BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Lizzie Pelzman (So., Roseville, Calif./Roseville) of Division III No. 5-ranked Augustana College made 37 saves with eight steals to anchor the Vikings to the 2023 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Championship at Macalester College. For her efforts, Pelzman claims the April 24 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Defensive Player of the Week award.
The award marks the sixth Defensive Player of the Week nod during Pelzman’s intercollegiate tenure as she garnered the February 21 and March 7 honors during the 2022 season prior to collecting nods on February 13, February 20 and March 6 earlier this season.
She opened the weekend in St. Paul, Minn., by turning aside 10 shots in an 18-6 complete game defeat of Carthage College on Friday, April 21. On Saturday, April 22, she added 13 saves in a 12-4 semifinal defeat of Division III No. 9/host Macalester to lead the Vikings back to the title game for the second time in as many seasons.
Facing nemesis/No. 8 Austin College on Sunday, April 23, in the championship game, she stopped 14 shots as Augustana claimed its first league championship in water polo with a 16-8 defeat of the defending CWPA Division III champion Kangaroos.
Pelzman and Augustana will continue the season at home in Rock Island, Ill., on Saturday-Sunday, May 6-7, as the team hosts the 2023 USA Water Polo Division III Collegiate Championship with the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship and runner-up along with CWPA Division III Championship runner-up Austin.
April 24 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Defensive of the Week Honor Roll: Erin McCormack (Austin College); Ella Selman (Carthage College); Sarah Franco (Connecticut College); Lea Steen (Grove City College); Jayden Kratt (Macalester College); Julie del Deus (Penn State Behrend); Kim Serio (Utica University); Alliey Cunningham (Washington & Jefferson College); Leah Green (Wittenberg University)
