On May 1, the Hamilton Women’s Water Polo Team finished fourth in the Division III Collegiate Club Championship. Not only is fourth in the country an incredible achievement, but this season was the first for the women’s water polo team. They have gotten very good very quickly, which is quite a feat because water polo is an exhausting sport. The athletes have to constantly tread water during play, in addition to swimming up and down the pool to get into position and lifting their arms out of the water to throw the ball with force. A 2011
Bleacher Report
article by Chris Siddell deemed water polo the most difficult sport in the world for its many physical demands. “For me, the toughest part of water polo is the stamina you need to keep up. It’s a lot of swimming,” said Sabrina Broderick ’24. “You really need to pour your whole heart into the game to do well, but it is so worth it and so fun.”
This season has been a challenge for many reasons. As captain SJ Bennett ’22 put it, “We didn’t have a pool for half our season [due to renovations] and COVID brought with it unforeseen circumstances.” Nevertheless, the team banded together to make the best of a tricky situation. “We persevered,” Bennett said. “I am proud of each and every one of us for the work we put in and the growth we experienced, and I am so glad for the meaning this team and this sport have given to my last semester at Hamilton.”
Other team members shared similar sentiments with respect to the team’s atmosphere. Georgia Brown ’25 described the spirit as “so welcoming and supportive. Simply the best people.” Hannah Budner ’23 credited the team’s successful season to “team bonding that fostered important chemistry, honesty, and communication.” Edward Ha ’25 mentioned the team’s resilience: “our team persevered when we were down, and stayed vigilant when we had a lead.” Katrina Colby ’22 brought to light the team’s constant desire to improve: “everyone on our team is eager to learn from one another. At practice and even during games, we’re always asking questions and helping each other out. We’ve really taken every loss we’ve had this season and learned from it.”
With this spirit and a lot of hard work, the team found themselves at nationals. “It was insane getting to play teams from all over the country. We really didn’t know what to expect going into it either since we spent most of our season playing D1 teams from Pennsylvania,” said Katrina Colby ’22. “So we went in with an open mind and an intention to have fun no matter the outcome, and we definitely did that. As a senior, it was definitely one of the highlights of my time at Hamilton.”
The team lost a close battle to Middlebury in the third place game at nationals, 12–8. On the whole, though, the season has been a huge triumph. “I am so proud of our team for going [to nationals] and playing some great water polo,” said Broderick ’24.
The sky is the limit for future seasons. Water polo is one of the lower-profile sports on campus, being club rather than varsity, but the team’s success is nearly unrivaled among Hamilton sports this semester. The team’s experience will continue to grow. At some point, the renovations on the pool will inevitably conclude, allowing the team to practice at home. This year’s success will likely generate further interest in the sport.
Though captains Bennett ’22 and Goldstein ’22 are set to graduate, those who remain on the team have a strong base from which to build. “Every single person on this team cares and looks out for one another and I am so happy to have been able to be a part of this lovely group of people,” Broderick ’24 reflected. “I came to the water polo team from a varsity sport at Hamilton, and I never imagined I’d find myself in a pool by senior year,” said Colby ’22. She and captains Bennett ’22 and Goldstein ’22 might be graduating this year, but there is confidence that the supportive atmosphere will remain. “Regardless of experience level, everyone is eager to learn, work hard, and leave it all in the pool for one another,” Colby ’22 noted. Long may it continue.
