Mountain Pacific Sports Federation

All-MPSF Men's Water Polo Announced

11/17/2021 11:00:00 AM

Photo: Back-to-back MPSF Player of the Year, California's Nikolaos Papanikolaou (By: Catharyn Hayne)

2021 All-MPSF Men's Water Polo Selections (PDF)
 
University of California junior Nikolaos Papanikolaou (Athens, Greece/49th HS of Athens) is the MPSF scoring leader through the regular season with 60 goals, while he ranks second in steals (27) and tied for third in total points (66). He scored in 19 regular season games, completing 11 hat tricks, which included tying the conference season-high of seven goals vs. Cal Baptist (Sept. 17). He earned 98 ejections, including a conference season-high of 10 against UC Santa Barbara (Oct. 17). He was a conference-best three-time MPSF Player of the week this year. Papanikolaou is Cal’s sixth all-time MPSF Player of the Year (Papanikolaou-2020, Luca Cupido-2017, Nick Kittredge-1995; Troy Barnhart-1993, Chris Oeding-1992). He is also the fifth to go back-to-back with the honor (Ben Hallock-Stanford, 2018-19; Garrett Danner-UCLA, 2015-16; Joe Dennerley-USC,  2010-11; Tony Azevedo-Stanford, 2001-04).  
University of California true freshman Roberto Valera (Martorell, Spain/IES Car Sant Cugat) was named MPSF Newcomer of the Week five times this year, setting a conference record. Valera ranks in the MPSF’s top-seven in goals (35), assists (27), and points (62), and is the only freshman to be ranked that high in each of those categories. To help California seal the MPSF Tournament’s No. 1 seed, Valera scored a game-high four goals against No. 3 UCLA (Nov. 13). The week prior, Valera dished the last of his three assists in overtime to help lead Cal to a conference win over No. 4 Stanford. On Oct. 3, Valera matched the MPSF season-high of five assists at Pepperdine. His career-high of six goals came in a 15-11 win over No. 12 Princeton (Oct. 20). Valera is Cal’s fifth MPSF Newcomer of the Year (Nikolaos Papanikolaou-2019, Johnny Hooper-2015, Luca Cupido-2014, Spencer Warden-2006).  
University of California Head Coach Kirk Everist guided the Golden Bears to a 20-2 (.909) regular season record and the nation’s No. 1 ranking. Picked for fourth in the preseason MPSF Coaches’ poll, Cal proceeded to win each of its conference games to finish on top. Four of California’s wins were against MPSF and top-four competition, while five other wins came against the top-10. California placed a conference-high seven players on the All-MPSF teams this year. Everist is 410-123 overall (.769) since taking over the Cal program in 2002. This is his third MPSF Coach of the Year award, while he is the fourth to go back-to-back (John Vargas-Stanford, 2018-19; Jovan Vavic-USC, 2005-06; Terry Schroeder-Pepperdine, 1997-98). This is also the fifth time Cal has received the award (Everist-2020, 2002; Steve Heaston-1995, 1992). The regular season major award sweep for the Bears marks the MPSF’s first in 13 years.