Collegiate Water Polo Association Announces 2026 Division I All-Conference Team

Courtesy: Collegiate Water Polo

BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Princeton University’s Shanna Davidson (Sr., Huntington Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos) and Didi Evans (Fr., Corona del Mar, Calif./Corona del Mar) along with Harvard University head coach Ted Minnis garner Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year recognition, respectively, as the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) releases the league’s 2026 Division I Women’s Water Polo All-Conference Team.

Davidson garners Princeton’s 17th MVP award as she becomes the fifth overall and fourth consecutive Tigers’ women’s water polo athlete to collect a league-wide Player of the Year honor following two-time Olympic Gold Medalist goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson (2015), former teammate Jovana Sekulc (2023), goalkeeper Lindsey Lucas (Sr., Orinda, Calif./Miramonte) (2024) and former teammate Kayla Yelensky (2025).

Prior to 2015, Most Valuable Player status was presented based on divisions (North, South) with Katie Rigler (2012-South, 2013-South, 2014-South), Phoebe Champion (2009-South, 2010-South), Elyse Colgan (2004-South, 2005-South, 2006-South, 2007-South), Cassie Nichols (2002-South), Adele McCarthy-Beauvais (2001-South) and Goga Vukmirovic (2000-South) earning accolades.

Evans becomes the fifth Tiger to claim an overall conference Rookie of the Year award joining Lucas (2023), Sekulic (2022), Marissa Webb (2018) and Megan Donahue (2023).  Overall, she is the seventh Princeton women’s water polo athlete to pick-up a Rookie of the Year award as Johnson (2013) and Lauren Brunner (2008) were recognized with Southern Division status.

Minnis collects his fourth women’s Coach of the Year nod with previous recognition in 2015, 2022 and 2025.  It marks his ninth overall COY nod with five laurels during the men’s season (2013 & 2025 CWPA Northern Division / 2019 & 2025 Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) / 2023 NWPC co-coach with Princeton University head coach Dustin Litvak).

A trio of Princeton athletes lead the First Team as Lucas, Davidson and Olivia Krotts (Jr., Laguna Beach, Calif./Mater Dei) are all recognized among the top eight athletes for the 2026 season. The trio are repeat honorees as Krotts (2025 Honorable Mention), Davidson (2025 Honorable Mention) and 2023 Rookie of the Year/2024 Most Valuable Player Lucas (2025 First Team; 2024 First Team; 2023 First Team) add to their legacies.

Lucas becomes the third goalkeeper in league history to earn First Team recognition four times joining Olympic Gold Medalists/CWPA Hall of Fame inductees Betsey Armstrong (2002-to-2005) of the University of Michigan and Johnson (2013-to-15, 2017).   However, she is the first to earn goalkeeper First Team recognition four times in the combined league as both Armstrong and Johnson claimed their awards when CWPA competition was divided into regional (Southern/Western) regular season conference competition.

2025 First Team pick Emma Gilbert (Jr., Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos) and 2025 Second Team honoree/2024 Rookie of the Year Maya O’Dea (Jr., Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson) of Harvard are joined by Emma Gustafsson (Jr., Greenwich, Conn./Greewich) and 2025 First Team selection Ari Karampetsou (So., Athens, Greece/Costeas Geitonas School) of Michigan along with Alex Love (Sr., Newport Beach, Calif./Newpor Harbor) of Brown University to complete the eight-athlete 2026 First Team.

2025 CWPA Championship Most Valuable Player/2025 All-Conference Second Team selection Orli Cooper (So., Greensboro, N.C./Guilford Home Educators) is among three Harvard athletes to make the Second Team joining 2025 First Team pick/2025 Rookie of the Year Niki Piovan (So., Vouliagmeni, Greece/HAEF Athens College) and first-time honoree Heidi Heffelfinger (Sr., Lafayette, Calif./Acalanes).

