BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Goalie Antonio Knez (Jr., Dubrovnik, Croatia/Gimnazia Dubrovnik) of No. 12-ranked Princeton University went 3-1 with 48 saves and a .703 save percentage at the season-opening 2021 Navy Open hosted by the United States Naval Academy. For his efforts, Knez is recognized as the September 6 Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) Defensive Player of the Week.
A four-time weekly honor recipient from the league office following a pair of NWPC Defensive Player of the Week nods on September 23 and October 7 and a Rookie of the Week nod on October 14 during the 2019 season, he started the season on Saturday, September 4, by stopping two shots in a 21-10 win over Mount St. Mary’s University prior to turning aside 22 shots in a 12-5 handling of George Washington University. His 22 stops tied the school record established by Ryan Melosini from a win over Salem International University in September 2017.
On Sunday, September 5, Knez turned away 12 shots as the Tigers nearly upset No. 3 the University of California in an 11-9 loss. Finally, he posted 12 saves in a 17-2 win over Division III No. 6 Johns Hopkins University.
September 6 Northeast Water Polo Conference Defensive Player of the Week Honor Roll: Joe Gallagher (Brown University); Noah Hodge (Harvard University); Manuel Diaz (St. Francis College Brooklyn)
