HAYWARD, Calif. – Saturday's home game against Fresno Pacific marks the beginning of the 2014 season for the Cal State East Bay women's water polo team. It will be the 12th season under current Head Coach Lisa Cooper who enters the year two wins shy of 200 career victories.

Schedule: 2014 Women's Water Polo

"I am really excited for this season. Our team chemistry is great and we are deep at every position," said Coach Cooper. "I believe this is one of the strongest teams we have had during my time at East Bay."

Cal State East Bay returns 10 members from last year's squad that went 17-17 and finished seventh at the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Championships in Santa Clara. Senior Sara Hudyn leads this group following a junior campaign that included First Team All-America and First Team All-WWPA honors. She set the program's single-season scoring record with 109 goals in 34 games.

The Pioneers will have a tough task in filling the void left behind by last year's lone senior Claire Pierce. Last season she led the team with 110 drawn exclusions and 56 steals. Pierce was the other half of the offensive duo with Hudyn contributing 95 goals and 30 assists of her own.

"Claire was a very talented athlete. She definitely was a player that opposing teams would focus on and try to shut down. We have a lot of different players that are expected to step up this year and help fill the void she left," stated Cooper. "Sara had an amazing junior campaign and I expect her senior year to be even better. Sara and Julia Charlesworth are both four-year seniors who have a lot of game experience and knowledge."

Charlesworth has seen her role increase throughout her previous three years with the Pioneers. Last season she ranked fourth on the squad with 20 goals and 28 assists. Fellow senior Allison Zell finished last season with 34 goals and 35 assists. She was a two-time All-American while playing for Long Beach City College prior to her arrival in Hayward.

Nicole Meyer is one of four seniors and one of five players listed as primary hole sets for this year's team. In 2013 and her first season with the Pioneers, she appeared in 25 games and scored five goals. The local product out of San Ramon was named a First Team Community College All-American while playing for Diablo Valley College prior to playing for the Pioneers.

Other familiar faces on this year's roster include junior Breanna Ritter, along with sophomores Casey Rushforth, Jennifer Lightbody, Simonne Call, and Tara Bustamante. Ritter redshirted last season, while Rushforth, Lightbody, and Call received significant playing time. The three combined for 28 goals, 44 assists, 39 steals, and 25 drawn ejections. Bustamante contributed four assists and six steals in 17 games as a freshman.

Amanda Chinn and Shelbie Higginson have previously been teammates on the 18&Under Stanford Water Polo Club team this past year. The two were part of a squad that finished third in the Gold Division of the Junior Olympics. Higginson was named the Female Scholar Athlete of the Year at Santa Clara High School, and Chinn the Athlete of the Year at Hillsdale High School.

Australian Olivia Mackell is another incoming freshman and could see extended playing time early in her collegiate career. She was named to the 2014 Australian World Junior Championships roster. At Triton Water Polo Club she was named the Premier League Most Valuable Player and also received the Rising Star Shield.

"Our freshmen group is very talented. Amy and Shelbie have good fundamentals and are both lefties. Olivia has played for some great Australian coaches and was a member of the Australian National School girls water polo team that just had a successful test series against South Africa and New Zealand. She reads the game extremely well and I expect her to make an immediate impact," praised Cooper.

The Pioneers welcome a solid class of transfers including sophomore Taylor Cross, and juniors Michelle Thornbury, Julie Bertagna, and Ka'iliponi McGee. Cross is a year removed from collegiate water polo, but was a First Team All-American and First Team Big 8 All-Conference selection as a freshman with Fresno City College.

Thornbury comes from Palomar College where she was part of last year's Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Championships team in 2012. Bertagna was named to the South Coast All-Conference Team in 2012 while playing for Chaffey College.

McGee was a former foe of Bertagna while playing at Riverside Community College. She was part of a team that won the Orange Empire Conference championship and reached the state finals. Prior to RCC, McGee was named the Most Valuable Player of the Coast Conference and of Northern California, and an All-American while playing for Merced Community College.

"All of the transfers come from good junior college programs. (Ka'iliponi) played in the state title game last season and is going to add some great depth at two-meter along with Taylor. Both Poni and Taylor have killer outside shots and are very dominant hole sets. Michelle adds depth to our hole guard position, along with Breanna. Julie will add some depth as a utility player," said Cooper.

Junior goalkeeper Marrina Nation played in 27 games last season and posted 251 saves. The total ranked second among WWPA goaltenders and was the ninth most in program history. She will be joined by freshman newcomer Gabriel Isacson, who was named CIF Division V Player of the Year at Crescenta Valley High School as a senior.

"Gabriel's high school team won the CIF championship her senior year providing big game experience. Both Gabriel and Marrina have really impressed me this pre-season. Coaches (Jayme Pekarske) and (Dr. Calvin Caplan) have been doing a great job with them," Cooper commented.

Cal State East Bay (0-0) will host Fresno Pacific (0-0) on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 1 p.m. It will be the season opener for both programs.