The Big West is proud to announce its women’s water polo all-conference teams and major award winners, one week out of the 2024 NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championship. The teams and awards were voted on by the conference's eight head coaches.
For the second season in a row, Hawai'i sophomore
Bia Mantellato Dias is The Big West Player of the Year. So far, the center from São Paulo, Brazil has compiled 61 goals and 57 drawn exclusions, both team-highs. In conference play, the second-year center tallied 20 goals and drew 21 exclusions. It is the sixth time a Rainbow Wahine has won the Player of the Year award (Mantellato Dias 2023, Irene Gonzalez 2018-19, Chloe Barr 2015, Monika Eggens 2013).
UC Irvine’s
Lauren Hett is The Big West Freshman of the Year. The rookie tallied 40 goals, 13 assists and 25 steals in overall games and a team co-high 12 goals in conference play this past season. It is the sixth time that an Anteater has won the top rookie honor.
For the fifth time, The Big West Coach of the Year honor will go to
Maureen Cole of Hawai'i. The 13th-year head coach has guided the Rainbow Wahine to a 22-3 overall record, going a perfect 7-0 in conference play to win the regular season title. Hawai'i won the 2024 Big West Women’s Water Polo Championship as the top seed, defeating No. 8 seed Cal State Fullerton 19-6 in the first round, No. 4 seed UC San Diego 17-10 in the semifinals and No. 3 seed Long Beach State 9-5 in the title match. The Rainbow Wahine are ranked No. 2 in the latest CWPA rankings and will represent The Big West in the upcoming NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championship at Cal’s Spieker Aquatics Complex, May 10-12. Hawai’i will open the national tournament with a matchup against Princeton at 4 p.m. PT on May 10.
Joining Mantellato Dias on the first team are UC Irvine junior utility
Libby Alexander, Hawai'i senior attacker
Alba Bonamusa Boix, Hawai'i junior attacker
Bernadette Doyle, Hawai'i freshman goalkeeper
Daisy Logtens, Long Beach State senior utility
Lara Luka, CSUN junior center
Dorottya Telek and UC San Diego junior center
Kendall Thomas.
Alexander had the most points for UC Irvine with 59 points, thanks to 43 goals and 16 assists. Bonamusa Boix is currently the top point scorer for Hawai'i with 88, coming from 48 goals and 40 assists. Doyle is the league leader in steals with 47 to go along with 41 goals and 39 assists, and was The Big West Championship MVP. Logtens has the best save percentage (.599) and goals-against average (7.47) in The Big West. Luka recorded 88 goals and 54 assists for a conference-best 142 points. Telek led the league with 94 goals. Thomas recorded 50 goals and drew 45 exclusions for UC San Diego.
The second team consists of Hett, UC San Diego redshirt junior attacker Caroline Christl, UC Santa Barabra redshirt junior utility Leigh Lyter, UC Davis senior utility Grace Pelkey, Long Beach State junior attacker Elisa Portillo, UC San Diego junior goalkeeper Lexi Stahl and Hawai'i senior utility Lot Stertefeld.
Long Beach State junior attacker
Martina Cardona, Hawai'i senior attacker
Lucia Gomez de la Puente, UC Davis redshirt sophomore attacker
Gianna Nocetti, CSUN junior defender
Anna Pal, Cal State Fullerton senior center
Shyanne Rainey, UC Irvine senior goalkeeper
Faith Tedesco, UC Santa Barbara sophomore goalkeeper
Madison Walker and Long Beach State senior center
Mariah Walker were honorable mentions.
The All-Freshman Team features of Hett, Logtens, Long Beach State defender
Chiara Amoroso, UC Davis defender
Chelsea Johnson, UC Davis center
Bridget Miller, UC Irvine defender
Annabelle Mundelius and Hawai'i utility
Agatha Weston.
| 2024 All-Big West First Team
|
| Student-Athlete |
Year |
Position |
Institution |
Hometown |
| Libby Alexander |
Jr. |
UTL |
UC Irvine |
Fresno, Calif. |
| Alba Bonamusa Boix |
Sr. |
ATK |
Hawai'i |
Barcelona, Spain |
| Bernadette Doyle |
Jr. |
ATK |
Hawai'i |
Auckland, New Zealand |
| Daisy Logtens |
Fr. |
GK |
Hawai'i |
Uden, Netherlands |
| Lara Luka |
Sr. |
UTL |
Long Beach State |
Belgrade, Serbia |
| Bia Mantellato Dias |
So. |
CEN |
Hawai'i |
Sao Paulo, Brazil |
| Dorottya Telek |
Jr. |
CEN |
CSUN |
Budapest, Hungary |
| Kendall Thomas |
Jr. |
CEN |
UC San Diego |
Merced, Calif. |
| 2023 All-Big West Second Team |
|
|
| Student-Athlete |
Year |
Position |
Institution |
Hometown |
| Caroline Christl |
R-Jr. |
ATK |
UC San Diego |
San Clemente, Calif. |
| Lauren Hett |
Fr. |
ATK |
UC Irvine |
Orinda, Calif. |
| Leigh Lyter |
R-Jr. |
UTL |
UC Santa Barbara |
Manhattan Beach, Calif. |
| Grace Pelkey |
Sr. |
UTL |
UC Davis |
San Clemente, Calif. |
| Elisa Portillo |
Jr. |
ATK |
Long Beach State |
Madrid, Spain |
| Lexi Stahl |
Jr. |
GK |
UC San Diego |
Fresno, Calif. |
| Lot Stertefeld |
Sr. |
UTL |
Hawai'i |
Nijverdal, Netherlands |
| Honorable Mention: Martina Cardona (Long Beach State, Jr., ATK), Lucia Gomez de la Puente (Hawai‘i, Sr., ATK), Gianna Nocetti (UC Davis, R-So., ATK), Anna Pal (CSUN, Jr., DEF), Shyanne Rainey (Cal State Fullerton, Sr., CEN), Faith Tedesco (UC Irvine, Sr., GK), Madison Walker (UC Santa Barbara, So., GK), Mariah Walker (Long Beach State, Sr., CEN). |
|
|
| All-Freshman Team: Chiara Amoroso (Long Beach State, DEF), Lauren Hett (UC Irvine, ATK), Chelsea Johnson (UC Davis, DEF), Daisy Logtens (Hawai‘i, GK), Bridget Miller (UC Davis, CEN), Annabelle Mundelius (UC Irvine, DEF), Agatha Weston (Hawai‘i, UTL). |