CdM’s Harbilas commits to Stanford for women’s water polo

Chloe Harbilas can remember the feeling from years ago, when she would head to the Bay Area to compete in the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics.

Playing at Stanford was special.

Starting next year, Corona del Mar High incoming senior plans to make the Avery Aquatic Center her full-time home after she verbally committed to Stanford.

Harbilas is a top talent as an attacker. Last year, she led CdM (20-9) with 83 goals scored, adding 22 assists and 38 steals. She was the Pacific Coast League’s Most Valuable Player, and is a two-time Daily Pilot Dream Team selection.

She said she also considered CdM water polo alumna Cassidy Papa as a role model in her decision. Papa, who was Dream Team Co-Player of the Year as a senior at CdM and helped the Sea Kings win the 2013 CIF Southern Section Division 1 title, played four years at Stanford. The Cardinal won three NCAA titles along the way, including in Papa’s senior year this past May.

“She spent four years there,” Harbilas said. “Over the summer, when she found out that I really liked Stanford, she volunteered to talk to me about it, tell me how it is to be a student-athlete there.”

Harbilas also has forged a friendship with Laguna Beach senior goalkeeper Thea Walsh, who earlier this week also committed to Stanford. They got to know each other through the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program.

“We’ve always been in contact with each other,” Harbilas said. “Throughout this whole process, I was leaning on her, and she was leaning on me.”

Harbilas hopes for a big senior year for CdM. First, she is competing with the U.S. women’s junior national team at next month’s FINA Junior World Championships. Other locals on the roster include Newport Harbor alumni Carlee Kapana and Rachel Whitelegge.

Harbilas said the team leaves next week for training; the tournament starts Sept. 3 in Volos, Greece.

“I’m really excited for that,” Harbilas said. “I think we can get the gold. My dad [Costa] was born in Greece and a lot of his family’s there, so actually getting to go back and play for the USA, it’s going to be pretty cool.”

matthew.szabo@latimes.com

Twitter: @mjszabo