Iona Sweeps 2012 MAAC Water Polo Preseason Awards
MAAC Sports
Edison, NJ - The Iona College Gaels swept the 2012 MAAC
preseason polls, earning the distinction of having the top team, and Co-Players
of the Year as determined by the league's seven head coaches.
Iona, which captured its first title since 2004 and first-ever NCAA
Championship appearance, earned 48 points in the preseason poll. Iona went a
perfect 10-0 in conference matches last season and 26-10 overall. Head Coach
Brian Kelly will be looking to steer the Gaels to a second-consecutive MAAC
Championship and NCAA berth.
Wagner finished second in the poll with 40 points, with Marist a close third
with 38. St. Francis (N.Y.) came in fourth with 24 points, followed by Siena in
fifth with 20 points. Villanova (18) and VMI (8) finished sixth and seventh,
respectively.
Iona standouts Cecilia Leonard and Amy Olsen were named the 2012 MAAC Water
Polo Co-Preseason Players of the Year. Leonard, a 2011 All-MAAC First Team selection,
tallied 124 points (60g, 64a) last season. 2011 MAAC Rookie of the Year Olsen
registered 68 goals and 19 assists as a freshman for the Gaels.
Leonard and Olsen were named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team along with Marist's
Desiree Desaulniers, Regina Toth of St. Francis (N.Y.), and Wagner's Lauren
French and Chelsea Beck. Iona's Marisa Gaynor was the preseason selection for
goalkeeper.
Preseason Coaches Poll
|
1.
|
Iona
|
48
|
|
2.
|
Wagner
|
40
|
|
3.
|
Marist
|
38
|
|
4.
|
St. Francis (N.Y.)
|
24
|
|
5.
|
Siena
|
20
|
|
6.
|
Villanova
|
18
|
|
7.
|
VMI
|
8
|
Preseason All-MAAC Team
|
Cecilia Leonard
|
Iona
|
|
Amy Olsen
|
Iona
|
|
Marisa Gaynor
|
Iona
|
|
Desiree Desaulniers
|
Marist
|
|
Regina Toth
|
St. Francis
|
|
Chelsea Beck
|
Wagner
|
|
Lauren French
|
Wagner
|
Co-Preseason Players of the Year
|
Cecilia Leonard
|
Iona
|
|
Amy Olsen
|
Iona
|