ACWPC names four Poets to All-American team

Photo by: Paul Adams

WHITTIER, Calif. - The Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches announced its 2009 All-Americans on Friday morning and the Poets were honored with four selections to this year's team. Seniors Alex Perry and Casey Regehr earned first-team accolades; junior Rilesh Desai was named to the second-team and fellow junior Brandon Babot garnered honorable mention recognition.

The Poets finished the 2009 season as the top ranked team in the Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III poll and tied with Redlands for the most first-team selections.

Regehr completed his short, but stellar, Poet career with 732 saves which ranks second all-time in program history. This season he led the country with 467 saves and was a first-team All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and second-team All-Western Water Polo Association selection.

The Visalia, Calif., native was an ACWPC second-team All-American in 2008.

Perry donned the purple and gold for one season and made his mark with the program. He scored a team-high 75 goals, which ranked No. 7 nationally, and added 20 assists.

Desai was equally as impressive in his first go-around with the Poets. He led the team with 71 assists and added 43 goals with had a team-high 28 steals. Desai's assist total ranks him fifth all-time in program history for career assists and his total is the second most all-time in program history.

In addition, he led the team with 46 drawn ejections.

Babot finished the season with a shooting percentage of over 50 percent and had 28 goals and 11 assists. He ranked second on the team with 37 drawn ejections.

As a team the Poets hit the 20-win plateau for the first time under current head coach Justin Pudwill, finished second in the SCIAC, and had the program's top finish in the WWPA with a fourth place finish.