ST. PAUL, Minn. — Lizzie Pelzman (So., Roseville, Calif./Roseville) stopped 14 shots and Player of the Game/Tournament Most Valuable Player Casey Barragan (So., Commerce, Calif./La Serna/Fresno State University) contributed six goals as Division III No. 6-ranked/Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III-West Region Champion Augustana College doubled-up Division III No. 9/CWPA Division III-West Region runner-up Austin College, 16-8, in the title game of the 2023 CWPA Division III Championship.
Competing at Macalester College’s Riley Pool, the Vikings (16-5, 7-1 CWPA Division III-West) improved to 2-1 on the year against the Kangaroos (9-10, 7-1 CWPA Division III-West) as Augustana dropped an 8-5 decision at home in the Anne Greve Natatorium in Rock Island, Ill., on March 19 prior to avenging the defeat with a 13-8 win at neutral site Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis., on April 1.
The win also avenges a 2022 title game defeat for the second-year CWPA member Vikings at the hands of the ‘Roos last year as Austin captured the program’s second consecutive CWPA Division III Championship with an 18-7 victory at Grove City College in Grove City, Pa. For Austin, the win marked the program’s second consecutive crown as the ‘Roos topped Wittenberg University, 20-6, in 2021 at Carhage to take home the program’s first league title.
Austin is now 2-2 all-time in CWPA Division III Championship games as the team dropped an 8-5 contest to Macalester College in 2019 at Connecticut College in New London, Conn.
Further, the loss terminates Austin’s title reign and adds another squad to the roster of programs which have claimed the CWPA Division III Championship following Grove City (2010, 2011, 2012), Connecticut College (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016), Macalester (2017, 2018, 2019) and Austin (2021, 2022).
Further, Augustana claims hosting rights for the 2023 USA Water Polo Division III Collegiate Championship on Saturday-Sunday, May 6-7, as both the Vikings and Austin will take on the top two finishers from the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship.
Needing a victory to garner USA Water Polo Division III Championship hosting rights, Augustana put the game out of reach in the first quarter thanks to Pelzman – who turned away four shots – and Barragan who punched in three goals – to provide the Vikings with a 5-1 margin after eight minutes of action.
Barragan started the ball rolling for her team by lining in shots with 7:20, 6:41 and 5:17 on the clock to build a 3-0 margin for Augustana. Kylee Noble (Jr, Argyle, Texas/Guyer) put Austin on the scoreboard at 5:09, but Carli Udovich (Fr., Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) and Olivia Parry (Fr., Wilsonville, Ore./Wilsonville) tacked on tallies at the 4:14 and 2:46 marks, respectively, for a 5-1 lead after eight minutes.
Katherine Cox (Sr., Flower Mound, Texas/Flower Mound) inched Austin back to within three at 5-2 28 seconds into the second quarter, but it marked the last time the Kangaroos were within striking distance of the Vikings.
Abbey Ellis (So., Fresno, Calif./Sagner) (7:12), Ocean Akau (So., Pana’ewa, Hawaii/Kamehameha) (2:04) and Barragan (56 seconds, 31 seconds) put the game out of reach by combining for a 4-0 outburst to inflate Augustana’s lead to 9-2.
Trailing by seven goals, Austin attempted to pose a comeback as Sammi Thiele (Jr., Keller, Texas/Keller) closed the first half with a score with 14 seconds left to shave the Vikings’ lead down to 9-3. Following halftime, Lauren Olivier (Sr., Indio, Calif./Citrus College) (4:25; 2:52, penalty shot) and Cory McGrath (Jr., Flower Mound, Texas/Marcus) (4:02) fueled a 3-0 surge to shrink Augustana’s lead to 9-6.
The three-goal streak was matched by the Vikings prior to the close of the third quarter as Ellis (2:44), Maggie Caliendo (So., Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) (2:08) and Akau (37 seconds, penalty shot) closed out the eight-minute frame with back-to-back-to-back strikes to double-up Austin at 12-6.
