Alana McCartney '21 Recruiting Profile

The summer before my junior year, my family moved from San Diego where I had lived all of my life, to Northern California Bay Area for a job for my dad. I was devastated by the news as it meant leaving my friends and the SD Shores water polo club where I had played for years. My parents let me help in making the decision on where to live. We chose Lafayette because of the high-level academics and competitive high school and club water teams. I started on the State winning Acalanes high school and was a starter in the winter season with the 2019 JO’s winning 680 Drivers. Having 7 years of water polo as a grounding experience highlighted that I can overcome any adversity and change as water polo helped through this move with the instant comradery, structure, and discipline to keep me focused on my goals and what is important. During the past 6 weeks of COVID -19 shut down of school and water polo, I have really come to appreciate how the structured schedule and rigor of water polo keeps me driven. While I have continued to train every day during the shutdown I appreciate how much the team connection energizes and carries me through tough times. I believe that the transition from high school to college will be equally as challenging as the move during the middle of my high school career, but being a part of a water polo team ensures that I will be successful, focused, and a member of a group of women who will support me, just as my Acalanes teammates did for during my transition to their school and team last year. Thank you for your consideration to be a member of your team.