Newport Harbor’s Elissia Schilling verbally commits to UCLA

Newport Harbor High senior Elissia Schilling has verbally committed to play women’s water polo at UCLA, her father, John, confirmed in an email Tuesday.

Schilling, a center, was a first-team All-Sunset League and first-team All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 selection last year for the Sailors. The Newport-Mesa Dream Team selection scored 45 goals, adding 20 assists and 34 steals. She helped Newport Harbor win its fifth CIF Division 1 title.

At UCLA, Schilling will be reunited with her former Newport teammate Maddy McLaren, who was last year’s Newport-Mesa Player of the Year.

Schilling is the third returner for Newport Harbor girls’ water polo to commit, joining Avery Peterson (USC) and Carly Christian (UC Santa Barbara).

The signing period for women’s water polo begins Nov. 14.

— Matt Szabo