WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College women's water polo team begins its season this weekend as the Presidents host the W&J Invitational at the Henry Memorial Natatorium.
 
2020 Outlook: Head coach Nikola Malezanov enters his third season at the helm of the W&J water polo programs. The Red and Black are looking to improve on a 4-14 record last spring.
 
The 2020 edition of the W&J women's water polo team is a youthful squad that hopes to capitalize on team chemistry.
 
"We are looking forward to our first home event," said Malezanov. "We have a group of girls that is very enthusiastic and hard working. They enjoy practicing and being around each other, which makes practices competitive and productive. We are a very young team with only one senior and two juniors. Despite that fact, I believe we will leave a mark in our conference this season."
 
Seven of 10 players on the roster are underclasswomen, which presents its own set of advantages and challenges for the Presidents in 2020.
 
"I feel that we are growing as a team every minute spent in the water," said Malezanov. "Playing as a unit and for each other will help our success this season."
 
"Our biggest weakness is experience," said Malezanov. "We have very talented players but for some of them this would be a new environment and I am positive that we will rapidly improve as the season continues."
 
The Presidents welcome back five returning players, including four starters and a trio of CWPA Division III All-East honorees from last spring. Chloe Magyari (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) earned First Team laurels, while Cecelia Weiss (Mohnton, Pa./Governor Mifflin) and Marissa Whitby (Los Angeles, Calif./Eagle Rock) were named to the Second Team.
 
"Marissa and Cece, along with our Senior – Chloe Magyari, bring the experience to the team," said Malezanov. "We will rely on them in that segment. Emma Rearson and Kiera MacWhinnie have college experience as well and that will help us."
 
The Presidents welcome five newcomers into the mix for 2020.
 
"I expect our freshmen Ryley McClellan, Megan DePrez, Jillian Curtis and Katelyn McKiernan to be able to step in and contribute right away," said Malezanov. "Sophomore Kimber Randolph is joining us fresh from the swim season and eager to learn."
 
2020 is the first season that USA Water Polo will sponsor a Division III women's water polo national championship. In years prior, the NCAA championships for water polo included teams from Division I through Division III. In May, the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) will host a four-team Division III championship.
 
Washington & Jefferson College is one of 19 institutions that is eligible to compete for the inaugural Division III water polo national title.

"DIII Championships is a very big deal," said Malezanov. "Our goal has always been to be one of the top DIII teams on the East. The DIII Champs bring even more spice to the battle. It made a change in recruiting for both Men's and Women's DIII programs. Athletes take this in to consideration especially if the dilemma is a DIII school verses the lower competitive end of a DI or DII school."
 
Schedule Notes: W&J's schedule is made up of almost entirely CWPA-East competition. The Presidents see the other four members of the CWPA-East twice, and in-state rivals Penn State Behrend and Grove City four times apiece.
 
W&J tangles with several Division II opponents throughout the season (Salem, McKendree, Gannon and Mercyhurst).
 
The CWPA Division III Championship is held Apr. 17-19 at Carthage College in Wisconsin. The seeding for the conference tournament will be based on the teams' respective finishes in their own conference play. Macalester has captured the CWPA title in each of the last three seasons.
 
The two finalists from the CWPA Championship will qualify for the 2020 Division III National Championship along with the top two finishers from the SCIAC Championship.
 
Last Word: "2019 season was challenging," said Malezanov. "We struggled to manage personalities and it showed in practice and therefor in our games. Our season ending was case and point. I feel we learned from that. Our leadership has been fantastic this season. I truly believe that we will use this season to set foundation for the years to come. I think our young team will step in, ready to battle and surprise some of the better ranked teams in our conference."