BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) announces the organization’s 2017-18 Scholar-Athletes of the Year on both the Varsity (Men’s/Women’s Division I/Women’s Division III) and Collegiate Club (Men’s Club/Women’s Club) levels.
Approved by the coaches and the league membership at the 2009 CWPA Annual Meeting, the Collegiate Water Polo Association Student-Athlete Award honors the outstanding student-athlete who has achieved success in both the scholastic (3.25 or higher cumulative grade point average) and athletic arenas while possessing a spirit which provides service to the community.
- Men’s Varsity: Massimiliano Mirarchi (Fordham University / Rome, Italy/Liceo Scientifico Torricelli)
- Graduate student from Whittier College
- 2017 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) All-America Honorable Mention
- 2017 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference-East Region Rookie of the Year
- 2017 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference-East Region First Team All-Conference
- Named to the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference All-Championship First Team
- Named 2017 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference Player of the Week once
- Led Fordham with 91 goals, 128 points, and 17 blocks
- Was second on the squad with 37 assists and 55 steals
- Drew a team-high 55 ejections, while scoring a team-best 28 extra-man goals
- Graduatied from Whitter College and played for the U15 and U17 Italian National Teams
- Completed three seasons at Whittier, where he was a three-time ACWPC Division III All-America
- Four-time selection to the ACWPC All-Academic Team
- Led all Division III players in goals and steals in 2015 at Whittier, setting a single season school record for steals with 92, while having the second-highest single season goal total with 116. Followed with 97 goals in 2016 to go with 43 assists and 42 steals, as he was named First Team All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) for the third straight year
- Member of Sigma Beta Delta, the International Honor Society for Business
- Four-year (2014, 2015, 2017,2018) member of the ACWPC All-Academic Team and 2018 selection to the MAWPC Scholar-Athlete Team
- Women’s Varsity (Division I): Marisol Dakan (Brown University / Pasadena, Calif./La Salle)
- Finished her career as Brown’s all-time leader in saves with 1,131 career saves
- Garnered 2015 and 2018 ACWPC Honorable Mention All-America accolades
- Earned 2018 All-CWPA Championship All-Tournament Second Team honors
- Gained CWPA Defensive Player of the Week four times (February 9, March 29, April 5, April 18)
- Totaled 245 saves in 2018 with a .517 save percentage and 10 or more saves in each of 12 games
- Four-year (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018) member of the CWPA Scholar-Athlete and ACWPC All-Academic Teams
- Women’s Varsity (Division III): Lucille Moran (Macalester College / Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron)
- Three-time ACWPC All-Academic and CWPA Scholar-Athlete selection (2016, 2017, 2018)
- 2017 and 2018 ACWPC All-America Second Team selection
- 2016 ACWPC All-America Honorable Mention selection
- Led Macalester in goals (53) and shot percentage (.510) while ranking second in points (74) in 2018
- 2017 and 2018 CWPA Division III Player of the Year
- 2017 and 2018 CWPA Division III Championship Most Valuable Player
- 2017 and 2018 CWPA Division III Championship All-Tournament First Team
- Led the Scots to back-to-back CWPA Division III Championships (2017, 2018)
- Chuck Green Fellow partnering with Women’s Advocates, a domestic violence shelter, to build a public policy program
- Member of the Ross Initiative for Equality (RISE), a program dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in varsity sports.
- Men’s Collegiate Club: Trevor Prince (Boston College / Wilmette, Ill./Loyola Academy)
- Led team to Ninth and 13th place finishes at the 2016 and 2017 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championships, respectively.
- 2015 and 2016 All-America Honorable Mention
- 2015 and 2016 All-New England First Team selection
- Four time (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) CWPA Scholar-Athlete selection
- Volunteered with the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services from September 2015-to-May 2016
- Served as a summer water polo coach and illpolo.com guest analyst in Illinois
- Women’s Collegiate Club: Isabelle Trier (Washington University in St. Louis / Park Ridge, Ill./Maine East)
- First Team All-Midwest Valley Division selection in 2015 and 2016
- 2017 Second Team All-Midwest Valley Division
- 2016 Midwest Division Most Valuable Player
- 2015, 2016, 2017 Honorable Mention All-America selection
- Four-time (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) CWPA Scholar-Athlete selection
- Emergency Support Team Volunteer Medic from October 2014-to-December 2016 acting as a first responder on Washington University’s campus for medical emergencies
- Provided volunteer emergency response coverage for a total of 152 hours during weekdays, weekends and nights. Completed training process resulting in licensure by the State of Missouri as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Stray Rescue Volunteer from October 2014-to-December 2016 taking dogs rescued in the St. Louis area on walks to rehabilitate them for adoption. Also drove other volunteers to the shelter
- President of the Washington University Sports Club Board from October 2017-to-May 2018
- Spearheaded the formation of an emergency fund to buffer sports teams from financial and travel issues. Also organized fundraising events to provide financial aid to sports teams in need
About the Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award:
Each CWPA institution is eligible to nominate a student-athlete (one male/one female) for the award with the recipient being selected based on a points system (1-5) derived from his/her excellence in each field:
- Community Service (Service qualifies for 5 points maximum)
- CWPA Academic (Scholar Athlete) Honors:
- 1 point – Member of team All-Academic Award (i.e., team received an award)
- 2 points – Scholar Athlete Selection
- 3 points – Two-time Scholar Athlete Selection
- 4 points – Three-Time Scholar Athlete selection
- 5 points – Four-Time Scholar Athlete selection
- Scholastic Achievement, 1-5 based on GPA:
- 1 point (3.25-3.4)
- 2 points (3.41-3.55)
- 3 points (3.56-3.70)
- 4 points (3.71-3.85)
- 5 points (3.86-4.0)
- All-Conference Selection:
- 1 point – Second Team All-Conference
- 2 points – First Team All-Conference
- 3 points – Two-time First Team All Conference
- 4 points – Three-Time First Team All-Conference
- 5 points – Four-Time First Team All-Conference
- Division Player of the Year (MVP) Selection:
- 3 points – Player of the Year
- 4 points – 2 time Division Player of the Year
- 5 points – 3 time Division Player of the Year
