Nolan Named WSC Coach of the Year, Seven Owls Earn All-Conference
In his first year at the helm, Citrus College's Head Men's Water Polo Coach was named the Western State Conference Co-Coach of the Year with Brian Enloe of Cuesta College.
The Owls also saw seven athletes earn all-conference honors after finishing third in the conference. Riley Bagley, Brian de Lama and Colton Vale picked up first-team honors; Killian Pressley and John Wilson grabbed second-team recognitions; and Devon Dow and Thomas Gibson were named honorable mention.
Nolan led the Owls to a 14-11 year and a third-place showing at the WSC Tournament. Citrus finished fourth in the State with a 52.1 save percentage, seventh with 302 saves and ninth with 67 field blocks. Offensively, the Owls averaged 12.72 goals per game, which ranked 15th in the 3C2A.
Bagley, who also was named a 3C2A All-American, led the Owls and ranked 12th in the State and third in the conference with 89 goals on the year. He added 35 assists, 53 steals (fifth in the WSC), 22 blocks and five drawn ejections.
De Lama had a stellar collegiate debut, boasting 267 saves on the year, which ranks third in the 3C2A and second in the conference, and a 53.3 save percentage (fifth in the State and first in the WSC). He also had 13 wins on the year to sit second in the WSC.
Vale was a force for the Owls and finished the year with 43 drawn exclusions – which led the conference and was the second-most in the 3C2A. Offensively, he had 51 goals and 14 assists. Defensively, Vale grabbed 13 steals and had three blocks.
Pressley finished the year with 54 goals and 42 assists (fifth in the WSC and 33rd in the 3C2A). He also had 19 steals, 14 drawn ejections and four blocks for the Owls.
Wilson came up big for the Owl defense often and finished the year with 40 steals on the year. He also dished out 35 assists, while rattling in 14 goals himself.
Dow was second on the team with 39 assists (37th in the 3C2A) and added 29 goals. He also had 12 steals, four drawn exclusions and four field blocks.
Gibson finished the year with 14 goals, 27 assists and 25 steals. He also was second on the team with 23 drawn exclusions and posted five blocks.