CdM standout set for UC Davis; UCI signs five

The Corona del Mar High girls’ water polo team’s master two-meter defender and resident speedster, Ashley Chandler, has signed a national letter of intent with UC Davis.

Chandler, who helped Corona del Mar capture its fifth consecutive CIF title this season, picked UC Davis over several other options, including Princeton, Brown and Loyola Marymount. She’ll play for longtime Aggies coach Jamey Wright.

“I really liked the coach and the team,” said Chandler, who went to UC Davis on a recruiting trip recently. “The coach showed interest in me last summer at the Hawaii Invitational. He said he needed another solid two-meter defender and that my speed would help the team.

“When someone is as enthusiastic as he was, it makes you feel enthusiastic about it.”

In the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions alone, Chandler established herself as a top two-meter defender. In Corona del Mar’s 5-2 victory over Foothill in the championship game of that tournament, Chandler held Knights two-meter star Grace Reynolds to one goal. In the semifinals against Santa Margarita, Chandler held All-CIF two-meter standout Darby Andersonscoreless, while netting two goals herself.

Chandler will join a UC Davis program that is making the jump from Division II to Division I, something else that attracted Chandler.

“[Playing Division I] is definitely something I wanted,” Chandler said. “The way I look at it, I won’t be playing water polo my whole life, so while I’m playing, I really want to be challenged and be the best player I can be.”

Chandler joins Corona del Mar teammates Camille Hewko and Tumua Anae as players moving on to NCAA Division I competition. Hewko is continuing her water polo career at Cal and Anae is slated to play at USC.

Corona del Mar Coach Aaron Chaney says she has the potential to be a great Division I two-meter defender.

“I think she has a good chance to play right away,” Chaney said.

In other signing news, UC Irvine women’s soccer Coach April Heinrichs has announced her first recruiting class.

Defenders Kate Berrini (San Jose Notre Dame) and Aoife Shalvey (Archbishop Mitty) are teammates on De Anza Force Impact’s club team. Midfielder Caty Cope was an All-CIF Southern Section Division II second team selection at Northwood. Forward-midfielder Kellie Murphy (Torrey Pines) was a second-team selection on the All-North County Times girls’ soccer team.

Forward Kim Horn was a two-time Orange Empire Conference most valuable player at Santiago Canyon College, earning National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America second-team All-America honors.