The Villanova water polo team signed five recruits last week in its 2024 recruiting class. Riley Hull, Rachel Stephens, Charlotte Summe, Abby Moffat and Catherine McCann all signed letters of intent this past week. The team made the announcements on its Instagram account.
Hull, a formidable attacker from San Diego, CA, brings a wealth of experience from the successful Helix High School water polo team. Last season, her squad went 25-8 and made it to the Division I 2023 CIF SoCal Girls Water Polo Championship. Her status on the 22-23 All-CIF San Diego Girls Water Polo First Team also solidifies her individually as someone who will be a standout player for the ‘Cats.
Meanwhile, a couple hours north in Los Gatos, CA, Stephens serves as the goalkeeper for nationally ranked Los Gatos High. This fall season, her team had a record of 23-3, during which she made 204 saves with an average of 8.2 saves per game. At the end of October, Stephens helped her team win the Santa Clara Valley DeAnza League Tournament Championship game. She was ranked 33rd nationally in saves during the season.
Just a couple miles away in Atherton, CA, Summe competes for the Sacred Heart Prep water polo squad as a center. As the second ranked high school team in the nation, Summe’s team secured a 26-4 overall record during the fall 2023 season. Her recent victory in the Central Coast Section Open Division Championship game adds an extra layer of accomplishment to her already impressive water polo career, which she will look to build on at Villanova.
Moffatt is the last California recruit, hailing from Acampo, just north of San Francisco. As a skilled attacker for St. Mary’s High School, Moffat showcased her scoring prowess with an impressive tally of 36 goals last season, averaging 1.6 goals per game. In her local Tri-City Athletic League, she excelled, leading the league in assists (33), second in points (69), and sixth in goals scored. She had the 55th most assists in the nation.
Catherine McCann, the sole non-Californian of the group, hails from Glen Allen, VA but competes as a lefty attacker for Saint Andrew’s School team in Florida as well as the Florida East Coast Water Polo Club. Last season, her high school team finished 37th overall in the nation and second in their West Palm Beach league with a 10-3 record. In addition, she was ranked 42nd nationally and fourth in her league with 59 goals.
Last season, Villanova’s team went 14-19 overall. These newcomers will look to help the Wildcats have a winning record once they join the program.
