STANFORD, Calif. – Four members of the Stanford men's water polo team have earned All-America selections by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC).
Freshman Ben Hallock was named a First Team All-American, while senior Connor Stapleton was a second-team selection, senior Drew Holland earned third-team honors and junior Blake Parrish was an honorable mention selection.
Congrats to this All-American Cardinal quartet. #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/ytrSUDyxud
— Stanford Water Polo (@StanfordMWP) December 19, 2017
Hallock is the first Cardinal freshman to be named a First Team All-American since Alex Bowen in 2011. Bowen was a four-year First Team All-American.
Hallock redshirted his true freshman season in 2016 after competing with the United States Olympic Team at the 2016 Games. He made his collegiate debut this season and scored in every game he played in, leading the team in scoring with 56 goals on the year. His 2.45 goals-per-game average was first among freshmen and third overall in scoring in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. He earned MPSF Newcomer of the week honors three times.
Holland earned All-America honors all four years he played on The Farm. The goalie was also a third-team All-American as a sophomore in 2014 as well as an honorable mention selection as a junior in 2015 and freshman in 2013. He redshirted the 2016 season. Holland completed his career as Stanford's all-time saves leader with 925. He posted double-digit saves in a game in 11 different contests this year, including 17 against No. 2 USC during the season.
Parrish collected All-America honors for the second year in a row. The junior was a second-team selection last season. He finished the season second on the team in scoring with 38 goals on the year. Parrish scored in 17 of Stanford's 24 matches with 12 contests. He had a season-best five in the win over St. Francis Brooklyn. He enters his season on The Farm in 2018 as the Cardinal's active scoring leader with 110 career goals.
Stapleton also earned the second All-America nod of his career. He was an honorable mention selection as a junior in 2014. Like Holland, he redshirted the 2016 season. The senior was fourth on the Cardinal roster in scoring this year, finishing with 32 goals. He scored in 19 matches with multiple scores in nine contests on the season. In Stanford's 11-10 victory over No. 1 California in the Big Splash at Avery Aquatic Center in early November, Stapleton led the Cardinal with three scores. He also had three goals against the Bears in the MPSF Championship matchup between the schools. Stapleton completed his Cardinal career with 99 goals.
The quartet bring the total All-America selections to 73 under 16-year head coach John Vargas.
Stanford completed the 2017 season 19-5 overall, ranked No. 4 nationally by the Collegiate Water Polo Association.