On Thursday, April 6, 2017, Souderton seniors Crystal Armstrong, Rachel Morris and Erika Wimmer were recognized for committing to continue their water polo careers at the collegiate level. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Crystal Armstrong – McKendree University (Water Polo)
Major: Pre-Law and Psychology/Social Work
Final list of colleges: McKendree, Mercyhurst, Hartwick
Reasons for choosing McKendree: “The coach was persistent in the recruiting process, was very interested in having me on their team, and they offered the major that I was looking for (Pre-Law).”
What was the progression that led you to competing in water polo at the collegiate level? “I love water polo, starting freshman year as a field player and advancing to the goalie position in the middle my sophomore year. There was a drive in me when I started swimming at the age of 11 that kept me wanting to get stronger, which in turn would help me during the preseason training sessions for polo. My coaches admired the fact that I worked hard in and out of the pool, it felt good, it was a healthy stress-relieving habit, and now it is my lifestyle. As soon as I became a goalie and got recognition for my efforts was when I realized that I wanted to play in college because few seemed to match my efforts. The recruiting process started sophomore year when I created a recruiting account on NCSA. However, it really got kick-started when I played in California for Junior Olympics (with one of the club teams that I was a part of), which is how the McKendree coach reached out to me.”
Coach Monica Stiles says: “Crystal Armstrong was our goalie and one of our captains. She was one of the fiercest players I have ever seen in the cage. She’s very strong, hard working – she has a great work ethic, never gave up. She came up clutch in a lot of our wins. She did a great job – she always pushed the other girls. She was an all-state player, she was an all-conference player, and she also had multiple achievements throughout her years. She was known as one of the best goalies in the state and will continue to amaze people as she goes on.”
About Crystal:
Favorite food: Hamburgers
Favorite movie: Pink Panther
Favorite music: Alternative, Country, Rock, etc. Anything really.
Rachel Morris – Mercyhurst University (Water Polo)
Major: Early Childhood Education
Final list of colleges: Mercyhurst, Connecticut College, Washington & Jefferson College.
Reasons for choosing Mercyhurst: “There were much better academic opportunities at Mercyhurst, which is ranked top 50 for education in the nation. Also, the coach and team made me feel very welcomed on my recruiting trip, and the food was awesome.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in water polo at the collegiate level? “I started playing water polo in the end of eighth grade and fell in love instantly. Going into my junior year, I played with a club team in the Junior Olympics, a club team I have now been playing with for three years and plan on going to Junior Olympics with again this year. Ever since Junior Olympics, I have realized how much love and passion I have for the sport and how I knew I had to continue it throughout college. Before going out to Junior Olympics, I had created a CaptainU membership where college coaches could watch my game film and contact me through the website or my email that was listed. Through this website and watching me play at the Beast of the East tournament (a tournament that Souderton placed first in flight 11), the Mercyhurst recruiter reached out to me.”
Coach Monica Stiles says: “Rachel Morris was a captain and was a very strong leader in and out of the pool. She had a lot of respect from the younger girls and myself. She was very feisty and had a different kind of spirit about her. She could tell you right from wrong, she could tell you when she needs help. She was always the person who called a timeout. She had a great lob. She was an all-conference player as well as an all-state player. She’s one of the strongest girls I’ve ever seen, and she will continue to do great things and improve each and every single day.”
About Rachel:
Favorite food: Cheeseburgers
Favorite movie: Now You See Me
Favorite music: Alternative
Erika Wimmer – Iona College (Water Polo)
Major: Criminal Justice
Final list of colleges: Iona, La Salle, Mercyhurst
Reasons for choosing Iona: “Iona has a really great Criminal Justice program and a great water polo program. I really liked the coach and I loved the campus.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in water polo at the collegiate level? “I started playing water polo the spring of my eighth grade year. When I was a freshman, I didn’t really know how I felt about water polo. Then when I was a sophomore, I started to really love the sport. From that point on, I knew I wanted to play at a college level, and that was my ultimate goal. I worked hard in the pool and out of the pool to get as strong as I could be. I started to play on club teams in the offseason such as NXT/Mavericks, Rebels and even Princeton’s club team for a little.
“My junior year is when I started the recruiting process. I made a list of all the schools I wanted to visit and I emailed the coaches. When I went for a campus visit, I met with all the coaches and introduced myself in person. I kept in contact with them up until my senior year. During my senior year, I went on a recruiting trip to Iona, and that’s when I knew that was where I wanted to go.”
Coach Monica Stiles says: “Erika Wimmer was a captain and was my hole set. She was one of our leading scorers – she finished second with 60-plus goals. She came in handy with a lot of different plays that we had. She was very good with the younger girls especially. She was always encouraging and very helpful. She never, ever gave up and was one of the most coachable players I’ve ever had.”
About Erika:
Favorite food: Peppers
Favorite movie: Pink Panther 2
Favorite music: Sam Hunt
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