Women’s Water Polo: Pender earns honor

Newport Harbor High alumna Presley Pender, a sophomore on the University of Michigan women’s water polo team, has earned Collegiate Water Polo Assn. Western Division Player of the Week honors for the week ending March 9.

Pender led the No. 20-ranked Wolverines with eight goals at the Harvard Invitational, closing out the tournament with two three-goal efforts against Marist and No. 16 San Diego State. She has scored more than one goal in each of Michigan’s last seven games.

Pender is second on Michigan with 34 goals and leads the team with 31 assists, for a team-best 65 points. The Wolverines are 15-10.

Pender was a Newport-Mesa Dream Team selection as a senior team captain at Newport Harbor, helping the Sailors win the 2012 CIF Southern Section Division 1 title.

— Matt Szabo