Three Sun Devils honored as AWCPA releases All-America teams
The Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPA) has released its annual All-America teams and three Arizona State University student-athletes were honored – including a first-team honor for Alicia Brightwell – on Monday, the ACWPA has announced.
Junior Shannon Haas earned the first All-America accolade of her career as she was named as a third-team selection while senior Mariam Salloum rounded out her career with her second consecutive honorable mention.
Brightwell took the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation by storm during the 2012 season after transferring from the University of Sydney in Australia earlier this year. Brightwell finished her inaugural season as a Sun Devil as the conference leader in goals scored and goals scored per game with tallies of 75 and 2.78, respectively.
Her 75 goals on the season rank second on ASU's all-time single-season goals list behind only Addision McGrath's school record 81 goals, despite the fact that Brightwell missed several games due to injury or illness. Brightwell notched 96 points on the year as well, a mark that also ranks second to McGrath’s school record.
Brightwell joined McGrath as just the second Sun Devil in school history to earn first-team honors after McGrath did so in 2008.
Brightwell scored three or more goals in 18 games on the year, including matching a school record with seven in the team’s 12-11 victory over San Diego State in the fifth-place game at the MPSF Championships that helped the team to its best finish in school history. Brightwell was named to the MPSF All-Conference First-Team for her performance on the year and was also part of the MPSF All-Tournament team for her contributions during the postseason tournament.
Haas scored a career-best 47 goals on the year while leading the team in drawing an impressive 67 kick-outs on opposing players. Haas was a trooper in the center position for ASU and among the most dominant players in that position in the country, as demonstrated by her school-record seven-goal performance against San Diego St. earlier in the season – the team’s first conference victory since 2008.
Salloum was second on the team with 51 goals this year and her 138 goals in her career rank her third all-time in that category at ASU. Salloum also finished her career third in assists with 108 and third in points with 246. The Berlin, Germany, native was one of the most accomplished student-athletes in school history and one of the top all-around performers at that, finishing her career ranked in the top-10 in steals as well.
Brightwell and Haas became just the third and fourth individuals to be named to an All-America first, second or third team in school history and both return to the Sun Devil roster next season. ASU’s three selections matched the most selections in one season in school history, also doing so in 2008 and 2011.
The Sun Devils finished the season with a 25-6 overall record, its best ever in school history while also netting a school record in goals scored with 376.
ASU head coach Todd Clapper also set several career milestones on the year, logging his 100th career victory as head coach of the Sun Devils in his seventh year at the helm and scoring his 200th victory as a head coach in his overall career.
Arizona State’s All-Americans
Year-by-Year Selections
2012 • Alicia Brightwell (1st), Shannon Haas (3rd), Mariam Salloum (HM)
2011 • Sarah Harris (HM), Mariam Salloum (HM), Lynlee Smith (HM)
2010 • Sarah Harris (HM), Lynlee Smith (HM)
2009 • Addison McGrath (2nd), Lynlee Smith (HM)
2008 • Addison McGrath (1st) Kelly Phelps (HM), Caylinn Wallace (HM)
2007 • Addison McGrath (HM)
2006 • Rowie Webster (3rd)
2004 • Katie Davis (HM)
All-Time All-American Roster
Brightwell, Alicia • 2012 (1st)
Davis, Katie • 2004 (HM)
Haas, Shannon • 2012 (3rd)
Harris, Sarah • 2010 (HM), 2011 (HM)
McGrath, Addison • 2007 (HM), 2008 (1st), 2009 (2nd)
Phelps, Kelly • 2008 (HM)
Salloum, Mariam • 2011 (HM), 2012 (HM)
Smith, Lynlee • 2009 (HM), 2010 (HM), 2011 (HM)
Wallace, Caylinn • 2008 (HM)
Webster, Rowie • 2006 (3rd)
All-Time All-American Teams
First Team Selections
McGrath, Addison • 2008
Brightwell, Alicia • 2012 (1st)
Second Team Selections
McGrath, Addison • 2009
Third Team Selections
Webster, Rowie • 2006
Haas, Shannon • 2012 (3rd)
Honorable Mention Selections
Davis, Katie • 2004
Harris, Sarah • 2010, 2011
McGrath, Addison • 2007
Phelps, Kelly • 2008
Salloum, Mariam • 2011, 2012
Smith, Lynlee • 2009, 2010, 2011
Wallace, Caylinn • 2008