IRVINE, Calif. - As the Concordia University Eagles men's water polo team prepares to take on California Baptist University (CBU) in the first round of the WWPA Championship on Friday, they will be preparing with three players who earned All-WWPA Honors.
Marius Jakimcikas, having his best season as an Eagle, has earned himself a spot on the First Team All-WWPA squad. Opposing teams have had to make sure they focus in on stopping Jakimcikas because he has proven himself to be an all-around offensive threat the entire year.
Jakimcikas, no stranger to success, was named WWPA Player of the Week once this season and is very grateful that his opponents recognized his ability.
"It definitely feels great," said Jakimcikas. "This honor means so much to me, especially after the last year when I did not play as well as I wanted. Hard work pays off and this honor definitely motivates me to keep working even harder to get better every day to help my team win."
Coming off a regular season in which he not only lead the WWPA in goals scored but also shattered the program record for goals in a single season with 99, Jakimcikas is poised to cross the century mark in the WWPA Championship.
Jakimcikas knows that his success in the water is a byproduct of a season-long team effort.
"I can't stress enough how much my team means to me," said Jakimcikas. "Their role is huge in my success. Every single opportunity that I've had, every single goal that I've scored this year is a result of our teamwork. Therefore, I want to say a big thank you to all my teammates and coaches for all the support and trust. I wouldn't be able to achieve this success without them."
Patrik Zsiros, thanks to his record setting play, was named to the Honorable Mention All-WWPA Team. He now has 126 career goals which puts him in first place in the Concordia record books.
Zsiros is a big part of the Eagles success this year and knows that having three Eagles earning All-WWPA Honors is huge heading into the WWPA Championships.
"It's a good confidence boost before heading into the championship tournament," said Zsiros. "I am really happy so far with our results but the most important part of the season is coming this weekend. Right now our priority is to prepare for the first game against CBU."
Rounding out the Eagles All-WWPA players is freshman Nick Taylor, earning a spot on the All-Freshman Team.
Taylor had a strong rookie campaign and helped the Eagles to the number five seed in the WWPA Championships on Friday. He has provided a nice balance both offensively and defensively all year long.
"I feel honored to earn a spot on the All-Freshman team," said Taylor. "All the hard work my team and I have put into this season is amazing. I couldn't have done this without my teammates pushing me everyday."
The Eagles look to avenge their two losses to CBU on Friday as they take on the Lancers at 11:00 a.m. at Lancer Aquatics Center in Riverside.
