BRIDGEPORT, Pa. -- The Big West highlighted the 2023 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) All-America Team with 20 women's water polo student-athletes from the league honored. The Big West had the most honorees amongst all conferences, followed by the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) with 18. It is also the most All-Americans the conference has produced in a single season, breaking the previous record of 16 set last year.
UC Irvine sophomore center Nioka Thomas, sophomore attacker Elena Flynn and Hawai’i freshman center Bia Mantellato Dias were awarded All-America Second Team accolades. Thomas and Flynn led the Anteaters to The Big West regular season and Championship titles with 48 and 47 goals, respectively. It is Flynn’s second All-America honor after earning Honorable Mention status in 2022. Mantellato Dias was the top scorer for the second-place Rainbow Wahine with 82 goals.
Thomas and Flynn are joined by two fellow Anteaters in senior goalkeeper Erin Tharp and graduate attacker Jessica Lynch as All-Americans, having been named Honorable Mention. Hawai’i had two Honorable Mentions in senior attacker Alba Bonamusa Boix and senior defender Emma van Rossum. It is Bonamusa Boix’s second All-America award after earning First Team honors in 2020.
UC Davis senior center Noelle Wijnbelt and Long Beach State freshman attacker Elisa Portillo were named to the All-America Third Team. Wijnbelt was the top goal scorer for the Aggies with 55 goals and is now a five-time All-American after an Honorable Mention last year, Third Team honors in 2019 and 2021 and a Second Team accolade in 2020. Portillo poured in 55 goals for the Beach this past season.
The Beach had two Honorable Mentions in junior attacker Rachel Kowalchick and sophomore attacker Martina Cardona. UC Davis graduate defender Allyson Clague earned Honorable Mention accolades to join Wijnbelt as an All-American.
UC San Diego had three Honorable Mentions in sophomore center Kendall Thomas, redshirt sophomore attacker Caroline Christl and sophomore attacker Courtney Okumura. Thomas earned Honorable Mention honors last season.
UC Santa Barbara senior utility Caitlyn Snyder is now a two-time All-American after earning the same Honorable Mention honor as last year.
CSUN had three All-Americans as sophomore center Dorottya Telek, sophomore defender Anna Pal and sophomore attacker Shelby Hovanesian made it on the Honorable Mention List. It is the second straight All-America honor for Telek and Pal.
Cal State Fullerton, playing in its inaugural season, has produced an All-American Honorable Mention in redshirt freshman utility Mia Solorzano.
2023 ACWPC All-Americans From The Big West
| All-America Second Team |
| Name |
School |
Year |
Position |
| Elena Flynn |
UC Irvine |
So. |
Attacker |
| Bia Mantellato Dias |
Hawai'i |
Fr. |
Center |
| Nioka Thomas |
UC Irvine |
So. |
Center |
| All-America Third Team |
| Name |
School |
Year |
Position |
| Elisa Portillo |
Long Beach State |
Fr. |
Attacker |
| Noelle Wijnbelt |
UC Davis |
Sr. |
Center |
| All-America Honorable Mention |
| Name |
School |
Year |
Position |
| Alba Bonamusa Boix |
Hawai'i |
Sr. |
Attacker |
| Martina Cardona |
Long Beach State |
So. |
Attacker |
| Caroline Christl |
UC San Diego |
R-So. |
Attacker |
| Allyson Clague |
UC Davis |
Gr. |
Defender |
| Shelby Hovanesian |
CSUN |
So. |
Attacker |
| Rachel Kowalchick |
Long Beach State |
Jr. |
Attacker |
| Jessica Lynch |
UC Irvine |
Gr. |
Attacker |
| Courtney Okumura |
UC San Diego |
So. |
Attacker |
| Anna Pal |
CSUN |
So. |
Defender |
| Caitlyn Snyder |
UC Santa Barbara |
Sr. |
Utility |
| Mia Solorzano |
Cal State Fullerton |
R-Fr. |
Utility |
| Dorottya Telek |
CSUN |
So. |
Center |
| Erin Tharp |
UC Irvine |
Sr. |
Goalkeeper |
| Kendall Thomas |
UC San Diego |
So. |
Center |
| Emma van Rossum |
Hawai'i |
Sr. |
Defender |