Laguna’s Walsh, Tingler commit to Stanford, Harvard for women’s water polo
Two key returners for the CIF Southern Section champion Laguna Beach High girls’ water polo team have verbally committed to colleges.
Goalkeeper Thea Walsh has committed to Stanford University, she said Monday night. And Evan Tingler has committed to Harvard University, coach Ethan Damato confirmed in a text message.
Walsh and Tingler are both incoming seniors for the Breakers. Last winter, they helped Laguna Beach finish 31-0 and win its third Division 1 title in four years.
Walsh was outstanding in her first year as a varsity starter, finishing with a Laguna single-season record 298 saves. She was a first-team All-Orange Coast League, first-team All-CIF and first-team Daily Pilot Dream Team selection. In May, she competed with the U.S. senior national team at the FINA Intercontinental Tournament.
Walsh said the academic and water polo programs were both big factors in committing to the Cardinal. Stanford won the NCAA championship in May and has three Laguna alumni — Olympians Makenzie Fischer and Aria Fischer, as well as Bella Baldridge — slated to play there this year.
“The coaches, [John Tanner] and Susan [Ortwein], are really nice and I think they’re great coaches,” Walsh said. “And I know a lot of the girls going there, and they have a lot of the same goals that I do. I just think Stanford’s the best fit for me.”
Tingler was a valuable attacker for the Breakers, and a second-team Dream Team selection. She was fifth on the team with 39 goals and was also valuable with her 41 assists and 35 steals.
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