MAAC Announces Water Polo All-MAAC Awards
MAAC Sports
Poughkeepsie, NY ? Iona College sophomore Amanda Brucia (Woodland Hills, Calif.) and Wagner College junior Billy Hoelck (San Diego, Calif.) have been selected Water Polo Co-Offensive Players of the Year, while Marist College junior Elizabeth Davis (Albuquerque, N.M.) earned Defensive Player of the Year honors to headline the 2007 Water Polo All-MAAC Teams, as voted by the league’s head coaches.
Additionally, Marist freshman Kristen Barnett (Houston, Texas) earned Rookie of the Year honors and veteran Iona head coach Brian Kelly was selected Anaconda Sports Coach of the Year.
Brucia lead the conference in total goals with 89 and goals per game with 3.18. Hoelck was right behind Brucia, finishing the regular season with the second most total goals (84) and second in goals per game (2.90). As of April 25, 2007, both student-athletes are ranked in the top ten of the nation’s total goals scored statistics. This season Brucia earned Offensive Player of the Week honors four times, while Hoelck received weekly honors twice.
In her 25 games played, Davis, a 5-10 Goalie, averaged 10.20 saves, which ranks second best in the league and eighth nationally. Davis’ 255 saves are third best in the conference and 12th nationally. Behind Davis’ efforts in goal, the Red Foxes finished the regular season with a league leading team goal against average of 6.31. Davis claimed Defensive Player of the Week honors twice this season.
First year driver, Barnett led all freshmen with 45 goals this season, which was the sixth best total in the league. Additionally, Barnett contributed to the success of the Red Foxes with her 15 assists and 35 steals. Barnett earned two Rookie of the Week selections this season.
Veteran head coach, Kelly led his team to a 16-12 overall record, while earning a 7-3 MAAC record. Kelly’s team averaged 8.25 goals and had 231 total goals, both ranked third in the conference.
Earning First Team All-MAAC selections are Brucia, Hoelck, Barnett, Villanova’s Carla Martinez (Caguas, Puerto Rico), Marist’s Katelin McCahill (East Grand Rapids, Mich.) and Wagner’s Stacey Travous (New Ulm, Minn.). Joining the team in goal are Marist’s Davis and St. Francis (NY)’s Jelena Vukovic (Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro).
All-MAAC First Team
Amanda Brucia, Iona
Carla Martinez, Villanova
Billy Hoelck, Wagner
Katelin McCahill, Marist
Kristen Barnett, Marist
Stacey Travous, Wagner
Elizabeth Davis, Marist
Jelena Vukovic, St. Francis (NY)
All-MAAC Second Team
Nicole King, Iona
Hilary Schroeder, Marist
Kari Weston, Marist
Megan Husac, St. Francis (NY)
Lauren Peterson, Iona
Lauren Garrigan, Siena
Christine Richards, Iona
Co-Offensive Players of the Year
Amanda Brucia, Iona
Billy Hoelck, Wagner
Defensive Player of the Year
Elizabeth Davis, Marist
Rookie of the Year
Kristen Barnett, Marist
Anaconda Sports Coach of the Year
Brian Kelly, Iona