HONOLULU — After sweeping through the Big West season, the University of Hawai'i women's water polo team claimed two of the league's top individual awards and seven Rainbow Wahine players received all-conference recognition on the 2024 Big West Women's Water Polo All-Conference Team.
 
The conference announced its postseason awards on Friday and UH sophomore Bia Mantellato Dias was named the Big West Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and Maureen Cole earned her fifth Coach of the Year honor.
 
Mantellato Dias was joined on the All-Big West first team by Rainbow Wahine senior Alba Bonamusa Boix, junior Bernadette Doyle and freshman Daisy Logtens. Senior Lot Stertefeld made the second team and senior Lucia Gomez de la Puente earned honorable mention recognition. Logtens and Agatha Weston were voted to the All-Freshman Team.
 
UH claimed the Player of the Year award for the sixth time since joining the conference in 2013 and Mantellato Dias is the second UH player to earn back-to-back honors, joining Irene Gonzalez (2018, '19). Mantellato Dias and Bonamusa Boix also made the All-Big West first team for the second straight year.
 
The Rainbow Wahine (22-3) captured the Big West regular-season and tournament titles and will represent the conference at the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship in Berkeley, Calif. The second-seeded 'Bows will face Princeton in a quarterfinal matchup on May 10 at the Spieker Aquatics Complex.
 
Maureen Cole
Big West Coach of the Year
• Named the Big West Coach of the Year for the fifth time in her career (previously in 2013, 2015, 2019, 2021)
• Led the Rainbow Wahine to a perfect run in conference play (7-0 regular season, 3-0 tournament) for the first time since UH joined the Big West in 2013
• Guided the No. 2 Rainbow Wahine to the highest national ranking and highest seeding in the NCAA tournament in program history
• Will retire from coaching following her 13^th season leading the Rainbow Wahine
 
Bia Mantellato Dias
Big West Player of the Year, All-Big West first team
Sophomore, Center
• Leads UH with 61 goals and scored in 23 of 25 games
• Scored at least three goals in 10 games, including three four-goal performances and three five-goal games
• Voted the 2023 Big West Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year
 
Alba Bonamusa Boix
All-Big West First Team
Senior, Attacker
• Earned All-Big West honors for the third time in her career (first team in 2023, second team in 2022)
• Leads the team with 88 points with 48 goals and 40 assists.
• Posted eight hat tricks this season and scored four goals in four games
• Became the first player in UH history to surpass 200 goals and 100 assists in a career
 
Bernadette Doyle
All-Big West First Team
Junior, Attacker
• Named MVP of the Big West Championship after posting four goals and four steals in the title game against Long Beach State.
• Led the tournament with nine goals and eight steals
• Posted 41 goals and 39 assists and leads the Big West with 47 steals.
• Scored at least three goals in six games and had nine games with at least three steals
 
Daisy Logtens
All-Big West First Team, All-Freshman Team
Freshman, Goalkeeper
• Lone freshman on the eight-player All-Big West first team
• Posted 193 saves, the eighth highest single-season total in program history
• Anchored a UH defense that held Big West opponents to 6.0 goals per game
 
Lot Stertefeld
All-Big West Second Team
Senior, Utility
• Posted five hat tricks, including a season-high four goals against UC Davis on March 8
• Earned All-Big West recognition for the third time (2021 All-Freshman team, 2023 honorable mention)
 
Lucia Gomez de la Puente
All-Big West Honorable Mention
Senior, Attacker
• Ranks fourth in the conference with 41 assists
• Moved into second place on UH's career assists chart with 124 for her career
 
Agatha Weston
Big West All-Freshman Team
Freshman, Utility
• Joined the team in January and made an immediate impact with 18 goals
• Scored in 11 games with two hat tricks