For the second consecutive year, the Wagner College water polo team has earned the highest team grade point average among all 56 collegiate water polo programs in the NCAA’s divisions I, II and III, the Association of College Water Polo Coaches announced yesterday. This year, Seahawks posted a collective 3.50 GPA.
While in the midst of earning the nation’s top team GPA, the Green & White was also busy making history in the pool, posting a school-record 26 wins (26-11 overall record), a regular season Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title (10-2 record), and a third consecutive appearance in the MAAC championship game.
“I am privileged to salute our women’s water polo team on earning this significant achievement for the second straight year and for, once again, bringing distinction to Wagner College,” said Athletic Director Walt Hameline. “To earn the highest GPA in your sport is truly special. And to earn this accomplishment in back-to-back years is particularly noteworthy. This incredible academic achievement, combined with a 2013 season that featured the most wins in school history, speaks volumes about the outstanding quality of the student athletes in the Wagner water polo program under head coach Chris Radmonovich.”
In his three seasons as head of the Seahawk program, Radmonovich, the 2013 MAAC Coach of the Year, has amassed a 63-44 record (.589) and led the Seahawks to consecutive 20-plus win seasons, highlighted by the 2013 MAAC regular season title.
“I am extremely proud of the effort that our team has made in the classroom, and I’m elated that their hard work has been rewarded for a second straight year,” said Radmonovich. “I’m extremely fortunate and thankful for the opportunity to coach such a dedicated group of student athletes.”
The ACWPC groups its All-Academic Awards into three categories: Outstanding (3.71-4.0 GPA), Superior (3.70-3.41) and Excellent (3.4-3.20). Eleven members of the Wagner team posted GPAs that met the requirement to be in one of these categories.
For the second consecutive year, senior Laura Karbach of Abington, Pa., who graduated this May, and junior Stacy McGregor of Sinking Spring, Pa., placed in the Outstanding category, as did junior Sidney Hoshko of Coronado, Cal.
Another seven Seahawks placed in the Superior category: sophomores Jessica Burdge of Stockton, Cal., and Rachel Burns of Auckland, New Zealand; freshman Lily Doerfler of Annapolis, Md.; sophomore Michelle Greenough of Davis, Cal.; junior Katie Jordan of Westlake Village, Cal., and freshmen Jess Lundgren of Queensland, Australia, and Megan Rodriguez of Danville, Cal.
Freshman Madeleine Brown of Sacramento, Cal., placed in the Excellent category.
Yesterday’s announcement came 4 days after the MAAC released its 2012-13 Academic Honor Roll, which included 14 Seahawks.
The Seahawks also received their share of accolades for their efforts in the pool. In addition to Radmonovich’s MAAC Coach of the Year honor, Lundgren took was named MAAC Rookie of the Year while Burdge, Burns and Karbach were named to the MAAC All-Conference Team.
