June 26, 2012
SAN DIEGO - A program-record-tying four San Diego State water polo student-athletes earned All-America honors from the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches, the ACWPC announced Monday. Amber Pezzolla was a second-team selection, while Kelly Campoli, Anique Hermann and Meaghan Poland were voted to the honorable mention squad.
The school-record four All-America choices in 2012 match the same number of SDSU recipients in 2009 and 2011. This season's multiple award winners also marks the sixth straight season in which San Diego State has had at least two Aztecs pick up All-America accolades. On a larger scale, the Scarlet and Black has had at least one player earn All-America status 17 consecutive years.
Pezzolla's second-team appointment is SDSU's highest All-America honor since 2009 when Anna Gonzales accomplished the feat. In 2012, Pezzolla, a utility, led the team with 65 goals and 80 steals, while tying for second with 38 assists. At the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation level, the MPSF second-team performer ranked second in goals scored and fifth in goals per game (2.03). For Pezzolla, who just completed her third campaign on Montezuma Mesa, this is her third All-America award after being an honorable mention selection her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Campoli, after being named an All-American in 2012, is just the second Aztec in program history to earn the right of being called a four-time All-American. Holly Hartzell, SDSU's all-time leader scorer, was the first when she was a second-team choice in 2001 and 2003, a third-team pick in 2002, and a first-team performer in 2004. Campoli led the MPSF and San Diego State in saves (378) and saves per game (12.00), and ranked sixth among all Aztecs with 22 assists and seven with 31 steals.
Hermann is a first-time All-American after completing her freshman season with 36 goals, 26 assists and 55 steals. The San Diego native finished in an 18th-place tie in goals scored among all MPSF players (5th among MPSF freshman) and was 24th in goals per game (1.09). At SDSU, the driver produced the third-most steals and fourth-most goals and assists. She is the first freshman since Pezzolla in 2010 to become an All-American for San Diego State.
Poland finishes her four-year Aztec career as a two-time All-American after being voted an honorable mention selection a season ago. The utility from Wildomar, Calif., finished as the MPSF's third-leading scorer (63) and ranked eighth in goals per game (1.91). She also ranked second among MPSF seniors in scoring. Among her San Diego State teammates, Poland ranked first in ejections drawn (64), second in scoring and fifth in steals (43).
SDSU completed the 2012 campaign ranked eighth nationally and compiled a record of 22-11, its school-record seventh consecutive 20-win season.