STANFORD, Calif. – Redshirt junior Ben Hallock became just the second student-athlete in program history to repeat as Division I Men's Water Polo National Player of the Year on Tuesday when the 2019 All-America teams were announced by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches.
Tony Azevedo of Stanford won the award three consecutive years in 2001-2003.
The only other Cardinal players to win were Wolf Wigo in 1994 and Craig Klass in 1986.
Hallock was one of seven members of the newly-crowned NCAA champion Cardinal to receive All-America honors by the ACWPC and made the First Team for the third straight year. He was joined on the First Team by junior driver Tyler Abramson.
Senior driver Bennett Williams made the Second Team, while junior 2M AJ Rossman and sophomore driver Quinn Woodhead were selected to the Third Team. Senior goalkeeper Andrew Chun and senior driver Dylan Woodhead earned Honorable Mention.
John Vargas, The Dunlevie Family Director of Men's Water Polo, was selected National Coach of the Year for guiding Stanford to a 21-2 record and the program's 11th NCAA Championship.
A two-meter star, Hallock also repeated as Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Conference Player of the Year, and was named the Most Valuable Player of the MPSF Championship. He was recognized as Player of the Week three times this season and has received eight weekly honors during this three-year career, five as POW.
For the third year in a row, Hallock led Stanford in goals scored with 73, despite frequent double- and triple-teams. He tallied 56 as a freshman in 2017 and 65 as a sophomore in 2018, and now ranks No. 8 in career goals on The Farm with 194.
Hallock scored in all 22 games in which he played and recorded multiple goals 18 times. He matched his career-high with eight goals against Cal on Nov. 7, previously accomplishing the feat last year against UC Davis.
Hallock paced or shared the team-high for most goals in a game in 11 matches. He finished with 76 points, second on the squad, and drew an MPSF-high 32 exclusions.
Hallock saved his best for last in the NCAA Championships last week in Stockton, Calif. Facing No. 2 USC in the semifinals, he scored his fourth goal in sudden death overtime to lift the top-ranked Cardinal to a heart-stopping 15-14 victory, sending the team into Sunday's final against host Pacific. Stanford prevailed 13-8 to capture its 11th national title and first since 2002.
Abramson, a sharp-shooting lefty, chalked up a team-high 96 points and his 63 goals ranked second on the team. He tallied a season-high six goals against Navy and scored multiple goals in 19 games. Abramson also pilfered a team-best 24 steals and finished 19-8 in sprints.
Williams, a First Team choice last year, found the net 50 times, third-most on the team, and added 20 assists and 14 steals. He scored multiple goals in 19 games.
Williams' 70 points were the third-most by a Cardinal. He also excelled in sprints and fashioned a mark of 25-5, including 4-0 against USC in the NCAA semifinals. He was named MPSF Player of the Week on Sept. 16.
Rossman's all-around contributions helped key the team's success. He scored 29 goals, notching multiple scores in nine games, including three in the NCAA title game against Pacific.
Woodhead had a tremendous sophomore season, providing 27 goals, 24 assists and 14 steals. He finished with 51 points, topped by a season and team-best five goals against USC in the NCAA semifinals. The versatile Woodhead scored multiple goals seven times.
In his first year as a starter, Chun posted a 19-2 record and made 211 saves against 182 goals allowed, a save percentage of .543. He established a career high with 18 saves against Pepperdine on Oct. 27, earning MPSF Player of the Week.
Dylan Woodhead was a force with his offense and defense. He recorded 32 goals, the fourth-highest total on the squad, and tallied multiple goals in nine games. He racked up four goals against three opponents and was tough down the stretch, scoring at least once in each of the last four games.
Vargas came to Stanford in 2002 and was a two-time All-American at UC Irvine, sparking the Anteaters to the NCAA crown in 1982. He just concluded his 18th season on The Farm and owns a career-mark of 364-107.
Vargas has collected 11 20-win seasons, including five of the last seven years. He has taken his teams to the NCAA Championship nine times and has reached the final on seven occasions, claiming his first title in 2002. Vargas has produced 78 All-Americans.
Last month, Vargas was recognized as MPSF Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.