ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — Cal Lutheran's Lexi Rond was named the 2021 SCIAC Women's Water Polo Offensive Athlete of the Year, Kaitlin Gardhouse was the Defesive Athlete of the Year, Izzy De Souza joined her teammates on the All-SCIAC Team and Craig Rond and his staff secured Coaching Staff of the Year.
The 2021 All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Women's Water Polo honors were announced Saturday. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, California Lutheran, Chapman, La Verne and Redlands were the lone participants for the SCIAC during the Spring of 2021. All institutions were eligible for the Character Award.
Rond (Venture, Calif.) was tabbed the 2021 SCIAC Women's Water Polo Offensive Athlete of the Year after helping the Regals to a 7-0 record during the season. The junior netted 29 goals with 12 of those markers coming against SCIAC opponents. She also logged 18 drawn ejections and four assists as her scoring prowess helped Cal Lutheran secure the top seed in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament. During tournament action, Rond added six more goals in a win over La Verne, and found the cage twice in the tournament final against Redlands en route to earning Tournament MVP honors.
Gardhouse was named the 2021 SCIAC Women's Water Polo Defensive Athlete of the Year. During the 2021 campaign, Gardhouse helped Cal Lutheran to a 7-0 record and the top seed in the conference tournament with her efforts in the defensive end of the pool. Gardhouse amassed 11 drawn exclusions and five steals during the season, and also contributed 11 goals and 20 assists. In the SCIAC tournament, the junior provided two drawn exclusions and two steals in a win over La Verne, and then added two more drawn exclusions and four steals in the title game against Redlands. She also logged a goal and eight assists in postseason play.
De Souza (Irvine, Calif.) earned All-SCIAC as a freshman. She was in the cage for six of the seven games for the Regals. She recorded 84 saves and only gave up 37. She added eight assists and three steals. She had a season-high 18 steals and did it twice. She was a wall for the Purple and Gold and made 18 saves in the SCIAC semifinals of the Postseason Tournament and then 15 in the championship.
Head coach Craig Rond and his coaching staff secured 2021 SCIAC Women's Water Polo Coaching Staff of the Year recognition following the Regals' SCIAC Postseason Tournament victory. Rond, who also earned the distinction previously in 2019 and 2017, paced Cal Lutheran to the program's third tournament crown since 2007 as the Regals also won it in 2019 and 2009.
The Regals received an automatic bid to the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship and play Fresno St. on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
SCIAC Release: Women's Water Polo All-Conference
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
