THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Cal Lutheran Regals water polo lands five on the 2019 Women's Division III All-America Team with Bailey Meyer selected as the Player of the Year and Craig Rond tabbed Coach of the Year. Meyer was joined on the All-America First Team by Nikki Roed and Lexi Rond while Victoria Rose Meek and Mardell Ramirez were named Honorable Mention. The awards were announced by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC).
Fresh off their 2019 SCIAC Tournament championship, the Regals matched their most honorees for All-America in program history. Cal Lutheran also had five selections in 2010. This is also the third time and second straight year CLU has placed three on the first team. Meyer became just the second Regal to earn Player of the Year honors and this is the second time Rond has been named Coach of the Year.
Meyer (Santa Ana, Calif.) joins Meredith Butte (2009) as the only Regals to be selected Player of the Year. The senior was named First Team All-America for the second straight year and is now a three-time All-America honoree. In her three years of starting in goal, Meyer set the all-time saves record with 919. She also set the single-season mark, 320 this season, and has three of the top four single season marks. On top of the saves this year, she added 37 steals and 22 assists.
Roed (Seattle, Wash.) earned her first All-America First Team selection and is now a three-time All-American. The senior utility player has been a staple on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. For her career, she has the fifth-most goals in program history with 152 after scoring 40 times this year. She tied for first on the team with 44 steals and added nine assists, 11 drawn ejections and seven field blocks.
Rond (Oxnard, Calif.) impressed in her freshman season as she earned All-America Frist Team honors. She set the CLU single season record for drawn ejections with 112 and is the first Regal to tally 100-plus in a season. She also led the team with 59 goals, which is tied for the eighth-most in a saeson. At center, on top of the goals and drawn ejections, she added 17 steals and four assists.
Meek (Coronado, Calif.) earns her third All-America honor as she was named Honorable Mention. She earned First Team in 2018 and Honorable Mention in 2017. This year, the junior center totaled 29 goals, 43 drawn ejections, 16 steals and three assists. Her drawn ejections were the second most on the team. For a career, she has the fifth most drawn ejections with 160. She also has two of the top-10 single season marks for drawn ejections.
Ramirez (Santa Monica, Calif.) earned her first All-America honor as she was named Honorable Mention. The senior attacker led the team with 33 assists which tied for the tenth-most in program history for a season. Ramirez was an all-around player for the Regals as she totaled 33 goals and 38 steals. She was the only player on CLU with 30-plus in all three categories this year. She added 14 drawn ejections and six field blocks.
Leading the Regals to their second SCIAC Tournament Championship and a spot in the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship, Rond was selected as the Division III Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. On the year, this is the third Coach of the Year award he has earned as he also garnered the SCIAC Men's and Women's Coaching Staff of the Year honors. He coached the Violet and Gold to a 21-9 overall record and a 12-2 conference mark.
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
