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Gauthier winning in the classroom and in the pool at Stanford University
Former Woodbridge High water polo standout has two seasons under her belt at Stanford University.

BY TIM BURT IRVINE WORLD NEWS

    Two years after being named one of the top scholar athletes in the city, former Woodbridge High water polo standout Jacquelyn Gauthier is making her mark at Stanford University.

    Gauthier, Woodbridge’s female scholar athlete of the year in 2004, has maintained a 3.49 Grade Point Average at Stanford, where she is a member of the women’s water polo team.

    Because of her academic excellence, she was named of one seven Stanford water polo players to be named to the Academic All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation squad.

    “Stanford has been great,” Gauthier said during an interview Tuesday at the Woollett Aquatics Center. “The athletics and academic departments both work really well together.

    “There are so many resources there to help you along.”

    Gauthier wasn’t sure what direction her career would be heading toward when she started out at Stanford.

    Originally, she majored in human biology and entertained thoughts of being a doctor one day.

    “I found out that wasn’t for me, so I shifted this year and I’m going to do American Studies, which is kind of an accumulation of political science and history and communications,” said Gauthier, the Irvine World News female athlete of the year in 2004. “I’m going to focus on law and I think I want to go to law school. We’ll see.”

    Gauthier has found academics at Stanford challenging.

    “People say once you get into Stanford, it’s easy, but it’s not,” said Gauthier, who earned a scholarship to play water polo. “It’s still writing 25-page papers and reading a book a week for one class. But there are so many resources to help you if you need it and our coaches are really understanding.

    “They understand all of our school work and other activities that everybody is involved in. They compromise with us to help us get everything done.”

    In the water, Gauthier, a driver, has made an impact for the Stanford team, which ended up 24-5 overall this year and advanced to the finals of the NCAA championships.

    Gauthier was sixth on the team in scoring this past season with 20 goals.

    “I couldn’t have asked for a better program,” said Gauthier. “It’s a small team, there are only 16 of us this year and we’re just so close and there is great chemistry.

    “That has a lot to do with our coaches (John Tanner and Susan Ortwein). They have a great balance between encouragement and being strict.” In Gauthier’s first season, the Cardinal took second, losing to UCLA in the NCAA finals by one goal. This past season, Stanford wound up third. “Unfortunately, we played UCLA in the semifinals and didn’t play our best and stick to the game plan like we should of and they won the tournament,” said Gauthier. “We won our conference tournament and we played so well in that. “It was heartbreaking, but next year, we’re fired up.” Individually, Gauthier said her role has changed over the past couple of years. “I really focused a lot on my defense this year, especially when one of our players, Allison Gregorka was hurt (out with a concussion),” she said. “She’s a great defender.

    “Everybody just had to sort of take on a little bit more. We played well during that time and when she came back, it was even better.”

    Gauthier wasn’t sure what to expect when she first arrived at Stanford.

    But she received a warm welcome from the veteran players on the team and in her