BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) announces the selection of 59 student-athletes to the 2021 ACWPC Division I Men’s Varsity All-America Team.
A total of 23 institutions earned at least one All-America selection with the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) topping the list with six selections. National Champion the University of California garnered five selections, while Long Beach State University and Stanford University each received four nods. Harvard University, the University of California-Davis, the University of California-Santa Barbara and University of the Pacific notched three selections with Brown University. Fordham University, Loyola Marymount University, Princeton University, San Jose State University and the United States Naval Academy racking up pairs. California Baptist University, Iona College, Pepperdine University, St. Francis College Brooklyn, the United States Air Force Academy, the University of California-Irvine and the University of California-San Diego complete the recognized institutions with solo honorees.
Led by Player of the Year/three-time All-America selection Nikolaos Papanikolaou (2019 Honorable Mention, 2020 First Team, 2021 First Team) of California, the eight-member First Team is comprised of athletes from California, UCLA, USC, Stanford and Long Beach State. Seven of the First Team All-America selections are previous honorees as goalkeeper Nic Porter (2018 Second Team, 2019 Second Team, 2020 First Team, 2021 First Team), Hannes Daube (2018 First Team, 2019 First Team, 2021 First Team) and Jacob Mercep (2017 Honorable Mention, 2018 First Team, 2019 First Team, 2020 First Team, 2021 First Team) of USC join Evan Rosenfeld (2020 Second Team, 2021 First Team) of UCLA, Jack Deely (2020 Second Team, 2021 First Team) and Papanikolaou of Cal and AJ Rossman (2019 Honorable Mention, 2020 First Team, 2021 First Team) of Stanford in repeating. The lone newcomer on the First Team is Rafael Vergara of Long Beach.
Six of the eight athletes on the Second Team also earn repeat recognition as Balazs Kosa (2018 Third Team, 2020 First Team, 2021 Second Team) of Pepperdine, Tyler Abramson (2018 Honorable Mention, 2019 First Team, 2020 First Team, 2021 Second Team) of Stanford, Nir Gross (2019 Second Team, 2021 Second Team) of UC-Davis, Nicolas Saveljic (2017 Second Team, 2020 First Team, 2020 Player of the Year, 2021 Second Team) and Tommy Gruwell (2019 Third Team, 2020 Honorable Mention, 2021 Second Team) of UCLA along with goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg (2019 Honorable Mention, 2021 Second Team) of California add to their legacies. Max Casabella and Roberto Valera of California both rack-up their inaugural All-America nods with Second Team laurels.
Similarly, six of the athletes on the Third Team return to the All-America rolls as Nikos Delagrammatikas (2020 Second Team, 2021 Third Team) of California joins Jake Ehrhardt (2018 Honorable Mention, 2019 Honorable Mention, 2020 First Team, 2021 Third Team) and Ashworth Molthen (2018 Honorable Mention, 2021 Third Team) of USC, Jeremie Cote (2019 Honorable Mention, 2021 Third Team) of Pacific and the duo of Felix Brozyna-Vilim (2019 First Team, 2021 Third Team) and goalkeeper Bernardo Maurizi (2020 Second Team, 2021 Third Team) from UCLA. Princeton University’s Roko Pozaric and UC-Santa Barbara’s Sawyer Rhodes both earn their first All-America nods to round out the squad.
Among the 35 Honorable Mention selections, nine previously earned All-America status as Blazo Mitrovic (2018 Honorable Mention, 2019 Honorable Mention, 2021 Honorable Mention) of Loyola Marymount, Quinn Woodhead (2019 Third Team, 2021 Honorable Mention) of Stanford, Jake Cavano (2019 Third Team, 2020 Second Team, 2021 Honorable Mention) of UCLA, Leo Yuno (2019 Honorable Mention, 2021 Honorable Mention) of UC-Santa Barbara, Grant Snyder (2020 Second Team, 2021 Honorable Mention) of Air Force, Isaac Salinas (2019 Honorable Mention, 2020 Second Team, 2021 Honorable Mention) of Navy and Oliver Fodor (2019 Honorable Mention, 2021 Honorable Mention) picked up accolades in the field with goalkeepers Noah Hodge (2019 Honorable Mention, 2021 Honorable Mention) of Harvard and Yahav Fire (2018 Honorable Mention, 2019 Honorable Mention, 2021 Honorable Mention) of San Jose State tacking on recognition for their performance between the pipes.
National Champion head coach Kirk Everist claims his third Coach of the Year award and the eighth in the history of the Golden Bears’ program. In the history of men’s water polo, USC (Jovan Vavic – 2018, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2005, 2003, 1998; John Williams – 1998), UCLA (Adam Wright – 2017, 2014, 2015, 2020; Adam Krikorian – 2004; Guy Baker – 1999, 1996, 1995, 1991), Stanford (John Vargas – 2019; Dante Dettamanti – 2001, 1994, 1993, 1986, 1985, 1984), California (Kirk Everist – 2016, 2006, 2021; Steve Heaston – 1992, 1990; Pete Cutino – 1988, 1987, 1983), Pepperdine (Terry Schroeder – 1997), the University of California-Irvine (Ed Newland – 1989, 1985, 1982), Pacific (James Graham – 2013) and the University of California-San Diego (Denny Harper – 2000) have combined to claim each Coach of the Year reward. Note, a Coach of the Year was not selected in either 2007 or 2002.
The ACWPC All-America teams are selected based on nominations and voting by varsity head coaches.
Founded in 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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