Drake water polo has a history of producing college-bound stars, and this year is no exception. Ian Christie and Ray Holmberg have been athletes to watch, both playing polo for ten years. They started their careers as sea lions for the Sleepy Hollow Swim Team but soon joined its water polo counterpart, Sleepy Hollow Aquatics (SHAQ). They played water polo for all of high school and served as integral roles in winning Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) for all four years. Christie played for the North Coast Section (NCS) winning team in 2017, which remained his favorite memory. Holmberg was unfortunately injured from the prior season and couldn’t compete. The team ousted the NCS championship title from the East Bay, making it the subject of the book “Miracle at Sleepy Hollow” by Joe Sullivan. Christie found success as a left-handed player in the right-wing position and has never wanted to be anywhere else in the pool. Holmberg played goalie his whole career, despite his coach once saying he was too short. Christie will be playing polo at the United States Airforce Academy, and Holmberg is continuing the sport as a Gaucho at the University of California, Santa Barabara. Another polo superstar to keep an eye on is Liyara Senadheera, who has been playing since 7th grade. Like Cristie and Holmberg, she has played for SHAQ, followed by four years at Drake. Senadheera started in the field but shone playing goalie. As a junior, she made 3o7 saves, setting a record for the girls that year. In the summer before senior year, she made 89 saves, four within 5 meters, and 15 steals at the Junior Olympics Tournament. “My favorite part about the sport has to be the teamwork element. We all rely on each other and have to be on the same page. Each player brings a different skillset, and to put it all together and to learn how to work together is definitely a unique experience,” Senadheera said. Senadheera will become a Bronco at Santa Clara University this fall. Liyara Senadheera 26 Ray Holmberg
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