Collegiate Water Polo Association Releases 2025 Women’s Division I All-Conference Team; Yelensky, Piovan & Minnis Named Most Valuable Player, Rookie & Coach of the Year

BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Princeton University’s Kayla Yelensky (Sr., Stamford, Conn./Greenwich Academy), Harvard University’s Niki Piovan (Fr., Vouliagmeni, Greece/HAEF Athens College) and Crimson head coach Ted Minnis garner Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year recognition as the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) releases the league’s 2025 Division I Women’s Water Polo All-Conference Team.

Yelensky garners Princeton’s 16th MVP award as she becomes the fourth Tigers’ women’s water polo athlete to collect a league-wide Player of the Year honor following two-time Olympic Gold Medalist goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson who claimed Most Valuable Player recognition in 2015, former teammate Jovana Sekulc who claimed the award in 2024, and goalkeeper Lindsey Lucas (Jr., Orinda, Calif./Miramonte) who netted recognition in 2024. 

Prior to 2015, Most Valuable Player status was presented based on divisions (North, South) with Katie Rigler (2012-South, 2013-South, 2014-South), Phoebe Champion (2009-South, 2010-South), Elyse Colgan (2004-South, 2005-South, 2006-South, 2007-South), Cassie Nichols (2002-South), Adele McCarthy-Beauvais (2001-South) and Goga Vukmirovic (2000-South).

Piovan becomes the fourth Harvard athlete to claim a Rookie of the Year award since the creation of the honor prior to the 2003 season as she joins Devan Kennifer (Harvard – 2009 – Northern Division), Melissa Balding (Harvard – 2014 – Southern Division) and teammate Maya O’Dea (So., Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson).

Minnis collects his third women’s Coach of the Year nod with previous recognition in 2015 and 2022.

A trio of Princeton athletes lead the First Team as Lucas, Yelensky and Ava Houlahan (Jr., Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach) are all recognized the top seven athletes for the 2025 season.  The honor marks the fourth All-Conference nod for Yelensky (2022 Second Team; 2023 First Team; 2024 First Team, 2025 First Team), the third for Lucas (2023 First Team; 2024 First Team/Most Valuable Player; 2025 First Team) and the inaugural recognition for Houlahan.

2024 First Team honoree Ella Palmer (Jr., Auckland, New Zealand/St. Cuthbert’s College) of Brown University adds another First Team nod in 2025, while Harvard’s Emma Gilbert (So., Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos) and Piovan along with the University of Michigan’s Ari Karampetsou (Fr., Athens, Greece/Costeas Geitonas School) claim their inaugural All-Conference nods.

2024 All-CWPA First Team honorees Rachael Carver (Sr., Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach) of Princeton and Ruby Hodge (Jr., San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Santa Margarita) of Harvard lead the 2025 Second Team.  Hodge is joined by Crimson teammates O’Dea and goalkeeper Orli Cooper (Fr., Greensboro, N.C./Guilford Home Educators).

Caylah Olay (Jr., Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Beach) of Saint Francis University, Issy Jackson (Jr., Auckland, New Zealand/Diocesan Schools for Girls) of Michigan and Bucknell University’s Olivia Hopper (Fr., Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich) complete the Second Team.

For the 2025 season, an Honorable Mention list is added to the All-Conference selections per request of the institutions’ head coaches as Brown’s Aubrie Anderson (So., Newport Beach, Calif./Corona Del Mar) and Ava Schoening (Fr., Seattle, Wash./Corona Del Mar), Bucknell University’s Ashley Hopper (Fr., Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich), Michigan’s Matilda Waugh (Fr., Sydney, Australia/Kincoppal Rose-Bay), Mercyhurst University’s Allie Dombkowski (Gr., Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Princeton’s Shanna Davidson (Jr., Huntington Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos) are joined by the goalkeeper triumvirate of Brown’s Roxanne Hazuka (Jr., La Jolla, Calif./La Jolla), Michigan’s Sophia Bunnell (Fr., Coto de Caza, Calif./Mater Dei) and Saint Francis’ Isabel Lumley (Sr., Brisbane, Australia/Brisbane Girls Grammar School).

Dombkowski earns her third All-Conference selection – but first in the CWPA – as she previously claimed Honorable Mention (2023) and First Team (2024) status in the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA).

Athletes are selected to the All-Conference team based on nominations from each institutions’ head coach. The nominations are compiled for a ballot from which the coaches select the field athletes and goalies. Coaches also select a Most Valuable Player (MVP), Coach of the Year and Rookie of the Year based on nominations from the institutions – with the ability to vote for their own nominations for the three individual awards.

An All-Conference team was not selected in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic prematurely terminating the season.

