CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Head coach Ted Minnis and the Harvard University women's water polo team have announced the incoming class of 2016. All three recruits hail from the state of California.

"I am happy to be adding three very experienced and talented young women to our program," said Minnis. "They have each proven themselves in the pool and in the classroom. They will contribute to the team right away."

The 2012 Crimson went 17-12 overall and 4-1 in regular season CWPA Southern Division games. It was the second straight season Harvard has finished over .500, marking the first time since 2005 and '06 that the program has accomplished that feat.

The Crimson will return 10 members of the 2012 squad, including second team All-CWPA Southern Division performer Elise Molnar, as it looks for the team's first back-to-back-to-back winning seasons since 2000-02. Harvard also returns its second-leading goal-scorer, Aisha Price (65), and its leading goalie, Ariel Dukes (193 saves).

Charlotte Hendrix (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara)
Played water polo and swam for four years at Santa Barbara High School ... Captained the water polo team in 2011-12 ... Named an All-American in 2006 and 2010 ... Picked to the USCC All-Tournament team in 2010 and 2011 ...  Earned a USA Water Polo Youth National Team selection in 2010 and 2011 ... Part of the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Team from 2009-11 ... Second team All-CIF pick in 2009 and 2012 and a third team honoree in 2011 ... First team All-Channel League as a junior and senior after being picked to the second team during her first two seasons ... Ranks second in drawn ejections, fifth in assists and fifth in goals in her career at Santa Barbara High School ... Member of the all-tournament team at the 2012 Tournament of Champions ... Helped Santa Barbara to second-place finishes in the Channel League in 2009, 2010 and 2011, before winning the title in 2012 ... Played on the Santa Barbara Water Polo Club team that won the Junior Olympic championships in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010 ... Club team also won the United States Club championships in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 ... Academic All-America honoree in 2010 ... Member of the National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation ... Volunteered at AYSO, Transition House, Santa Barbara Water Polo Club, and Santa Barbara Jr. Lifeguards ... Founding member and president of the Santa Barbara Robotics Club.

Yoshi Andersen (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach)
Played water polo and swam for four years at Laguna Beach High School ... Captained the water polo and swimming teams as a senior ... Led the water polo team in goals (106), assists (45) and steals (53) as a senior ... Directed her Laguna Beach High School team to four straight league championships in 2009-12 ... Team earned the CIF Division 2 championship in 2009 ... First team all-league choice as a junior and senior and a second team pick as a sophomore ... Voted the league's MVP in 2012 ... First team All-CIF selection as a senior and second team choice as a sophomore and junior ... Honored as first team All-Orange County in 2012 ... Named to the all-tournament teams at the Santa Barbara Tournament and the high school championships ... Earned club water polo All-America honors in 2009-10 ... Member of the Junior and Youth National Teams that placed second at the Jr. Pan-American Games in 2008-09 (Brazil) and 2010-12 (Miami, Fla.), respectively ... Her club team won titles at the California Cup 16U in 2010 and the Junior Olympics 18U in 2011 ... President of the Pink Ribbon Club ... Member of the Rotary Club International and Buddy Club ... Earned the Academic Award for Creativity in Ceramics in 2010-11 ... Gave swimming lessons to children.

Rachel Lobato (San Diego, Calif./Mission Bay)
Four-year letterwinner in water polo and swimming ... Earned the Coach's Award MVP in water polo as a senior ... Named All-Central League Athlete of the Year in 2011 ... Selected to the Union Tribune All-Academic first team in 2011 ... Picked as the team's most valuable offensive player in 2011 ... Named to the first team of the Winter Classic in 2010 and second team in 2008 ... Team's MVP in 2009 ... Led Mission Bay to four undefeated Central League seasons and four Central League championships ... Led the CIF in goals with 125 in 2011-12 ... Holds the CIF career record for goals ... AP Scholar ... Member of the Academic Honor Roll ... Earned Excellence in Mathematics and Excellence in Social Studies awards in 2010-11 ... Presented Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and English and 2009-10 ...  Three-time winner of the Academic Distinction award.

Release courtesy Harvard Athletic Communications