The article below originally appeared in the San Jose Mercury News and is being reprinted with permission.

It’s time to sink or swim in 2010. And College of San Mateo is doing so with a big splash.

Today at 2 p.m. marks the first official water polo game at CSM’s new aquatics center as the Bulldogs open their season against visiting San Joaquin Delta.

That’s great news for CSM coach Randy Wright and his two returning players, who last year practiced at Carlmont-Belmont and never played a home game.

“They’re really excited not only to be playing at home, but they’re going to have a good supporting cast this year,” Wright said. “I think this group will take a big jump forward. They’re eager, they’re ready and they’re excited.”

Nine freshmen join sophomores Najelah Najdawi and Andrea Chan, who during the spring became CSM’s first-ever state finalists on the swim team.

“So both contribute definite speed,” Wright said.

Speed, power and execution will be on display Saturday during CSM’s first-ever water polo tournament, a mini invitational that includes six of the top teams in Northern California.

“My philosophy is I would rather take lumps in September than beat up on (weaker) teams, which doesn’t prepare for when the big games do start,” Wright said. “We want to learn, and the best way to learn is by getting it stuck to you.”

The perennial powerhouses in attendance will include Foothill College, which is entering its 10th season under the guidance of Jeff Bissell.

“I look back on it and it doesn’t feel like 10 years,” Bissell said. “But it’s been great. We’ve had great success.”Last year the Owls, who became Coast Conference champs for a third consecutive season, won 25 games and reached the NorCal championship game, also earning a spot in the state championships — all of this with only 10 players on the roster.

“We’re focused on trying to win our fourth straight Coast Conference title and realistically maybe our first NorCal championship in school history,” Bissell said.

One thing the Owls won’t lack is depth. Ten freshmen join six returning members, including four starters.

“We’re always trying to counterattack, but to have extra bodies to sub in is just great,” Bissell said.

Kendall Preston (Mountain View) was the co-NorCal Player of the Year last season when she scored more than 65 goals, same as teammate Jen Sandstrom. Driver Melissa Sullivan adds to the explosive offense while Susan Peck (Gunn-Palo Alto) shares duties with Preston as two-meter defenders.

Newcomers Shameem Jamil (Palo Alto) and Daphne Nunez are two more strong bodies who will battle in front of the net, which will be guarded by another pair of freshmen — June Afshar (Palo Alto) and Darya Sheikhrezai, who sat behind Menlo-Atherton standout Emily Dorst the past few seasons.

“Just to have competition at every position, including the goalies, it’s nice,” Bissell said.

Another freshman to watch is driver Kelsey Russell.

“She’s just got a rocket of an arm, so it will be exciting to see her mature,” Bissell said.

CSM could be 0-3 after the weekend, with a preseason showdown with Foothill at CSM looming next Wednesday.

But Wright is more concerned with Sept. 23 — the Coast Conference opener.

To have his Bulldogs ready by then, he needs to transition the freshmen to the collegiate level in a hurry — and it starts with the goalie, aka the glue.

“The goalie is always the glue that holds things together,” said Wright, who has freshman Zoe Aquila between the pipes. “It was unclear whether we would get Zoe all the time. But we made it work, she made it work and the people that she works for made it work. … So when it’s time for the big matches, we’ve got a good goalie.”

Last year’s go-to player, Najdawi, spent a lot of her time at center. This season, which three freshmen who can rotate at center, Wright wants to see his star player make use of her best asset — her swimming.

“She can’t just be stuck playing the center,” Wright said. “She has to get out there where she can use the speed.”

One of the freshmen taking over at center will be Paige Ramstack, who played three years at San Mateo High before the girls water polo program disappeared her senior year.

“So here’s a girl that played three years of high school water polo and had the rug pulled out from under her,” Wright said. “So she is super eager to get back.”

It’s time to make a splash.

E-mail Vytas Mazeika at vmazeika@dailynewsgroup.com.