Cox (6:27) attempted to start another comeback try for the ‘Roos early in the fourth quarter, but consecutive goals from Ellis (6:09), Barragan (5:29) and Annie Opal Dickson (So., Imperial Beach, Calif./Mar Vista) (2:43) insured the eventual victor as the margin spread to 15-7 with under three minutes to play.
The squads both found the cage one final time prior to the concluding horn as Austin’s Ashley Chand (So., Southlake, Texas/Southlake) (2:13) and Akau (1:59) put the finishing touches on the CWPA Division III Championship title game.
For Austin, Cox and Olivier both scored twice, while Noble, McGrath, Thiele and Jacks chipped in single tallies. Goalkeeper Erin McCormack (Jr., Orlando, Fla./Winter Park) stopped 12 shots in the loss.
Barragan (six), Ellis (three) and Akau (three) each registered hat-tricks or better in the win for Augustana. Parry, Udovich; Dickson and Caliendo also factored in the outcome along with Pelzman.
For Augustana head coach Ryan Pryor, the championship marks the third CWPA Division III title he has been apart of during his collegiate coaching tenure. The assistant coach to then head coach JJ Addison for Connecticut College’s 2013 championship squad which captured the crown at home in New London, Conn., versus Grove City College, Pryor assumed head coaching duties during the 2014 season and guided the Camels to the CWPA Division III title against Washington & Jefferson College at a familiar site – Macalester.
Following the championship, the league office announced the 2023 CWPA Division III Championship All-Tournament Team:
| 2023 CWPA Division III Championship All-Tournament | |
| Most Valuable Player: | Casey Barragan (Augustana College) |
| Rookie of the Tournament: | Emma Luna (Connecticut College) |
| Coach of the Tournament: | Zach Puhala (Wittenberg University) |
| First Team | |
| Lizzie Pelzman (Goalie) | Augustana College |
| Casey Barragan | Augustana College |
| Annie Opal Dickson | Augustana College |
| Charlotte Newport | Augustana College |
| Lauren Olivier | Austin College |
| Cory McGrath | Austin College |
| Gigi Sandull | Connecticut College |
| Eleanor Michaud | Macalester College |
| Second Team | |
| Erin McCormack (Goalie) | Austin College |
| Aubrey Pasky | Austin College |
| Emma Luna | Connecticut College |
| Reese Trauger | Grove City College |
| Sydney Hollingsworth | Macalester College |
| Ryley McClellan | Washington & Jefferson College |
| Grace McLaughlin | Wittenberg University |
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| Division III No. 9 Austin College |
1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | – | 8 |
| Division III No. 6 Augustana College | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | – | 16 |
| Augustana Goals: | Casey Barragan (6); Abbey Ellis (3); Ocean Akau (3); Olivia Parry; Carli Udovich; Annie Opal Dickson; Maggie Caliendo | |||||
| Austin Goals: | Katherine Cox (2); Lauren Olivier (2); Kylee Noble; Cory McGrath; Sammi Thiele; Maddie Jacks | |||||
| Saves: | Augustana – Lizzie Pelzman (14) ; Austin – Erin McCormack (12) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Augustana – 8 ; Austin – 3 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Augustana – 1-for-3 ; Austin – 1-for-8 | |||||
| Sprints: | Augustana – 0-for-4 ; Austin – 4-for-4 | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | Augustana – YC – Head coach Ryan Pryor (2:52 left in 3rd Q); Austin – None | |||||
| Officials: | Joe Peila; Alex Stankevitch | |||||
Augustana College’s Casey Barragan (#16) lines up a shot as Austin College’s Ashley Chand (#5) defends
Augustana College’s Abbey Ellis (#7) looks to shoot as Austin College’s Cory McGrath (#19) and Alyssa Ross (#3) pursue
Austin College’s Aubrey Pasky (#13) attempts to elude Augustana College’s Annie Opal Dickson (#9) and Jillian Hagmann (#6)
Austin College’s Erin McCormack (#1)
2023 CWPA Division III Championship Second Place: Austin College
2023 CWPA Division III Champion: Augustana College
