Irvine, Calif. - May 10 - USA Water Polo is proud to announce the winners of the 2021 National Awards, honoring their excellent achievements. Established in 2010, the annual awards have each been named in honor of a person or persons who have made an extraordinary contribution to the sport of water polo. Winners were chosen through a zone nomination process and then reviewed by a national selection panel. See below for a complete list of winners and their accomplishments. Awards will be presented to recipients during the upcoming Junior Olympics and Masters Nationals Championship.
Congratulations to all of our honorees!
Alex Rodriguez - Monte Nitzkowski Distinguished Coaching National Award Winner (Elite)
Alex Rodriguez has spent 11 years as the head coach of both the Pomona-Pitzer Men's and Women's Water Polo programs, after beginning his tenure in the 2005-06 season. He took a sabbatical in 2015-16 to coach with USA Water Polo, serving as the head coach for the Men's Junior National and Youth National Teams and as an assistant coach with the Men's Senior National Team. Rodriguez has been part of the Team USA Men's Olympic Team staff at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. While with the Sagehens, Rodriguez has been at the helm for 13 conference titles, leading the men's program to SCIAC titles in 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 (co-champions) and 2017, and the women's program to SCIAC titles in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 (co-champions) and 2017. Most recently, Rodriguez and the Sagehens claimed the first USA Water Polo Division III Women's National Collegiate Championship in 2022. The Pomona-Pitzer Women's Water Polo program has made five NCAA Championship appearances in Rodriguez' tenure, earning the SCIAC's automatic bid with his first five league titles. The Sagehens have won three NCAA matches in those five appearances, including a 13-12 win over Iona in the seventh-place match in 2013.
Natalie Benson - Sandy Nitta Distinguished Coaching National Award Winner (Elite)
Natalie Benson became the first ever Head Coach for Fresno State Women's Water Polo when she was hired in 2016. This past season, in just its fourth year of competition, Fresno State finished the regular season with an overall record of 13-6 (6-1 GCC). The Bulldogs took a piece of the Golden Coast Conference regular season championship after recording a program-best six wins in conference play, finishing in a three-way tie for first place with San Diego State and Pacific. Natalie was named the 2021 GCC Coach of the Year. Regarded as one of the best women's water polo players of all time, Natalie was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame on May 30, 2015. An integral part of two Olympic medal-winning squads for Team USA at the 2004 (Bronze) and 2008 (Silver) Olympic Games, she also led the United States to three Fédération Internationale de Natation World Championship medals (2003, 2005, 2007), including two gold medals. Involved in the sport for two decades, Natalie transformed herself from a player who reached the pinnacle of the sport to becoming one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the country. Natalie, who also serves as the head coach for the USA Women's Cadet National Team, was appointed to the NCAA Division I Water Polo Committee.
Ross Sinclair – Bill Barnett Distinguished Coaching Award (Scholastic)
Ross Sinclair is the current Men's Youth National Team Head Coach and Newport Harbor High School Head Coach for both men and women. Ross is also the director of Newport Beach Aquatics, where he leads both the 18U men and 18U women teams. His 18U women's team finished 2nd last year at Junior Olympics and 18U men's team finished 5th. Ross is a native of Newport Beach, having graduated from Newport Harbor High School. After high school, he was a two time All-American at UC Santa Barbara and played five years abroad in Australia, France, and Brazil. He has been the head coach at Newport Harbor High School leading the men for seven years and the women for four years. He recently became the first coach in CIF history to lead both the men and women to the CIF Open Division championship in the same school year.
Scott Slay - Doc Hunkler Distinguished Coaching National Award Winner (Scholastic)
Scott Slay is the Head Coach/Administrator for the West Houston Viper Pigeons. He has been at the helm of seven high school state championship winning teams: Sterling Boys 2007 & 2008, Sterling Girls 2007, 2008, & 2009, Tomball Boys 2010, and Foster HS Girls 2019. Scott acted as TISCA Water Polo Chairman from 2007-2010 and again from 2019 to the present day. He served as a Southwest Zone ODP coach from 2000-2010.
