BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — USA Water Polo announced the organization’s 2024 Zone Award winners with several Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA)/Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC)/Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) coaches, officials and alumni among the honorees.
The winners, representing zones from all across the country, honor contributions in variety of areas including coaching, officiating, volunteering, masters water polo and more. USA Water Polo will announce the National Award winners from the list of Zone winners later in the year.
A full list of the Zone Award winners is available by CLICKING HERE.
Brenda Villa Award (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Individual)
- Hawaii: Kanoe Lyone (Former Notre Dame College (Ohio) Women’s Athlete)
Monte Nitzkowski Award (Elite Men’s Coach)
- Midwest: Ryan Pryor (Augustana College Men’s & Women’s Water Polo Head Coach/Former Connecticut College Assistant Coach/Former Brown University Assistant Coach/Former University of Michigan Women’s Collegiate Club Head Coach/Former University of Michigan Collegiate Club Athlete)
- Mountain: Alan Huckins (United States Air Force Academy Men’s Water Polo Assistant Coach/Former Hartwick College Women’s Water Polo Head Coach/Former Bucknell University Head Coach/Former Slippery Rock University Athlete)
- Northeast: Ilija Duretic (Fordham University Men’s Water Polo Assistant Coach/Former St. Francis Brooklyn Men’s Water Polo Head Coach & Athlete)
- Southeast: Carlos Padron (Former University of Miami Men’s Collegiate Club Athlete)
- Southwest: Mark Lawrence (Austin College Men’s & Women’s Water Polo Head Coach/Former United States Naval Academy Men’s Water Polo Assistant Coach/Former Brown University Men’s & Women’s Water Polo Assistant Coach/Former Massachusetts Institute of Technology Head Men’s Water Polo Coach/Former Queens College (N.Y.) Athlete)
Sandy Nitta Award (Elite Women’s Coach)
- Midwest: Colleen Lischwe (Former McKendree University Men’s & Women’s Water Polo Head Coach/Former McKendree Collegiate Club Coach)
- Northeast: Derek Ellingson (Princeton University Women’s Water Polo Head Coach/Former Queens College (N.Y.) Head Coach & Athlete)
Bill Barnett Award (Scholastic Men’s Coach)
- Pacific: Seth Tasman (Former Iona University Athlete)
Doc Hunkler Award (Scholastic Women’s Coach)
- Midwest: Alex Figueras (McKendree University Men’s & Women’s Water Polo Head Coach/Former Washington University in St. Louis Men’s Collegiate Club Athlete)
Bret Bernard Award (Elite Referee)
- Mountain: Victor Nguyen
- Northeast: Alex Stankevitch
- Southeast: Igor Molina
Tom Hermstad Award (Scholastic Referee)
- Coastal: Michael McMahon
- Midwest: Andy Mattson
- Northeast: Jason Grubb
- Southeast: Mark Veszi
Aaron Chaney Award (Development Referee)
- Pacific Northwest: Marvel Shoen
- Southeast: Igor Molina
- Southwest: Edwin Barrera
Bryan Weaver Award (Male Masters Athlete of the Year)
- Mountain: Luke Waechter (Former La Salle University Athlete)
- Northeast: Ian Thompson (Former Iona University Athlete/Former CWPA Director of Membership Services)
- Pacific Northwest: Kai Geringer (Former Oregon State University Collegiate Club Athlete)
- Southwest: Leyton Kraft (Texas A&M University Collegiate Club Athlete)
Dion Gray Award (Female Masters Athlete of the Year)
- Midwest: Meaghan Poland (Former Indiana University Women’s Water Polo Assistant Coach)
- Northeast: Sarah Fitch (Former George Washington University Athlete)
- Southwest: Allie Hill (Former University of Maryland Athlete)
