Cullen named Player of the Year; five Stags with ACWPC All-America Honors
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) announced the selection of the organization's 2015 Men's Division III All-America Team on Dec. 16. Senior Tanner Cullen (CMC) capped off his collegiate career with the highest honor – being named the Division III Player of the Year. The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's water polo team led all programs landing five athletes on the All-America teams: Cullen, senior Daniel Cogan (CMC) and juniors Alex Waggoner (CMC), Rye Newman (CMC) and Ellison Taylor (CMC).
As the Player of the Year and CMS' First Team selection, Cullen wrapped up the season with 80 goals overall, 25 during SCIAC play. In the NCAA Championships Play-in game against the University of Southern California, Cullen assisted classmate Adam Hilborn (CMC) on back-to-back goals in the fourth quarter. This is Cullen's third All-America honor.
Cogan and Waggoner earned Second Team honors while Newman and Taylor rounded out the Stags' award winners as Honorable Mentions. Waggoner ended up as the team's second-highest scorer with 46 goals on the season and he assisted Taylor's first goal against USC. Cogan was the first to score for the Stags in the Play-in game and finished with 37 goals on the year. Taylor had two goals vs. USC to total 22. In the final game, Newman notched eight saves plus a steal.
CMS finished its season at 21-8 after winning the program's 26th Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) title and participating in the 2015 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championships.
By Emily Nordhoff
Sports Information Director
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