SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis sophomore Abigail Benavidez was selected to the Central California Zone Cadet B squad at the USA Water Polo ODP National Championships in March, thanks to her performance at an evaluation event at Soquel High School last weekend.

Benavidez, better known as "Ash," scored 21 goals with 21 assists and 20 steals for the Troubadours last fall. She helped the team advance in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Division 2 playoffs, thanks to her hat trick and three assists against Atwater in the first-round win. Benavidez also garnered All-Academic status from the USAWP for the previous school year.

The Soquel site featured Central and Pacific zone players at the Cadet age group – that is, born in 2007 or 2008. Players were invited to the evaluation events based on their participation in ODP camps or through participation in the USAWP Academy Program. The top players at the evaluation event then were named to the CEN A and B teams, plus a Pacific & Central (PACE) combined team.

The ODP nationals takes place on March 24-26 in the Tri-Valley area. The Cadet competition generally centers around Livermore High and Foothill High in Pleasanton, although actual sites and times have yet to be announced. The top athleties from each age group (Development, Cadet, Youth) earn trips to the National Team Selection Camp in Orange County in May. 

St. Francis routinely has representation at the ODP national championships. Most recently, current Troubie senior Gauri Mathrakott previously made the PACE Youth team in 2022.