Wagner Chosen as Preseason #1 in Water Polo
MAAC Sports
Edison, NJ - Wagner College has been selected as the MAAC preseason favorite and the team to beat during the 2014 MAAC Water Polo season, according to the annual poll voted on by the leagues’ head coaches.
The Seahawks, who have fallen to defending MAAC champions, the Iona College Gaels, during the past three MAAC Water Polo championships, received 46 points and also earned 4 out of the total 7 first place votes. Wagner went 10-2 in conference matches last season and 26-11 overall. Head coach Chris Radmonovich, the 2013 Anaconda Sports MAAC Water Polo Coach of the Year, will be looking to guide the Seahawks to their third consecutive MAAC championship appearance and Wagner’s 4th MAAC title since joining the league. Wagner is led by returning 2013 Rookie of the Year and 1st team All-MAAC selection Jessica Lundgren and another 1st team All-MAAC pick Jessica Burdge. Lundgren, who led Wagner in steals with 124 in 2013, also netted 62 goals and assisted on 37 more for the Seahawks last season and finished in the top 10 in the MAAC in scoring. Junior Jessica Burdge had 115 goals on the season last year, which led the MAAC, while she accumulated 144 points on the year for a 3.11 goals per game average.
Defending MAAC champions, Iona College, finished second in the poll with 42 points and 2 first place votes. Iona brings back 2013 Offensive Player of the Year Amy Olsen, who helped steer Iona to an overall record of 21-11 and a 10-2 mark in the MAAC in 2013. Olsen led the conference in goals per game last season will a mark of 3.43.
Marist College was third in the polls with 38 points. Villanova University was fourth with 24 points, followed by VMI in fifth with 17 points. Siena, 16 points, and St. Francis College (NY), 13 points, finished sixth and seventh, respectively.
Offensive juggernaut Amy Olsen of Iona College was named the 2014 MAAC Water Polo preseason Player of the Year for the third year in a row. Olsen, a 2012 and 2013 All-MAAC first team selection, tallied 102 goals and 26 assists for 128 points last season.
Marisa Gaynor, a senior goalkeeper for Iona College, was named the 2014 MAAC Water Polo preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. Gaynor ranked fourth in saves last season in the MAAC with 306, and averaged 9.98 goals against. She helped anchor the Gaels in their championships run.
Alongside Olsen and Gaynor on the All-MAAC preseason team are their teammates Erika Lauraitis and Allison Peotter. Joining Iona’s squad on the All-MAAC team is another trio from Wagner with Jessica Burdge, Jessica Lundgren, and Lily Doerfler. Jessica Hamby of Marist College and Naomi Ng of Villanova round out the members of the 2014 Women’s Water Polo preseason All-MAAC team.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll
|
1.
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Wagner
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46
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2.
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Iona
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42
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3.
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Marist
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38
|
|
4.
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Villanova
|
24
|
|
5.
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VMI
|
17
|
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6.
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Siena
|
16
|
|
7.
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St. Francis (N.Y.)
|
13
|
Preseason All-MAAC Team
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Amy Olsen
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Iona
|
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Jessica Burdge
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Wagner |
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Jessica Lundgren
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Wagner |
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Erika Lauraitis
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Iona |
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Allison Peotter
|
Iona |
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Jessica Hamby
|
Marist |
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Lily Doerfler
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Wagner |
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Naomi Ng
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Villanova |
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Marisa Gaynor
|
Iona |
Preseason Players of the Year
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year