Benson adds 13 newcomers

FRESNO, Calif. – Fresno State water polo head coach Natalie Benson brought in 13 newcomers for the 2022 season.

11 newcomers hail from the Golden State in Abigayle Armstrong (Temecula), Casey Barragan (Commerce), Sierra Cavano (Huntington), Savannah Fitzgerald (Fresno), Elisa Grim (Lodi), Liana Hunt (Woodland Hills), Brooke Ochoa (Carlsbad), Ella Simone (Brentwood), Shelby Vidmar (Clovis), Mikayla Vierra (Kingsburg) and Brianna Zapata (Fontana).

The Bulldogs add international experience to the roster with two Hungarian players, Fanni Muznay and Katica Dobos.

The incoming squad features seven attackers, three utility players, two goalkeepers and one center.

The collective group's scoring prowess, aggressiveness and tenacious drive to excel in and out of the pool continue to solidify Benson's rising program, which capped off a historic 2021 season ranked No. 10 after winning the program's first Golden Coast Conference Championship and making the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance.

"Our newcomers this year bring a diverse background of experience to our team," head coach Natalie Benson said, "and will help our team continue to evolve into the sustainably successful program we hope to build. Our water polo IQ, overall athleticism, and competitive spirit has improved with the addition of our newcomers, and we have a group of athletes who understand who we are and what we are striving towards. I'm excited to get to work with this group, and believe that the combination of youth and experience will make the entire team better. While we have work to do, I look forward to the journey ahead of us."

Abigayle Armstrong – Goalkeeper
Temecula, CA – Temecula Valley HS

Armstrong was a three-year varsity player and starting goalie for the Golden Bears. She was a three-time All-Southwestern League selection and 2020 All-CIF Southern Section honoree. Armstrong was also named team captain her senior year.

Casey Barragan – Center
Commerce, CA - La Serna High School – Commerce Aquatics

Barragan was the 2019-20 CIF-SS Division IV Player of the Year, the 2018-19 Del Rio League Most Valuable Player and the 2018-19 La Serna High School Most Valuable Player. She helped lead her high school to become 2019-20 CIF Division IV Champions and scored over 100 goals each season of high school from 2018-20 while averaging four goals per game with a career single-game high of nine goals.

Sierra Cavano -- Attacker
Huntington Beach, CA -- Huntington Beach HS

Cavano was a four-year varsity player at Huntington Beach HS. She was both an All-Conference and Academic All-Conference selection.

Katica Dobos – Utility
Szada, Hungary – Csanadi Arpad Sportiskola, Altalanos Iskola Es Gimnazium

Dobos was a U19 Hungarian National Champion and a U17 Hungarian National Champion. She helped lead her team to a Hungarian Senior National Championship (Division 2).

Savannah Fitzgerald -- Utility
Fresno, CA -- University of the Pacific/Clovis North HS

Fitzgerald played in 60 games for the Tigers. She helped lead Pacific to two regular season Golden Coast Conference titles, two GCC Tournament titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances. She accounted for 155 shots, 72 goals and 89 points during her career with the Tigers.

Elisa Grim – Attacker
Lodi, CA – Lodi HS

Grim was a four-year varsity player and a three-time All-League honoree. Grim was named a First Team All-Section selection twice during her high school career. She was named team captain in both her junior and senior seasons. Prior to high school, she was an Honorable Mention All-American in the 2016 Junior Olympics.

Liana Hunt – Attacker
Woodland Hills, CA – Agoura High School

Hunt earned 2019 Junior Olympic All-American Honorable Mention 16U Girls accolades. She is a two-time USA Water Polo Outstanding Academic All-American (2018-19 & 2019-20), a two-time Coastal Canyon League Champions (2018-19 & 2019-20) and a two-time First-Team All-Coastal Canyon League with 81 goals, 82 assists, 59 steals (2018-19 & 2019-20). Hunt also led her team to the 2019-20 CIF Division II semifinals.

Fanni Muzsnay – Attacker
Budapest, Hungary – Szabó Lörinc Bilingual Primary and Secondary School

Muzsnay was a two-time Hungarian National Champions (2015 & 2016). She was the lead scorer of the 2019 National Junior Women's U19 Championship (101 goals, 21 matches) and leading scorer and MVP of the 2017 U17 National Hungarian Championship with 72 goals and 67.5 points in 17 matches. She was also the top scorer for Hungary in the 2017 U17 European Championship with 18 goals and won the 2016 Szalay Iván Award for the Best Youth Player of the Year.

Brooke Ochoa – Utility
Carlsbad, CA – Carlsbad HS

Ochoa was named to the 2020 First-Team All-CIF, 2020 First-Team All-CIF and County Teams. She is a two-time CIF Open Division Runner-up (2019 & 2020) and a two-time Avocado West Second Team (2019 & 2020). Ochoa's team won the 2018 CIF Open Division championship. She scored 96 goals and had 76 assists and 110 steals in three seasons playing for Carlsbad High School.

Ella Simone – Attacker
Brentwood, CA – Heritage HS

Simone was a three-time All-League First team selection. She led her squad to a 53-25 record over three seasons, including an 18-1 mark in league play; three playoff appearances and one North Coast Section team title.

Shelby Vidmar -- Attacker
Clovis, CA -- Clovis HS

Vidmar was a three-year varsity player at Clovis HS. She helped lead the Cougars to two Division I Valley Championships and two TRAC Championships.

Mikayla Vierra – Goalkeeper
Kingsburg, CA – Kingsburg HS

Vierra was a four-year varsity player and two-time All-County selection. She was named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 and Best Defensive Player in 2020. Vierra helped lead the Vikings to two CIF Central Section Championships. She was a team captain in 2021.

Brianna Zapata – Attacker
Fontana, CA – Alta Loma HS

Zapata was a four-year varsity player and four-time All-League selection. She led her squad in scoring all four years. She was named an All-Area Second Team selection (2019), and tabbed as Team MVP in 2018 and 2020. Zapata earned Alta Loma Female Athlete of the Year (2021).

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Benson adds 13 newcomers

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