Women’s water polo team racks up honors, heads into DIII tournament

The Collegiate Water Polo Association recognized five members of the Connecticut College women’s water polo team—the most in a single season in program history—as the league announced its annual Division III-East Region awards on April 20. 

Gigi Sandull ’26 of Kenilworth, New Jersey, was named both MVP and Rookie of the Year, while Head Coach Matt Anderson was named Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his career.

Sandull and Emma Luna ’26 of Wahiawa, Hawaii, were named to the All-Conference First Team. Maria Sell ’23 of San Mateo, California; Sarah Franco ’24 of Weston, California; and Brooke Brandenburger ’26 of Sacramento, California, earned spots on the All-Conference Second Team. 

Sandull becomes the fourth Camels women’s water polo athlete to garner MVP status, joining Sell in 2022, Kelsey Millward ’16 in 2016 and Nicolle Jasbon ’15 in 2013, 2014 and 2015. She is also the second Camel to earn Rookie of the Year laurels, following Stephania Lopez ’21 in 2018.

Sandull and Luna are the first Conn teammates to earn First Team honors since 2015, and both Sell and Franco are repeat selections from last season. Franco also becomes the first known athlete in CWPA women's varsity competition to earn all-conference status both in and out of the cage.

Conn captured the CWPA-East regular season crown by posting a 7-1 record in league action. The Camels have earned the second seed in the 2023 CWPA Division III Championship, which will be hosted by Macalester College from Friday, April 21, to Sunday, April 23, at Riley Pool in St. Paul, Minnesota. (That event will be livestreamed here.)

The championship features 17 games to determine the group champion and pair of automatic qualifiers for the 2023 USA Water Polo Division III Collegiate Championship taking place Saturday, May 6, and Sunday, May 7.