2025 First Team awardee Ava Houlahan (Sr., Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach) and Evans of Princeton, Emilia Mladjan (Jr., Brookfield, Ill./Lyons Township) and 2025 Second Team pick Issy Jackson (Sr., Auckland, New Zealand/Diocesan Schools for Girls) of Michigan, 2025 Second Team recipient Olivia Hopper (So., Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich) of Bucknell University and Brown University’s Cleo Washer (Jr., Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach) join the Crimson trio on the Second Team.

Maddy Scarth (Jr., Surrey, B.C./Huntington Beach (Calif.)) and 2025 Honorable Mention goalkeeper Sophia Bunnell (So., Coto de Caza, Calif./Mater Dei) of Michigan, 2025 Second Team awardee Caylah Olay (Sr., Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union) of Saint Francis University, Bucknell’s Olivia Garcia (Fr., Long Beach, Calif./Wilson), Harvard’s Ella Schneider (Sr., San Clemente, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic), Mercyhurst University’s Freya Green (Jr., Sydney, Australia/NBSC Manly) and Princeton’s Ally Lurie (Jr., Orinda, Calif./Miramonte) comprise the Honorable Mention squad.

The selection process for the Division I All-Conference team changed for the 2026 season with each team receiving an allotment of field players based on their finish during the regular season.  Due to Harvard, Princeton and Michigan tying for first place during the regular season, the Crimson, Tigers and Wolverines each received pairs of First and Second Team spots along with an Honorable Mention position in the field to expand the First and Second Teams to eight and nine athletes.  Nominees were accepted for the goalkeeper, Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year award from all seven Division I institutions’ head coaches with voting conducted to determine recognized three goalkeepers, MVP, Rookie and Coach.

NOTE: An All-Conference team was not selected in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic prematurely terminating the season.

Coach of the Year (Since 2001)

• 2026 – Ted Minnis (Harvard University)
• 2025 – Ted Minnis (Harvard University)
• 2024 – Derek Ellingson (Princeton University)
• 2023 – Derek Ellingson (Princeton University)
• 2022 – Ted Minnis (Harvard University)
• 2021 – Dr. Marcelo Leonardi (University of Michigan)
• 2020 – Not selected – COVID-19
• 2019 – Derek Ellingson (Princeton University)
• 2018 – Becca Dorst (Princeton University)
• 2017 – Alan Huckins (Hartwick College)
• 2016 – John McBride (Bucknell University)
• 2015 – Ted Minnis (Harvard University)
• 2014 – Felix Mercado (Brown University – Southern Division) / Barry King (Indiana University – Western Division)
• 2013 – Luis Nicolao (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Barry King (Indiana University – Western Division)
• 2012 – Felix Mercado (Brown University – Southern Division) / Carl Salyer (University of Maryland – Western Division)
• 2011 – Carl Salyer (University of Maryland – Southern Division) / Matt Anderson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2010 – Alan Huckins (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / John Abdou (Bucknell University – Southern Division) / Matt Anderson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2009 – Felix Mercado (Brown University – Northern Division) / John Abdou (Bucknell University – Southern Division) / Matt Anderson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2008 – Felix Mercado (Brown University – Northern Division) / John Abdou (Bucknell University – Southern Division) / Curtis Robinette (Mercyhurst University)
• 2007 – Alan Huckins (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Carl Salyer (University of Maryland – Southern Division) / Don Sherman (Gannon University – Western Division)
• 2006 – Alan Huckins (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Luis Nicolao (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Matt Anderson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2005 – Alan Huckins (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Luis Nicolao (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Matt Anderson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2004 – Todd Clapper (Brown University – Northern Division, North Region) / Brian Kelly (Iona University – Northern Division, South Region) / Luis Nicolao (Princeton University – Southern Division)
• 2003 – Brian Kelly (Iona University – Northern Division) / Scott Reed (George Washington University – Southern Division)
• 2002 – Michael Maroney (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Don Sherman (Gannon University – Southern Division)
• 2001 – Michael Maroney (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Luis Nicoalo (Princeton University – Southern Division)

Most Valuable Player (Since 2001)

