BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Austin College goalie Valery Piachonkina (Jr., Castro Valley, Calif./Mission San Jose) anchored the Division III No. 2-ranked Kangaroos to victories over host Carthage College and Wittenberg University to help her team claim the program’s inaugural Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Championship. For her efforts, she is named the April 19 CWPA Division III Defensive Player of the Week.
Piachonkina aided the ‘Roos cause in topping the host Firebirds of Carthage, 17-2, on Saturday, April 17, prior to caging the Tigers of Wittenberg, 20-6, for Austin’s inaugural championship in the sport of water polo.
Overall, she allowed an average of four goals per game, while Austin put up 18.5 scores per contest, for the largest margin of victory in the history of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) water polo league championship tournament.
The award marks the fifth Defensive Player of the Week nod during her tenure at Austin following previous recognition in 2019 (March 4), 2020 (February 3, March 9) and earlier this year (March 29).
April 19 Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III Defensive Player of the Week Honor Roll: McKenna Sutterlin (Carthage College); Tia Kannel (Grove City College); Caroline Coleman/Jordan Brough (Wittenberg University)
