Melia Whalen '26 Recruiting Profile

I would like to thank you for providing me with this amazing opportunity to continue to grow and excel as an athlete in the collegiate setting. I started playing waterpolo when I was 9. I wouldn’t be playing this sport if it weren’t for LA 84. LA 84 is an amazing program that introduces kids in LA county to sports that are represented in the Olympic Games. This program taught me the fundamentals of waterpolo and prepared me to be on a club team. I would be lying if I said I always loved the sport. Sticking with a sport this long can be difficult. I have missed out on a lot birthday parties and activities I wanted to attend. I have gotten to the point in my athletic career where I want to sacrifice my time and energy for this sport that I have grown to love more and more. I would describe myself as an athlete as disciplined, a team player and proud of myself and the people I play with. You will always see me cheering on my teammates, even when I am on the bench. I love to set up my teammates to score. I am coachable and I take feedback well. In short, I have a good attitude. I want to play in college because I want to take my water polo to the next level beyond high school. I can't image life without waterpolo and I am not ready for this journey to end.  Academics can be challenging for me and I have learned how to balance academics and sports.  I have also been challenged by the fact that I am usually the smallest player in the water.  I have learned to focus, persist and keep moving forward despite my personal challenges.  Through volunteering with special needs individuals I was able to put my challenges in perspective and have found so much inspiration in seeing others overcome.  Volunteering helped me discover what I would like to focus on in college and hopefully will result in becoming an Occupational Therapist.  I would love to someday assist those with physical and cognitive obstacles in reaching their personal goals. 

I am excited to someday represent a university as a student athlete, that would be a huge honor!