Kevin Van Such – Ted Newland Distinguished Coaching Award (Developmental)
Kevin began his coaching career in 2008 at The Haverford School, where he continues to coach the middle school and high school teams. In 2014, he founded Maverick Water Polo to expand access to water polo in the Philadelphia area for athletes of all ages and experience levels. He joined the Olympic Development Program coaching staff in 2018, serving as the NEZ Girls Development Coach from 2018-2020 and the Boys Development Coach from 2020-2022. In 2020, he joined Wissahickon Community Aquatic Club (WCAC) as Program Director. In this role, Kevin continues to organize tournaments, ODP camps, and other NEZ events to help grow the sport on the East Coast.
Eko Lapp – Brent Bohlender Distinguished Coaching Award (Developmental)
Eko began coaching in 2009 at Kamehameha Middle School in Honolulu, Hawai`i. She joined the Hawai`i Zone Olympic Development Program (ODP) team in 2009 as the Girls Development Head Coach and has served as the Hawai`i Zone Girls ODP Head Coach since 2014. She helped found the O`ahu Water Polo Club (OWPC) in 2018, which merges the local school and summer teams into one more competitive program for mainland tournaments. Since the inaugural team of eight 10U athletes, the program has grown to include more than 200 athletes from across the islands and OWPC plans to send teams to all three Junior Olympic sessions in 2022. She is currently the OWPC Girl's Head Coach and Technical Director. Additionally, she traveled with the USA Women's Cadet Futures International Team to Greece in 2021 and is an Assistant Women's Development National Team Coach.
Gabriel Maldonado – Tom Hermstad National Referee Award (Scholastic)
Gabriel Maldonado has spent six years as a referee with USA Water Polo and CWPA in addition to participating in FINA School in 2019 in Miami. He has been a coach at Greenwich Aquatics in Connecticut for seven years, and is currently coaching Sacred Heart High School and Innis Arden Country Club, where he's been for the past five years. Although this recognition is for refereeing, Gabriel's fondest memories in water polo came as a coach at Greenwich Aquatics. Coaching helped Gabriel learn more about the sport and his colleagues helped build his knowledge as both a coach and referee. Gabriel's most outstanding results in coaching include 1st place 14U Boys at the 2021 Futures WP league and 1st place 16U Boys at the Club Championships in California, which doubled as his Junior Olympics since we could not play California Junior Olympics in 2020 due to the pandemic. Gabriel played for more than 20 years in Venezuela, where he earned a full scholarship for sports merit at Yacambú University and obtained a degree in Psychology. In 2014, he played his last tournament in Venezuela, winning the open National Championship with Duros de Lara.
Michael Goldenberg – Bret Bernard National Referee Award (Elite)
Michael Goldenberg is a water polo referee at the collegiate, club and international levels. He has been officiating collegiate competition since 1993 and has called conference and NCAA Championships Finals. In 2003, Michael became an international referee (FINA) and he has since had the opportunity to officiate Gold Medal games at the 2020 Olympic Games, 2021 World Championships, and 2010 World Cup. Michael is the Head Coach/Administrator with South Florida Water Polo Club and the Head Coach of the Boys Team at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, both located in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Water Polo gave Michael a chance to meet and work with great people and travel the world. His career would not be possible without great support from his wife, Irina, and children, Elina and Eric, both of whom played at club, high school, and collegiate levels.
Adam Eaton - Aaron Chaney Distinguished Referee National Award Winner (Developmental)
Adam Eaton played Water Polo in High School and College. Decades later, he coached his children, nieces, and nephews at several different clubs in San Diego. Adam joined the San Diego Water Polo Officials Association in Winter 2018, then joined USAWP in Spring 2019. He has participated in many Water Polo events since then including CIF San Diego Championships, CIF State Championships, ODP, Junior Olympics, and Rocktober. Adam really enjoys getting to learn the sport from a different perspective while refereeing, from learning rule interpretations to discussing philosophy of officiating. He also values the relationships and camaraderie that come with each game while working with partners to keep athletes safe and ensure fair outcomes. Adam is blessed with a son, daughter, nephew and nieces - all who love to play the sport, and with whom he can share these different perspectives.
