Jan. 5, 2017 Huntington Beach, CA - January 5 - USA Water Polo is proud to announce the 2016 Zone Award Winners. The winners, representing zones from all across the country, honor contributions in variety of areas including coaching, officiating, volunteering, masters water polo, and more. From these zone award winners will come the USA Water Polo National Award winners. The National Award winners will be announced later this year. Congratulations to all of our award winners!
2016 USA Water Polo Zone Award Winners
| Monte Nitzkowski Distinguished Coaching Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Drew Clute |
| Coastal California Zone | Alexander Rodriguez |
| Midwest Zone | Dave Miller |
| Northeast Zone | Ted Minnis |
| Pacific Zone | John Vargas |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | Matthew Ustaszewski |
| Southeast Zone | Carroll Vaughan |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Scott Taylor |
| Southwest Zone | Joe Linehan |
| Sandy Nitta Distinguished Coaching Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Jamey Wright |
| Coastal California Zone | Brian Roth |
| Mountain Zone | Todd Clapper |
| Northeast Zone | Chris Vidale |
| Pacific Zone | Sean Nolan |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | Carin Crawford |
| Southeast Zone | Stephanie Johnson-Possell |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Andrew Rowe |
| Southwest Zone | Becca Andrews |
| Bill Barnett Distinguished Coaching Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Rick Nordell |
| Coastal California Zone | John Kocur |
| Midwest Zone | Paul Baudendistel |
| Mountain Zone | Kevin Ohlson |
| Northeast Zone | Mark Lawrence |
| Pacific Zone | Jack Bowen |
| Pacific Northwest & Hawaii Zone | Denny Piccolotto |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | David Spence |
| Southeast Zone | Michael Goldenberg |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Steve Carrera |
| Southwest Zone | Mihai Oprea |
| Doc Hunkler Distinguished Coaching Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Douglas Wright |
| Coastal California Zone | Jason Rosenthal-Agoura |
| Midwest Zone | Doug Eichstaedt |
| Mountain Zone | Michael Goldhardt |
| Northeast Zone | Alicia Keating |
| Pacific Zone | Frances Usedom |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | Jaclyn Puccino |
| Southeast Zone | Alexander Donis |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Steve Carrera |
| Southwest Zone | Jeff Chandler |
| Ted Newland Distinguished Coaching Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Zachary Koerner |
| Coastal California Zone | Ian Davidson |
| Midwest Zone | Beto Garcia |
| Mountain Zone | Chris Magee |
| Northeast Zone | Ulmis Iordache |
| Pacific Zone | Marshall Dortch |
| Pacific Northwest & Hawaii Zone | Dave Schiffner |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | Charlie Equels |
| Southeast Zone | Randall Walters |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Justin Kroeze |
| Southwest Zone | Justin Prejean |
| Brent Bohlender Distinguished Coaching Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Kristie Dunham |
| Coastal California Zone | Connor Levoff |
| Midwest Zone | Paul Splitt |
| Mountain Zone | Samantha Nestman |
| Northeast Zone | Leslie Entwistle |
| Pacific Zone | Todd Halvorson |
| Pacific Northwest & Hawaii Zone | Farrah Kunkel |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | Ian McKercher |
| Southeast Zone | Monica Szalma |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Jessy Cardey |
| Southwest Zone | Christopher Cullen |
| Bret Bernard Distinguished Referee Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Darren Spiritosanto |
| Coastal California Zone | Levon Dermendjian |
| Mountain Zone | Joseph Peila |
| Northeast Zone | Alex Stankevitch |
| Pacific Zone | Andrew Selder |
| Pacific Northwest & Hawaii Zone | Eugene Gill |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | Robert Tilburg |
| Southeast Zone | Humberto Navarro |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Haz Ortega |
| Southwest Zone | Scott Voltz |
| Tom Hermstad Distinguished Referee Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Ross Spiritosanto |
| Coastal California Zone | Chris Jimenez |
| Midwest Zone | Derek Zokoe |
| Mountain Zone | Amber Drury |
| Northeast Zone | James Wolff |
| Pacific Zone | Trevor Stumm |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | Taelor Moreno |
| Southeast Zone | Nicholas Gaffey |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Peter Sophabmixay |
| Southwest Zone | Kristen Barnett |
| Aaron Chaney Distinguished Referee Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Zachary Weaver |
| Coastal California Zone | Jenna Phreaner |
| Midwest Zone | Nicole Lum |
| Mountain Zone | David Robins |
| Northeast Zone | Jesus Mejia |
| Pacific Zone | Katelynn Thompson |
| Pacific Northwest & Hawaii Zone | Chris Calvert |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | Gerardo Arellano |
| Southeast Zone | Stuart Sheldon |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Mark Williamson |
| Southwest Zone | Leonardo Aguilu |
| Barbara Kalbus Distinguished Volunteer Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Christian Taylor |
| Coastal California Zone | Janet Galgani |
| Midwest Zone | Luisa Cerda |
| Mountain Zone | Jesse Kochel |
| Pacific Zone | Chris McCracken |
| Pacific Northwest & Hawaii Zone | Sue Nishioka |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | Gary Hull |
| Southeast Zone | Scott Ennis |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Mary Cain |
| Southwest Zone | Chris Cullen |
| Bryan Weaver Distinguished Male Masters Athlete of the Year Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Midwest Zone | Steve Coupland |
| Mountain Zone | Joe Bejarano |
| Northeast Zone | Mike Hoffman |
| Pacific Zone | Zachary Monsees |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | John Vasek |
| Southeast Zone | Paul Becskehazy |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Wes Kading |
| Southwest Zone | Arseni Grokhovski |
| Bryan Weaver Distinguished Female Masters Athlete of the Year Award |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Kandace Waldthaler |
| Midwest Zone | Heather Cotton |
| Mountain Zone | Vaune Kadlubek |
| Northeast Zone | Sarah Fitch |
| Pacific Zone | Joanna Wilk |
| Pacific Northwest & Hawaii Zone | Shari Smart |
| Pacific Southwest Zone | Sandra Dielman |
| Southeast Zone | Debbie Cavanaugh |
| Southern Pacific Zone | Kathryn Manderino |
| Southwest Zone | Kristen Barnett |
| Masters Club of the Year |
| Zone | Recipient |
| Central California Zone | Central Valley |
| Midwest Zone | Clayton Water Polo |
| Northeast Zone | Washington Wetskins |
| Pacific Zone | East Bay Water Polo |
| Southeast Zone | Miami Riptides |
| Southern Pacific Zone | LA Athletic Club |
| Southwest Zone | HOPS |
*Note: Some zones did not select winners for certain awards
