POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (Apr. 25, 2024) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has announced the 2024 Water All-MAAC teams and Major Award winners. All awards were voted on by the leagues nine head coaches.
Paola Dominguez-Castro of LIU was named as the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year. Dominguez-Castro led the MAAC in both points average (4.7) and goals per game average (4.1) on the season. In overall stats, her 95 goals ranked second in the conference, while her 108 points were the fourth most on the league leaderboard. She was selected at the 2024 MAAC Water Polo Preseason Player of the Year and is now one of two players this season unanimously selected to the All-MAAC First Team.
Chosen as the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, was Pip Nash from Wagner. Nash was the league leader in field blocks, logging a MAAC-best 24, doubling the next best player in the category, who had 12. In conference games, she ranked third in field blocks, eighth in steals, and 10
th in steals per game. Additionally, Nash dished out the seventh most in assists MAAC games on the offensive side.
Siena College’s Catherine Williamson, secured 2024 Rookie of the Year recognition. Williamson had a stellar first season, posting top-10 MAAC rankings in 12 statistical categories. She posted 68 goals, 81 points, 10 field blocks, and 36 steals, which ranked fifth, 10
th, sixth, and tied for ninth, respectively, among the MAAC. Moreover, Williamson’s 2.6 goals per game were tied for seventh in the conference and her 3.1 points per game were 10
th. In league only games, she was tied for sixth in goals, tied for eighth in goals per game, tied for third in field blocks, ninth in points, tied for ninth in steals and ninth in steals per game. She earned MAAC Water Polo Rookie of the Week honors three times this season on Mar. 20, Apr. 3, and Apr. 17 as well as Offensive Player of the Week on Feb. 28, Mar.6, and Apr. 3.
The 2024 Coach of the Year award went to Josh Hower of Wagner. Voted the unanimous winner, Hower led the Seahawks to a perfect 12-0 record in the MAAC this season, earning the MAAC Regular Season Championship. This marked the third straight season that Wagner has gone unbeaten in conference play dating back to 2022. His team went 26-4 overall, which included a perfect 2-0 home record and a 19-2 mark in neutral pools. Additionally, Hower has led Wagner to a #16 ranking in the most recent Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) poll, with his team going 7-4 against other top-25 opponents this season.
The full list of All-MAAC Teams and major awards winners are below.
| 2024 MAAC Water Polo Major Awards |
| Award |
Name |
School |
| Offensive Player of the Year |
Paola Dominguez-Castro |
LIU |
| Defensive Player of the Year |
Pip Nash |
Wagner |
| Rookie of the Year |
Catherine Williamson |
Siena |
| Coach of the Year |
Josh Hower* |
Wagner |
| All-MAAC First Team |
| Position |
Name |
School |
| Francesca Co' |
Attack |
La Salle |
| Elena Camarena |
Attack |
LIU |
| Paola Dominguez-Castro* |
Attack |
LIU |
| Ella Baumgarten |
Center |
Marist |
| Carlota Alonso* |
Attack |
Wagner |
| Andrea Arias |
Utility |
Wagner |
| Francesca Sena |
Goalie |
Wagner |
| All-MAAC Second Team |
| Position |
Name |
School |
| Lola Trujillo |
Utility |
Iona |
| Sydney DeVroedt |
Attack |
LIU |
| Shinae Carrington |
Utility |
Marist |
| Ana Luisa Cotta |
Defender |
Mount St. Mary's |
| Catherine Williamson |
Attack |
Siena |
| Stella Byles |
Attack |
Villanova |
| Martina Giannnoni |
Goalie |
LIU |
*Denotes unanimous selection
The 2024 MAAC Water Polo Championship will take place April 26-28. The six-team, single-elimination championship will be hosted by Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Marist has hosted the Water Polo Championship annually since 2003. For all information regarding the 2024 MAAC Water Polo Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/wp.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.
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