• 2026 – Shanna Davidson (Princeton University)
• 2025 – Kayla Yelensky (Princeton University)
• 2024 – Lindsey Lucas (Princeton University)
• 2023 – Jovana Sekulic (Princeton University)
• 2022 – Maddy Steere (University of Michigan)
• 2021 – Madison O’Reilly (University of Michigan)
• 2020 – Not selected – COVID-19
• 2019 – Maddy Steere (University of Michigan)
• 2018 – Zsofia Polak (Hartwick College)
• 2017 – Allison Skaggs (University of Michigan)
• 2016 – Ali Thomason (University of Michigan)
• 2015 – Ashleigh Johnson (Princeton University)
• 2014 – Katie Rigler (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Shae Fournier (Indiana University – Western Division)
• 2013 – Katie Rigler (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Sami Capparelli (Hartwick College – Western Division)
• 2012 – Katie Rigler (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Kiki Golden (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2011 – Allison Campbell (University of Maryland – Southern Division) / Charlotte Mensink (Hartwick College – Western Division)
• 2010 – Kirsten Hudson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Phoebe Champion (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Leah Robertson (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2009 – Lauren Presant (Brown University – Northern Division) / Phoebe Champion (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Julie Hyrne (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2008 – Kirsten Hudson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Valentina Rozas (Bucknell University – Southern Division) / Julie Hyrne (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2007 – Kirsten Hudson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Elyse Colgan (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Shana Welch (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2006 – Bronwen Knox (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Elyse Colgan (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Shana Welch (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2005 – Kate Chambers (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Elyse Colgan (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Shana Welch (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2004 – Dana Livermore (Brown University – Northern Division, North Region) / Ashleigh Jacobs (Iona University – Northern Division, South Region) / Elyse Colgan (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Betsey Armstrong (University of Michigan – Western Region)
• 2003 – Sheri Johnson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Betsey Armstrong (University of Michigan – Southern Division)
• 2002 – Megan Thomson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Cassie Nichols (Princeton University – Southern Division)
• 2001 – Megan Thomson (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Adele McCarthy-Beauvais (Princeton University – Southern Division)

Rookie of the Year (Since creation of award in 2003)

• 2026 – Didi Evans (Princeton University)
• 2025 – Niki Piovan (Harvard University)
• 2024 – Maya O’Dea (Harvard University)
• 2023 – Lindsey Lucas (Princeton University)
• 2022 – Jovana Sekulic (Princeton University)
• 2021 – Emese Szucs (Saint Francis University)
• 2020 – Not selected – COVID-19
• 2019 – Abby Andrews (University of Michigan)
• 2018 – Marissa Webb (Princeton University)
• 2017 – Lena Kotanchyan (Hartwick College)
• 2016 – Kim Johnson (University of Michigan)
• 2015 – Kelly Matthews (Indiana University)
• 2014 – Melissa Balding (Harvard University – Southern Division) / Allison Skaggs (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2013 – Ashleigh Johnson (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Bryce Beckwith (University of Michigan – Western Division)
• 2012 – Taylor Barnett (Bucknell University – Southern Division) / Kamila Zakirova (Hartwick College – Western Division)
• 2011 – Kate Woods (Brown University – Southern Division) / Shae Fournier (Indiana University – Western Division)
• 2010 – Lily Martinez (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Allison Campbell (University of Maryland – Southern Division) / Lisett Calderon (Mercyhurst University – Western Division)
• 2009 – Devan Kennifer (Harvard University – Northern Division) / Elina Goldenberg (University of Maryland – Southern Division) / Jakie Kohli (Indiana University – Western Division)
• 2008 – Jessica McKee (Hartwick College – Northern Division) / Lauren Brunner (Princeton University – Southern Division) / Rachel Griepsma (Mercyurst University)
• 2007 – Kirsten Hudson (Hartwick College)
• 2006 – Aubrey Rowe (Bucknell University)
• 2005 – Bronwen Knox (Hartwick College)
• 2004 – Shana Welch (University of Michigan)
• 2003 – Megan Donahue (Princeton University)