Gonzalez, Cole Earn Major Awards to Highlight All-Big West Honors

IRVINE, Calif. - University of Hawaiʻi women's water polo senior Irene Gonzalez repeated as Big West Player of the Year and head coach Maureen Cole earned Big West Coach of the Year to highlight the Big West All-Conference announcement on Tuesday.

Gonzalez and junior Elyse Lemay-Lavoie earned First Team All-Big West, while senior Femke Aan secured Second Team honors. Freshmen Maxine Schaap and Emma van Rossum were named All-Big West Honorable Mention and earned a place on the All-Freshman Team.

Gonzalez is the first UH player to win Big West Player of the Year twice since the Rainbow Wahine joined the league prior to the start of the 2013 season. She earned First Team All-Big West accolades for the fourth-consecutive season. The 2019 Big West Tournament MVP leads Hawaiʻi with 59 goals to go with 26 assists.

Cole, now in her eighth year leading the 'Bows, won Coach of the Year for the third time. She also took home the honor in 2013 and 2015.

Lemay-Lavoie was named First Team despite missing six games this while playing with the Canadian National Team. Her 47 goals are second on the team, and it is the second time in her career she has earned All-Big West accolades after taking second team a year ago.

Aan moves up to Second Team All-Big West after earning honorable mention in each of the last three seasons. The senior from the Netherlands has 29 goals and 24 assists on the season entering the NCAA Tournament.

Both Schaap and van Rossum have made a major impact on the Rainbow Wahine in their first season. Schaap is currently third on the team with 41 goals and second in assists with 28, while van Rossum has 16 goals to go with 19 assists.

2019 Big West Women's Water Polo Awards
Player of the Year - Irene Gonzalez, UH
Freshman of the Year - Noelle Wijnbelt, UCD
Coach of the Year - Maureen Cole, UH

1st Team
Orsi Hertzka, LBSU
Noelle Wijnbelt, UCD
Mary Brooks, UCI
Morgan Jones, UCI
Tara Prentice, UCI
Kate Pipkin, UCSB
Irene Gonzalez, UH
Elyse Lemay-Lavoie, UH

2nd Team
Tori Wilson, CSUN
Annie Kutt, UCD
Piper Smith, UCI
Sarah Kreiser, UCSB
Sarah Snyder, UCSB
Kenzi Snyder, UCSB
Femke Aan, UH

Honorable Mention
Jennalyn Barthels, CSUN
Tori Morrissey, LBSU
Eirini Patras, LBSU
Emily Byrne, UCD
Chloe Robinson, UCD
Kathleen Schafle, UCD
Maxine Schaap, UH
Emma van Rossum, UH

Big West All-Freshman Team
Kylee Jansen, CSUN
Orsi Hertzka, LBSU
Noelle Wijnbelt, UCD
Piper Smith, UCI
Caitlyn Snyder, UCSB
Maxine Schaap, UH
Emma van Rossum, UH

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Players Mentioned

#4 Femke Aan: Utility; 5' 9"; Senior

#14 Irene Gonzalez: Attacker; 5' 8"; Senior

#2 Elyse Lemay-Lavoie: Center; 5' 9"; Junior

#11 Maxine Schaap: Attacker; 5' 10"; Freshman

#3 Emma van Rossum: Center; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#4 Femke Aan
: 5' 9"; Senior
: Utility

#14 Irene Gonzalez
: 5' 8"; Senior
: Attacker

#2 Elyse Lemay-Lavoie
: 5' 9"; Junior
: Center

#11 Maxine Schaap
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: Attacker

#3 Emma van Rossum
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: Center