Girls’ Water Polo: Mortimer commits to Michigan

Corona del Mar High senior Annie Mortimer has verbally committed to play water polo at the University of Michigan, she said Tuesday night.

Mortimer is an emerging center defender for the Sea Kings, who recently won the Foothill Fall Fling preseason tournament on Oct. 27.

“Michigan has a great balance of academics and athletics,” said Mortimer, who made an official visit to the school in October. She said she wanted to leave California for college.

Mortimer said she talked to 2012 Newport Harbor graduate Presley Pender, who now is a sophomore at Michigan, before making her decision. CdM assistant coach Leah Robertson, who also played at Newport Harbor, also is a Michigan alumna.

Michigan was Collegiate Water Polo Assn. Eastern Division runner-up last year.

Mortimer is one of four seniors for defending CIF Southern Section Division 1 champion CdM. One of the others, center Marina Coskinas, committed to USC last month.

“We have a lot of younger players who might not have seen that much playing time last year, but we still have that ability,” Mortimer said. “We’re still working really hard. A lot of girls are stepping up to the plate, and it’s awesome.”

— Matt Szabo