Coach of the Year (Since 2001)

• 2025 – Ted Minnis (Harvard University)
• 2024 – Derek Ellingson (Princeton University)
• 2023 – Derek Ellingson (Princeton University)
• 2022 – Ted Minnis (Harvard University)
• 2021 – Dr. Marcelo Leonardi (University of Michigan)
• 2020 – Not selected – COVID-19
• 2019 – Derek Ellingson (Princeton University)
• 2018 – Becca Dorst (Princeton University)
• 2017 – Alan Huckins (Hartwick College)
• 2016 – John McBride (Bucknell University)
• 2015 – Ted Minnis (Harvard University)
• 2014 – Felix Mercado (Brown University – Southern Division) / Barry King (Indiana University – Western Division)
• 2013 – Luis Nicolao (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Barry King (Indiana University – Western Division)
• 2012 – Felix Mercado (Brown University – Southern Division) / Carl Salyer (University of Maryland – Western Division)
• 2011 – Carl Salyer (University of Maryland – Southern Division) / Matt Anderson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2010 – Alan Huckins (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / John Abdou (Bucknell University – Southern Division) / Matt Anderson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2009 – Felix Mercado (Brown University – Northern Division) / John Abdou (Bucknell University – Southern Division) / Matt Anderson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2008 – Felix Mercado (Brown University – Northern Division) / John Abdou (Bucknell University – Southern Division) / Curtis Robinette (Mercyhurst University)
• 2007 – Alan Huckins (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Carl Salyer (University of Maryland – Southern Division) / Don Sherman (Gannon University – Western Division)
• 2006 – Alan Huckins (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Luis Nicolao (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Matt Anderson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2005 – Alan Huckins (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Luis Nicolao (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Matt Anderson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2004 – Todd Clapper (Brown University – Northern Division, North Region) / Brian Kelly (Iona University – Northern Division, South Region) / Luis Nicolao (Princeton University – Southern Division)
• 2003 – Brian Kelly (Iona University – Northern Division) / Scott Reed (George Washington University – Southern Division)
• 2002 – Michael Maroney (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Don Sherman (Gannon University – Southern Division)
• 2001 – Michael Maroney (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Luis Nicoalo (Princeton University – Southern Division)

Most Valuable Player (Since 2001)

• 2025 – Kayla Yelensky (Princeton University)
• 2024 – Lindsey Lucas (Princeton University)
• 2023 – Jovana Sekulic (Princeton University)
• 2022 – Maddy Steere (University of Michigan)
• 2021 – Madison O’Reilly (University of Michigan)
• 2020 – Not selected – COVID-19
• 2019 – Maddy Steere (University of Michigan)
• 2018 – Zsofia Polak (Hartwick College)
• 2017 – Allison Skaggs (University of Michigan)
• 2016 – Ali Thomason (University of Michigan)
• 2015 – Ashleigh Johnson (Princeton University)
• 2014 – Katie Rigler (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Shae Fournier (Indiana University – Western Division)
• 2013 – Katie Rigler (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Sami Capparelli (Hartwick College – Western Division)
• 2012 – Katie Rigler (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Kiki Golden (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2011 – Allison Campbell (University of Maryland – Southern Division) / Charlotte Mensink (Hartwick College – Western Division)
• 2010 – Kirsten Hudson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Phoebe Champion (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Leah Robertson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2009 – Lauren Presant (Brown University – Northern Division) / Phoebe Champion (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Julie Hyrne (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2008 – Kirsten Hudson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Valentina Rozas (Bucknell University – Southern Division) / Julie Hyrne (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2007 – Kirsten Hudson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Elyse Colgan (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Shana Welch (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2006 – Bronwen Knox (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Elyse Colgan (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Shana Welch (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2005 – Kate Chambers (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Elyse Colgan (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Shana Welch (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2004 – Dana Livermore (Brown University – Northern Division, North Region) / Ashleigh Jacobs (Iona University – Northern Division, South Region) / Elyse Colgan (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Betsey Armstrong (University of Michigan – Western Region)
• 2003 – Sheri Johnson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Betsey Armstrong (University of Michigan – Southern Division)
• 2002 – Megan Thomson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Cassie Nichols (Princeton University – Southern Division)
• 2001 – Megan Thomson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Adele McCarthy-Beauvais (Princeton University – Southern Division)

Rookie of the Year (Since creation of award in 2003)

• 2025 – NIki Piovan (Harvard University)
• 2024 – Maya O’Dea (Harvard University)
• 2023 – Lindsey Lucas (Princeton University)
• 2022 – Jovana Sekulic (Princeton University)
• 2021 – Emese Szucs (Saint Francis University)
• 2020 – Not selected – COVID-19
• 2019 – Abby Andrews (University of Michigan)
• 2018 – Marissa Webb (Princeton University)
• 2017 – Lena Kotanchyan (Hartwick College)
• 2016 – Kim Johnson (University of Michigan)
• 2015 – Kelly Matthews (Indiana University)
• 2014 – Melissa Balding (Harvard University – Southern Division) / Allison Skaggs (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2013 – Ashleigh Johnson (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Bryce Beckwith (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2012 – Taylor Barnett (Bucknell University – Southern Division) / Kamila Zakirova (Hartwick College – Western Division)
• 2011 – Kate Woods (Brown University – Southern Division) / Shae Fournier (Indiana University – Western Division)
• 2010 – Lily Martinez (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Allison Campbell (University of Maryland – Southern Division) / Lisett Calderon (Mercyhurst University – Western Division)
• 2009 – Devan Kennifer (Harvard University – Northern Division) / Elina Goldenberg (University of Maryland – Southern Division) / Jakie Kohli (Indiana University – Western Division)
• 2008 – Jessica McKee (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Lauren Brunner (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Rachel Griepsma (Mercyurst University)
• 2007 – Kirsten Hudson (Hartwick College)
• 2006 – Aubrey Rowe (Bucknell University)
• 2005 – Bronwen Knox (Hartwick College)
• 2004 – Shana Welch (University of Michigan)
• 2003 – Megan Donahue (Princeton University)