Gary Becker - Bryan Weaver Distinguished Male Masters Athlete of the Year National Award Winner
Gary Becker, 73, still has a passion for water polo and encouraging others to play at the master's level. He currently presides over a board of 10 as President of the newly organized San Diego Athletic Club (SDAC), which merged four master's teams and whose goal is to become an all-encompassing and self-sustaining organization for master's water polo players in San Diego. Gary's water polo experience began in the mid-1960s as a player and grew over the years to include high school, college, and club coaching. Along the way, he has served as the founding chair of the Pacific Southwest Zone, administrator for the San Diego Water Polo Club, Old Mission Bay Water Polo Club, and current SDAC. He has directed water polo camps, hosted and instructed at numerous water polo clinics, mentored officials, and served on the master's Water Polo committee. As a master's athlete for 20+ years, he has competed in almost every Masters Nationals and Bay Area senior games, organized teams for master's tournaments, and competed in FINA Master's World Championships. As an advocate for master's water polo, Gary volunteers his time to help organize teams, host tournaments, innovate ideas for growth, and support the needs and goals for master's development.
Nina Benson - Dion Gray Distinguished Female Masters Athlete of the Year National Award Winner
Nina Benson played collegiate Water Polo at Bucknell University from 2017-2020. She scored 89 goals while dishing out 64 assists during her college career. Before Bucknell, Nina was a three-year swimming letter winner at Green Valley High School and swimming team captain. She graduated as the school's 200 free relay record holder and helped team to three regional titles and two runner-up finishes at state meet. Nina played club water polo with Team Vegas/Henderson, where she helped the team to the Mountain Zone championship. Nina majored in Computer Science at Bucknell University.
Kristy Winkler - Barbara Kalbus Distinguished Volunteer National Award Winner
Kristy Winkler is a dedicated leader with over 25 years of small business management and accounting experience. A mother of four, she is dedicated to the wellbeing of children. In recent years she has devoted her time and resources to helping several Texas based non-profit organizations whose main focus is children's development and expanding support within their communities. Outside the world of Water Polo, Kristy helps in business management for Riding Unlimited, inc. a non-profit therapeutic riding center. In 2014, she became a board member for North Texas Thunder Water Polo Club and aided in growing the club from 60 to over 300 athletes who attend one of four practice locations throughout North Texas. She continues to help elevate Thunder to a competitive club on the national stage. Kristy joined the USA Water Polo Southwest Zone board in 2019 and was voted Chair in 2021. She is recognized for leadership, organization, money management, and human relations. Over the past decade of helping her own athletes and their teammates navigate the world of Water Polo from splash ball to college, it is her desire to help shape the sport of Water Polo in Texas to be as big or bigger than it is in California.
Jacob Henry – Brenda Villa Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Individual Award
Jacob Henry is the head coach of the SwimRVA Rapids Water Polo Team in Richmond, Virginia. His first introduction to water polo was when his Summer League swim team would do 'Monday Funday' after swim meets with a water polo ball and goals made out of three lounge chairs from around the pool deck. As interest in 'Monday Funday' grew, other local swim teams were invited to play. Jacob started working at SwimRVA in 2016 doing swim lessons full time and when he heard they needed a water polo coach, he jumped at the opportunity. He attended camps at the Naval Academy and the USAWP ODP Holiday Camp in 2018 in order to build his coaching toolbox. Jacob attended Virginia State University and obtained a degree in Health and Physical Education through their HPER program which helped him learn how to work with and teach groups while keeping information culturally responsive and relevant. SwimRVA is looking forward to making their first every USA Water Polo Junior Olympics run this summer in Dallas, TX!
Angela Uno– Brenda Villa Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Individual Award
Angela Uno's hometown is Los Gatos, CA which is where her early water polo career began while competing for West Valley Water Polo Club. She attended Los Gatos High School where she played goalkeeper. In high school, she began an officiating career after getting recruited by an official who noticed that she could run the desk all by herself. Besides officiating, Angela works as a high school Social Studies teacher. In 2020, she was appointed to the first-ever USA Water Polo Racial Equity and Reform Task Force in which she and her colleagues strive to strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts for the organization. Angela is currently one of the Southwest Zone Head Referees and continues to work towards recruiting and retaining officials.
Chicago Parks District – Brenda Villa Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team Award
The Chicago Park District aquatics unit runs programming that includes coaching and introducing team sports to all ages. The Chicago Park District Water Polo Club (CPDWPC) is a special branch of the aquatics unit that specifically looks to promote and advance water polo throughout the city. The CPDWPC was established in 2004 and is run by Santiago Rosario. Beto Garcia, Luis Martinez, Brian Ruiz, Nicole Lum, and Angelo Espinoza currently act as coaches. The focus of every season is to continue to build the program. From its inception, the CPDWPC has been committed to being an all-inclusive program that respects athlete and family needs. The mission of the Chicago Park District Water Polo Club is to have water polo practiced and played in every Park District pool. The goal is to increase local participation through running annual leagues, clinics, and trainings for all ages. CPDWPC takes great pride in seeing athletes that began with them at the age of 10-12 either continue to play in college or continue to give back to the sport as a coach.
