BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Valery Piachonkina (Sr., Castro Valley, Calif./Mission San Jose) of Division III No. 4-ranked Austin College made 21 saves over three games at Grove City College’s James E. Longnecker Competition Pool as the Kangaroos repeated as the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Champion. For her efforts, Piachonkina is named the April 25 CWPA Division III Defensive Player of the Week.
She opened the championship tournament by making four saves in a 20-1 defeat of Carthage College on Thursday, April 21, prior to making seven saves in 24 minutes in a 13-4 semifinal victory over Macalester College on Friday, April 22. On Saturday, April 23, in the title game against Division III No. 9 Augustana College, Piachonkina stopped 10 shots in an 18-7 win as the ‘Roos repeated as CWPA Division III Champion after claiming the 2021 crown.
The award marks the eighth Defensive Player of the Week nod during her tenure at Austin following previous recognition in 2019 (March 4), 2020 (February 3, March 9), 2021 (March 29, April 19) and 2022 (February 28, March 14).
April 25 Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III Defensive Player of the Week Honor Roll: Lizzie Pelzman (Augustana College); Evelyn Kajohn (Carthage College); Olivia Fechner-Lewis (Connecticut College); Tia Kannel (Grove City College); Laurel O’Hare (Macalester College); Chloe Dodgen (Penn State Behrend); Kim Serio (Utica College); Cecelia Weiss (Washington & Jefferson College); Jordan Brough (Wittenberg University)
