-District First Team.
For the Pioneers as a whole, 11 players earned WWPA All-Academic recognition and eight received an ACWPC All-Academic nod.

As a team, East Bay collected its ninth straight ACWPC Team Academic Award and was one of just six Division II squads to earn the recognition.

Entering her 10th season at the helm for the Pioneers, Head Coach Lisa Cooper is anticipating yet another successful year for East Bay water polo.

“I am very excited for this season, we have a great mix of returners and newcomers. They are all very positive and encouraging with each other which is  great to see,” said Cooper.

“We are hoping to better our finish in conference this year. Last year was the first time we made it to the semi-finals and know what it takes to get there, one of our team goals is to finish in the top 3.”

This year’s WWPA Tournament will be hosted by UC San Diego from Apr. 27 to 29 in La Jolla.