BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The Collegiate Water Polo Association congratulates the coaches and referees who are part of the league and earned honors from USA Water Polo as the organization released its 2018 Zone Award winners.
The winners, representing zones from all across the country, honor contributions in variety of areas including coaching, officiating, volunteering, masters water polo, and more. From these zone award winners will come the USA Water Polo National Award winners. The National Award winners will be announced next month in conjunction with the USA Water Polo Assembly.
- Monte Nitzkowski Distinguished Coaching Award:
- Midwest Zone: Colleen Lischwe (Clayton Water Polo/McKendree University Men’s Water Polo)
- Northeast Zone: Bret Lathrope (The Olympic Club/Massachusetts Institute of Technology Men’s Water Polo)
- Sandy Nitta Distinguished Coaching Award:
- Southwest Zone: Mark Lawrence (Dallas Water Polo/Austin College Women’s Water Polo)
- Midwest Zone: Dr. Marcelo Leonardi (University of Michigan Women’s Water Polo)
- Northeast Zone: Chris Radmonovich (Wagner College Men’s Water Polo)
- Pacific Northwest & Hawaii Zone: Rudy Ramirez (University of Washington Club Team)
- Bill Barnett Distinguished Coaching Award:
- Northeast Zone: Michael Goldenberg (South Florida WPC/Official)
- Ted Newland Distinguished Coaching Award:
- Northeast Zone: Andrew Lewandowski (New Haven Hydras/Yale University Club Team)
- Southeast Zone: Kurt Predmore (Saint Andrews Aquatics/Florida State University Club Team)
- Bret Bernard Distinguished Referee Award:
- Midwest Zone: Andrew Mattson
- Mountain Zone: Amber Drury
- Northeast Zone: Valeriy “Val” Vasilchikov
- Pacific Northwest & Hawaii Zone: Gene Gill
- Pacific Southwest Zone: Danielle Dabbaghian
- Southwest Zone: Dustin Devaney
- Tom Hermstad Distinguished Referee Award:
- Midwest Zone: Scott Voltz
- Mountain Zone: Tyson Heath
- Northeast Zone: Alex Yelensky
- Southeast Zone: Stephanie Beauchemin-Villalobos
- Aaron Chaney Distinguished Referee Award:
- Mountain Zone: Victor Nguyen
