The queen of saves

Celia Huling said she is just 5 feet 6 and not the college women’s water polo goalie you might think of with the super long arms, either.

But at Chapman University, the Laguna Beach High graduate has set the standard.

Huling, a third-team All-CIF pick for the Breakers in her senior year of 2007, helped Laguna reach the Division II title game that year. But she has since gone on to big things for the Panthers.

Last year, she was a Division III All-American as a sophomore. She set the Chapman single-season saves record with 315, as well as the single-game record with 21.

This year, she is the oldest player on a team with 11 freshmen and six sophomores. Huling has been sharing time, but still has 78 saves for the Panthers (6-18).

With 623 career saves, the three-year starter has set the all-time school record, breaking Constance McMorris’ mark set in 2006-07.

Yet this year, Huling is also in a bit of a transition.

Huling took the time Saturday for a phone interview with the Coastline Pilot.

Question: You were a field player when you started at Laguna Beach. Why the change from a field player to a goalie when you were a junior?

Answer: I’m pretty small for a goalie, and my arms are really short. I’m not the ideal build. But we didn’t have a goalie at the time, so I volunteered. It worked out, but if I had a choice, I’d rather be a field player than a goalie.

Q: What was it like coming in and starting as a freshman at Chapman?

A: It was difficult going from a pretty competitive team to a Division III team, where a lot of the players just play because they love the sport. It wasn’t that scary, I guess, starting. We play a lot of Division I and Division II teams, which kind of sucks for us.

A lot of our girls play for fun and we’re a lot smaller, but I guess we learn a lot, too.

Q: What did you think about setting all those Chapman goalie records?

A: It was kind of unexpected. I wasn’t planning on it. It just kind of happened.

Q: A freshman goalie, Alicia Wei, has emerged and began starting games for you guys. What has that been like?

A: She’s probably my favorite one on the team. It’s not so much competitive between us. I’m super-stoked for her. The more experience she gets, the better she can become.

Q: Why has there been the change?

A: I have classes later in the day, and do a lot of stuff with my sorority. I’ve been really busy. I haven’t made all the practices, and I’ve been missing games, as well.

Water polo has been my life for seven years now. I’m glad I did it, but I’m glad it’s almost over. I’m just trying to soak it all in before I graduate.

Q: What do you plan on doing after you graduate?

A: I’m graduating early, done in December. I’ve been studying public relations and advertising and would like to work in the surf industry. I don’t really surf myself, but it’s a cool environment. We’ll see what falls into place.