BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — 10 student-athletes earn recognition on the 2018 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) Men’s Varsity Division II All-America Team.
The University of California-San Diego leads the team with three selections, while Fresno Pacific University (two), Concordia University (one), Gannon University (one), McKendree University (one), Mercyhurst University (one) and Salem University (one) account for the remainder of the honors.
A total of eight players earn spots on the First Team due to a tie as Division II National Player of the Year/goalie Jack Turner, Connor Turnbow–Lindenstadt and Skyler Munatones of UC-San Diego lead the squad. Patrick Zsiros of Concordia University, Kyle Eoff of Fresno Pacific, Zarko Sadikovic of Gannon, Joseph Mahan of McKendree and Milos Popovic of Salem account for the remainder of the First Team.
Philip Jenny of Mercyhurst and Lazar Raca of Fresno Pacific round out the All-America awards as the duo garner Honorable Mention accolades.
Four of the selections are two-time All-America recipients as Eoff (2017 First Team), Sadikovic (2017 First Team), Turnbow-Lindenstadt (2017 First Team) and Turner (2015 First Team) were previously recognized by the ACWPC.
Turner’s selection as Division II National Player of the Year continues a tradition of excellence for UC-San Diego as he joins Arman Momdzhayn (2016, 2017), Josh Stiling (2014; 2012-co.), David Morton (2011), Steve Donohoe (2009; 2007), Ty Lackey (2006), Jon Hopkins (2005; 2003, 2002) and Jonathan Samuels (2001; 2000). Brett Luehman (2013; 2012-co), Andy Sekulski (2010) and Andrew Schonoff (2008) of Mercyhurst; Burak Incam (1999), Andre Doria (1998-co.), John Vasek (1997) of Queens College (N.Y.); Vanja Kalabic (2004) of Brigham Young University-Hawaii; Ryan Phillips (1998-co.) of Slippery Rock University; and Ryan Indart (1996) of the University of California-Davis have also earned recognition as the Division II Player of the Year.
Outside of the water, UC-San Diego’s Denny Harper collects his 13th Division II and 16th overall National Coach of the Year award.
The 1996, 1998 and 1999 Division III Coach of the Year at UC-San Diego prior to the program’s rise to the Division II ranks, Harper takes home his eighth Division II Coach of the Year accolade since 2009 after taking the 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011 and 2009 awards and tying with Mercyhurst’s Curtis Robinette in 2012. A Division III Coach of the Year was not selected in either 2010, 2007 or 2002.
Prior to 2010, Harper notched the 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2000 Division II awards with Robinette (2012-co; 2008), Steve Doten (2001) and Tom Elson (1996) of UC-Davis and Pedro Lima (1999, 1998, 1997-co.) and Shelly Rothman (1997-co.) of Queens (N.Y.) accounting the other recipients dating back to the first presentation of the Division II Coach of the Year award in 1996.
The ACWPC All-America teams are selected based on nominations and voting by the head coach of each program by National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division (Division I, II, III).
Since 2005, the mission of the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) is to promote the development and advancement of collegiate water polo. This shall be accomplished by providing its membership with professional education, services, training and a united voice.
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