BRIDGEPORT, Pa. – Navy water polo claimed a pair of major Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference – East awards on Thursday afternoon as announced by the league office. Freshman
Isaac Salinas (Spring City, Pa.) was named the Rookie of the Year, while head coach
Luis Nicolao was named Coach of the Year. In addition, three members of the team were named to the All-MAWPC-East team with sophomore
Bobby Lee (Santa Ana, Calif.) earning first team honors, and sophomore
Andrew Shashin (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) and Salinas each claiming second team accolades.
Nicolao is the first MAWPC-East Coach of the Year recipient for Navy and the fourth Navy head coach to earn Coach of the Year accolades, joining Lee Lawrence (CWPA in 1982, '84), Mike Schofield (CWPA in 1986, '90, '00, '03, '06, '07, '10), and Mladen Stanicic (CWPA-South in 2013). Salinas becomes first Midshipmen to earn Rookie of the Year, while Lee is the first Mid to earn first team all-conference recognition since Carl Dowzicky ('16) during the 2015 season.
Nicolao, who is in his first season leading the team, helped Navy to a 14-12 regular season record, including a 6-6 mark in conference play. Under Nicolao's direction, the team improved in total wins and conference wins from the 2017 season, while also finishing tied for fourth in the league to mark the highest finish since the 2013 season.
Lee finished the regular season with a team-high 51 goals, while adding nine assists for 60 total points. His 60 points ranked second on the team behind only Salinas. Lee also added 19 steals on the defensive end of the pool.
Salinas, who was tabbed Rookie of the Year, led the team with 73 total points on the year. Heading into the MAWPC Tournament, the rookie was second on the team with 50 goals, while boasting a team-best 23 assists. Salinas added 25 ejections drawn and 14 steals on defense.
Shashin Finished the regular season with 34 total points on 32 goals, ranking third in goals behind Lee and Salinas. The sophomore led the team with 50 ejections drawn, doubling the Salinas who finished second on the team with 25. In addition, Shashin added nine steals.
The Navy water polo team (14-12, 6-6 MAWPC) travels to the Bronx, N.Y. for the 2018 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference Tournament this weekend at the Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center on the campus of Fordham University. The Midshipmen, who tied for fourth in the league standings, will be the No. 5 seed and take on the host Rams (15-14, 6-6) on Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference – East Accolades
Most Valuable Player: Rade Joksimovic (Bucknell)
Rookie of the Year: Isaac Salinas (Navy)
Coach of the Year: Luis Nicolao (Navy)
First Team:
Austin Pyrch (Goalie – George Washington)
Atakan Destici (George Washington)
Rade Joksimovic (Bucknell)
Logan Schofield (Bucknell)
Jake Miller-Tolt (Fordham)
Bobby Lee (Navy)
Jasmin Kolasinac (Wagner)
Second Team:
Bailey O'Mara (Goalie – Fordham)
Ian Watson (Fordham)
Andrew Shashin (Navy)
Isaac Salinas (Navy)
Mark Djordjevic (Bucknell)
Andrew Mavis (George Washington)
Giorgio Cico (Johns Hopkins)
Lachlan Trabinger (Wagner)
