All-WWPA Teams Announced | Tourney Preview
2021 WWPA All-Conference Teams
OAKLAND, Calif. - The 2021 Western Water Polo Association All-Conference teams have been announced ahead of the WWPA Championship this weekend, April 24-25, at McKendree Metro Plex. The honorees were decided by a vote of conference coaches whose teams competed in this year's campaign.
Salem's Chloe Woodbine was voted Player of the Year and is one of three Tigers on the First Team. Woodbine, a junior out of Brisbane, Australia, ranks in the conference's top four in goals (50), points (67), field blocks (11), steals (26) and goals per game (2.3).
Margherita Garibbo (Salem), Annefleur ten Bloemendal (Salem), Nicole Wiemken (Gannon), Emily Westlove (McKendree), Katie Kisling (Fresno Pacific) and Sara O'Keefe (Mercyhurst) earned the conference's top honors.
Mercyhurst, the No. 2-seed for the WWPA Championship, had Maddie Nye and Cassie Anderson earn Second Team honors, while freshman Rachel Vliestra took home WWPA Newcomer of the Year.
Salem and Mercyhurst led the conference with seven selections across the First-, Second-, Honorable Mention and All-Freshman Teams, followed by Fresno Pacific (6), McKendree (4) and Gannon (3).
WWPA Championship Details
Saturday-Sunday, April 24-25, 2021
O'Fallon, Ill. - McKendree Metro Plex
No spectators will be allowed due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. All contests will be livestreamed and live stats will be available through The FOSH.
Bracket A
No. 1 Salem (15-11, 6-0 WWPA)
No. 4 Fresno Pacific (0-10, 0-0 WWPA)
Bracket B
No. 2 Mercyhurst (6-6, 3-3 WWPA)
No. 3 McKendree (2-5, 2-4 WWPA)
No. 5 Gannon (3-12, 1-5 WWPA)
Saturday, April 24
Game 1 No. 2 Mercyhurst vs. No. 3 McKendree 7 AM PT / 9 AM CT
Game 2 No. 1 Salem vs. No. 4 Fresno Pacific 9:15 AM PT / 11:15 AM CT
Game 3 No. 3 McKendree vs. No. 5 Gannon 11:30 AM PT / 1:30 PM CT
Game 4 No. 2 Mercyhurst vs. No. 5 Gannon 3 PM PT / 5 PM CT
Sunday, April 25
Semifinal 1 Bracket A Winner vs. Bracket B 2nd Place 7 AM PT / 9 AM CT
Semifinal 2 Bracket A 2nd Place vs. Bracket B Winner 9:30 AM PT / 11:30 AM CT
Championship Semifinal 1 Winner vs Semifinal 2 Winner 1 PM PT / 3 PM CT
What's at Stake?
The winner of the conference tournament receives an automatic bid to the 2021 National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship.
The WWPA has not had a team other than UC San Diego represent the conference at NCAA's since 2012.
Whichever team prevails will secure its first-ever conference championship.