New York Division to Open Play This Weekend at Syracuse

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The New York Division will open up play this weekend as Colgate University, Columbia University, Cornell University and defending champion New York University will travel to Syracuse University for the first of two regular season tournaments.

One of the most evenly balanced divisions in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA), five teams have reached the New York Division title game in the last three years as NYU (2008), Syracuse (2008), Columbia (2007), Cornell (2007, 2006) and Colgate (2006) have recently played for the championship.

Syracuse, which finished as the runner-up last year in the program's first title game appearance, appears to have enough returning talent to advance deep into the division tournament as the Orangemen will rely on All-Conference first team pick Liliya Schtikel and second team goalie Sarah Freedman to lead the team to its first championship.

Colgate, which is coming off a fourth place finish in the division a year ago, will turn to co-captains Claudia Placente and Jen Cahn to guide the program, while NYU will strive to take the program's fourth division title after capturing the 2002, 2004 and 2008 crowns.

NYU, which will lean on a large incoming class to fill holes and improve depth in the wake of graduation, still possesses a great deal of talent as the Violets return 2008 New York Division Most Valuable Player Vanessa Jackson and Coach of the Year Mike George.

Overall, four All-Conference players will dive back in for NYU this year as first team All-Conference goalie Meredith Lewis and Jackson will aid All-Conference first team pick Meg Weichman and second team selection Emily Rauscher.

Two question marks will be Columbia and Cornell as the Lions and Big Red appear to be in a rebuilding mode, but could shock the division in 2009.

The 2007 division champion, Columbia is expected to continue its ascent back into the upper echelon of the division after placing fifth last year.

The loss of several key players, including All-Conference second team pick Brianna Harper and 2007 first team goalie Amy Lin, could hurt three-time champion Columbia's chances of taking the program's fourth division title. However, captain and leading scorer Lia Rosner, a 2008 second team and 2007 first team All-Conference selection, and veterans Erica Drennan, Shannon Hosey, Jen Lichtblau, Kacie Rice and Tammy Yanagi, should aid the Lions.

Returning a strong core of returning players and a group of incoming freshmen, Cornell, which finished third in the division last year, is looking to make its fifth title game appearance this year.

The 2005 and 2006 champion, the Big Red will rely on goalkeeper Diane Wu and two-meter defender Katherine Mooney to anchor the defense, while Chloe Hillmer and Yiwen Ng hold down two-meters.

A complete schedule for the division is available here.