Background on Award Namesakes:
Monte Nitzkowski is synonymous with men's water polo in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s serving as head coach of Men's Olympic Team in 1972, 1980, and 1984, leading Team USA to a bronze medal in 1972 and a silver medal in 1984. Nitzkowski also served as an assistant coach with the 1968 and 2000 Men's Olympic Team. Sandy Nitta is a pioneer for women's water polo. An Olympic swimmer as a teenager, Nitta segued to water polo and held the post as head coach of the Women's National Team during large parts of the 80s and 90s---leading Team USA to bronze medals at the 1986 and 1991 World Championships. She was also instrumental in the creation of Commerce Aquatics, a groundbreaking program.
Bill Barnett, an outstanding high school coach at Newport Harbor High School, with 10 CIF boys championships and five girls championships, initiated and coached the first USA Men's Junior National Team, then picked up where Nitzkowski left off in the 1980s, guiding the men's program to a silver medal at the 1988 Olympic Games and a gold medal at the 1991 World Cup. Meanwhile "Doc" Hunkler, three-times named National Collegiate Coach of the Year, was a visionary for women's water polo who fought to have a true national women's collegiate championship and helped guide the programs at Slippery Rock University to unprecedented heights spanning three decades, including ten top-three finishes and a national women's collegiate championship in 1995. Hunkler also holds the distinction as the only coach to win both a men's and women's Olympic Festival Gold Medal.
Few have groomed more men for Olympic competition than Ted Newland. Entering the coaching scene in the late 1960s Newland turned the University of California-Irvine into a tenacious competitor, earning three NCAA titles as he coached well into the new millennium. Called by some the "godfather" of high school water polo in Northern California, Brent Bohlender's Women's Junior National Teams captured two bronze medals from 1984 to 1999; Bohlender amassed over 1,000 career victories on the scholastic circuit in his time at Johansen High School. Lastly, on the club circuit, Bohlender's Modesto-Stanislaus club won 18 National Championships over 34 years.
Bret Bernard, Tom Hermstad, and Aaron Chaney took US officiating to unparalleled heights during their time in the whites. As a past president of USA Water Polo, Bernard also whistled the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games and was the preeminent collegiate official for many years. Hermstad was a fixture at several Olympic Games whistling the 1972, 1976, 1984, and 1988 Olympic Games in addition to four World Championships and has worked tirelessly on behalf of water polo officials, helping to form the USA Water Polo National Referee Committee. Last but not least, Chaney capped an outstanding officiating career serving as the United States referee at the most recent Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 as well as 2004 in Athens.
Long-time manager of the Men's National Team and holder of various offices since the incorporation of USA Water Polo, Barbara Kalbus gave back to the sport for decades, providing critical history for the USA Water Polo program and overseeing the official scoring table at various competitions in addition to numerous other roles.
Bryan Weaver founded Masters Water Polo for USA Water Polo in 1987, is an active player, and the current Masters Committee Chair. He has been a high school water polo coach for over 35 years. Dion Gray is a pioneer in women's water polo competing for Team USA in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. A FINA World Cup Gold Medalist and multiple time FINA World Championship medalist, Gray is a longtime coach at the high school, club and national team level.
Four-time Olympic medalist Brenda Villa carved out a legendary career in the pool as one of the best women's water polo players of all-time. Her impact on the sport is far from over as her work with Diversity, Equity & Inclusion takes center stage. Villa serves on the USA Water Polo Racial Equity & Reform Task Force, PanAm Sports Executive Committee and previously held a DEI position at The Castilleja School in Palo Alto, CA.
About USA Water Polo
USA Water Polo, Inc., is the national governing body for water polo in America, overseeing our United States Olympic program as well as 20 championship events annually, such as Junior Olympics and Masters National Championships. With more than 50,000 members, USAWP also is the sanctioning authority for more than 500 Member Clubs and more than 400 tournaments nationwide. USAWP is committed to the development of the sport throughout the U.S. It fosters grass-roots expansion of the sport, providing a national system of affiliated clubs, certified coaches, and officials.
