WWPA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Nov. 12
DANIEL GARCIA
UC San Diego
Daniel Garcia helped the Tritons go 2-1 on the road last week against three ranked opponents to be named this week’s WWPA Player of the Week. In the win over UC Davis, Garcia scored four goals including two scores in the fourth quarter to help put the game away in the 9-6 win. In the 14-9 win over Santa Clara, Garcia connected on four goals with one assist and three steals. In UCSD’s third road game in three days, Garcia added two more scores in a 11-8 loss at UCLA. For the week, Garcia netted 12 goals in the three road games.
WWPA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Nov. 5
ANDREW VALDES
Occidental
Andrew Valdes of Occidental continues to rack up goals this season, as he added eight more in two games this week to be named the Western Water Polo Association Men’s Player of the Week for Nov. 5. Valdes scored four times in the Tigers 12-10 win at Whittier College on Oct. 29, and he tallied four more in Oxy’s 14-10 win over Claremont McKenna on Nov. 1. Valdes has now scored four or more goals in each of his last four games and in seven of his last eight, to run his conference leading total to 78 on the season. In addition to his scoring prowess, Valdes dished out two assists and added two steals in the win over CMS, and he contributed with an assist and a steal in the win against Whittier.
WWPA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Oct. 29
JULIEN LORMANT
Loyola Marymount
Julien Lormant of Loyola Marymount University has been named the Western Water Polo Association Player of the Week for Oct. 29. The senior scored four goals in the Lions 10-9 win over rival and No. 7 UC San Diego on Satuday in LMU’s lone game on the week. With the Lions trailing by a pair late in the third quarter, Lormant scored LMU’s final three goals including the final score of the game with 18 seconds remaining to lift LMU to the one goal victory. All three of No. 6 LMU’s wins over UCSD have come on a goal in the final seconds of regulation. The Lions won the first meeting on a goal with eight seconds left and then in meeting two scored in the final seconds to send the game to overtime. Lormant has now scored seven goals in their last two games against ranked opponents.
WWPA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Oct. 22
JACK HINES
Air Force
Jack Hines helped Air Force continue its seven-game winning streak, scoring seven goals in two games against Iona this weekend as he has been named the Western Water Polo Association Player of the Week for Oct. 22. He tallied two goals and an assist in the Falcons’ 15-8 win on Saturday. Meanwhile, Hines, a 2-meter defender, added a career-high five scores in Air Force’s 17-5 rout on Sunday, as the Falcons handed Iona its biggest loss of the season. Hines also had a huge impact defensively, limiting Iona’s leading scorer, Joe Przekota, to just two goals for the weekend, one of which came on a penalty shot. Przekota entered the weekend ranked second in the nation in total goals scored.
WWPA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Oct. 15
CASEY REGEHR
Whittier College
Whittier goalie Casey Regehr has been named the Western Water Polo Player of the Week for Oct. 15 after leading the Poets to their best weekend of the year, going 3-1 a the Showdown Tournament at Chapman. Regehr had a total of 30 Saves, seven steals, four assist, and shutdown nine 6-on-5 opportunities on the weekend. Whittier College finished 3rd at the inaugural tournament held in Orange CA, at Chapman University. The strong play of Regehr in the cage helped the Poets to their best weekend of the year finishing 3-1.
WWPA CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Oct. 8
MATT HEAGY
Cal Lutheran
In five games this past week, Cal Lutheran junior Matt Heagy (Jr., 2M) scored 24 goals, drew 10 ejections while adding eight steals and eight assists to earn Western Water Polo Association Co-Player of the Week honors. He recorded a hat trick in all five matches including an eight-goal performance, on only 10 shots, against Fordham (NY) in the Convergence Tournament on Saturday. Against Mercyhurst (PA) to open the week he scored six times on eight attempts, drew five ejections, grabbed three steals and dished out a pair of assists.
ALEX MULE
Chapman
Alex Mule led Chapman to the program’s first-ever win over a top-20 team and a 3-1 record on the weekend to earn Western Water Polo Association Co-Player of the Week honors. Mule scored 13 goals, had 15 assists, five steals, and earned five ejections at the Claremont Convergence Tournament. He had five goals in the upset win of No. 18 Cal Baptist. This was also the first time in school history Chapman has beaten Cal Baptist.
WWPA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Oct. 1
BRENDAN MEANEY
Redlands
Brendan Meaney from Redlands has been named the Western Water Polo Association Men’s Player of the Week for leading the Bulldogs to a 3-1 record in the UCSC Slugfest last weekend. He led the team to wins over two ranked opponents, including victories over No. 13 Santa Clara and No. 20 Air Force. He led the team in scoring with 11 goals, adding three assists, three steals, four ejections drawn and five field blocks.
WWPA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Sept. 24
ANDY STEVENS
Loyola Marymount
Andy Stevens has been named the Western Water Polo Association Player of the Week for leading LMU to a sixth place finish at the NorCal Invitational last weekend in Stockton, Calif. Stevens had double digit saves all four games, totalling 46 for the tournament. He had 12 saves in the win over No. 13 Navy, the win over No. 7 UC Irvine, and the setback to No. 8 Long Beach State. He had 10 against No. 3 Stanford. Stevens allowed just 4.5 goals in the two wins, allowing just four against Navy and five against UC Irvine. His 107 saves on the season is third in the nation.
WWPA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Sept. 17
ADRIAN JERKOVIC
UC San Diego
Adnan Jerkovic has been named the Western Water Polo Association Player of the Week for Sept. 17 after helping UC San Diego to five wins last week. He was a key offensive catalyst in helping UCSD go 5-0 in Princeton, New Jersey. The senior from Palm Desert ran the Triton offense to perfection, including wins over No. 20 Princeton and No. 11 Navy. For the week, Jerkovic recorded a team-high 14 assists, nine steals and added six goals. He spread the ball around as six different players scored against Princeton, 10 different scores against George Washington, six against Iona, seven against Johns Hopkins and seven against Navy.
WWPA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Sept. 10
TIBOR FORAI
Loyola Marymount
Tibor Forai (So., DR, 6-2, 190, Novi Sad, Serbia ) has been named the WWPA Men’s Player of the Week for Sept. 10 for leading the Lions to a 3-1 record and a third place finish at the 2008 UC San Diego Triton Invitational. He helped the Lions to wins over three ranked opponents, moving them two spots up the national rankings to No. 6. He opened with four against No. 17 Cal Baptist, two in the win over No. 6 UC Santa Barbara, one in the sudden-death 10-9 heartbreaker against No. 2 USC, and then three in the 12-8 win over No. 9 Long Beach State. He finished the weekend leading the Lions with 10 goals, six assists and seven steals.
