IRVINE, Calif. — University of New Mexico men’s water polo alumnus Ansel Blumenthal is the recipient of the 2022 USA Water Polo Aaron Chaney Distinguished Referee National Award Winner (Developmental).
He came into the sport of water polo in his senior year of high school seeking an opportunity to spend more time around his close friends who were on the swim team and playing water polo in the offseason. The learning curve was steep, but he caught the bug and continued to play in college. During his collegiate years at the University of New Mexico, his improvement in the game earned him a nomination as an All-Conference player.
After graduating, Ansel spent time coaching the New Mexico men’s and women’s teams before switching his attention to officiating. He has the same passion refereeing as playing, most recently participating in the 2022 Junior Olympics, Olympic Development Program (ODP) Regionals, ODP Nationals, Rocktober, and local tournaments in his home city of Albuquerque.
Information courtesy USA Water Polo
