LOUDONVILLE, NY – In preparation for his second year at the helm at the Siena Water Polo program, Head Coach Alex Williams announced his first incoming class. Siena's Class of 2024 will be comprised of seven incoming student-athletes, as the team looks to building upon a successful showing in Williams' rookie campaign.
The Saints will add depth to the roster in all areas, with three attackers, two goalies, a center and a utility joining the squad. The Green and Gold will add Sydney Arnold, Caroline Behr, Kaley Bigley, Emelene Burek, Emma Hernandez, Mackenzie Peters and Bianca Reinisch as part of their incoming class.
"Our team is really excited to welcome a diverse group of talented student athletes to the program," Williams said. "All of our incoming team members have a willingness to honor the process and create a meaningful legacy at Siena. With this being the first class that I have recruited, they all have placed a tremendous amount of trust and faith in our vision for the program. They are all self-starters and ready to ATTACK!"
A native of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, attacker Arnold served as a team captain at James B. Conant High School that past season, capping an illustrious high school career. An IHSA Second Team All-State, First Team All-Sectional selection and Mid-Suburban League All-Conference during her junior season, she led her squad to a program record 31-3 finish. Arnold holds school records in career and single season steals and helped the East Side Water Polo club team finish in third place in the Bronze Division at the 2018-19 Junior Olympics. She was a member of the National Honor Society and took home multiple academic achievement awards throughout high school.
Behr hails from Houston, Texas, and was the Team MVP at Clear Lake High School during her final three years as the team's goalkeeper. She took home Second Team and Honorable Mention All-Region honors and a pair of First Team All-District awards throughout high school and was a member of the National Honor Society as well.
A product of Mesa, Arizona, Bigley served as a team captain at Chandler High School, while starring as an attacker. She was selected to play on the ODP Mountain Zone National Team and was also a member of the National Honor Society.
The first water polo Saint to hail from the Empire State since 2012, Burek helped organize the water polo program at nearby Shaker High School for three years and will join the team as a utility. She also was on the school's swim team for four years and through shot put and discus as part of the indoor & outdoor track & field squad.
Hernandez comes to the Capital Region after starting for three seasons as an attacker at Lincoln-Way East High School in Tinley Park, Illinois. She was an All-State, All-Sectional and All-Conference selection during her senior season and also took home All-Sectional and All-Conference honors during her junior and sophomore campaigns.
Hailing from West Haven, Connecticut, Peters played in-goal for the Hopkins School, serving as a team captain during her junior and senior seasons. She helped her team place second in the "Liquid Four" New England Tournament her freshman year, received the Team Award as a junior, and took home the Burt N. Erich Award for the most dedicated swimmer as a senior.
A center from Casselberry, Florida, Reinisch was a two-time captain and MVP at Lake Howell High School, scoring more than 130 goals during her high school playing days. Her school's single season scoring leader, she also won a CIF Division 4 Championship as a freshman while at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in California. Reinisch won the gold medal in the 16U Silver Division with the Palos Verdes Water Polo Club at the Junior Olympics and was part of a relay of five swimmers that became the first girls under the age of 18 to swim across Lake Tahoe when she was just 12 years old..
The team's incoming talent will join 11 returners who helped the Saints finish 7-6 during their abbreviated 2020 campaign, accomplishing a winning record for the first time in the program's 19-year history.
