Feb. 22, 2012

BALTIMORE, MD - The Johns Hopkins water polo team placed three players on the 2011 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-America (ACWPC) Teams as announced by Monday afternoon. Junior Ross Schofield was named to the first team, while classmate Alex Whittam earned second team honors. Freshman goalie Danny Ovelar was named to the honorable mention team.

The Blue Jays have now produced 43 All-Americans since 1992 and this marks the eighth time, and fourth consecutive, that Hopkins has had at least three players earn All-America honors in the same season. Whittam becomes just the fourth player in program history to earn All-America honors at least three times. Schofield's selection to the first team this season marks the 13th straight year that Hopkins has had a player earn First Team All-American honors. Ovelar is just the second freshman netminder to earn All-America accolades, joining Mitch Williams who was named to the honorable mention team in 2004.

Junior Alex Whittam.

Schofield had a breakout season for the Blue Jays in his junior campaign, scoring a career-high 72 goals and 47 assists. He also had 48 steals and drew 55 ejections while also scoring five five-meter goals. Schofield had 14 hat tricks, including a six-goal effort against George Washington, which is tied for the second most in a single-game in school history. He also had 17 games with at least two assists and notched at least one point in all but one game this season. A 2010 Second Team All-American, Schofield was a First Team CWPA All-East selection this season.

Whittam, a first team selection in 2010 and a second team honoree in 2009, was tied for the team lead in goals this season with Schofield (72). He also doled out a school-record 55 assists and now has a program-best 125 assists in his career. Whittam finished with 54 steals, good for third on the team, while he drew 57 ejections, good for second, and had 13 blocks. Schofield and Whittam tied for seventh in school history this season with their 72 goals. Whittam now ranks seventh in career goals (176), while Schofield is ninth (164). Whittam notched 13 hat tricks, including four five-goal outings, and had at least one point in all but one game this season. He is a three-time CWPA All-South honoree, the 2010 CWPA Southern Division Rookie of the Year and a 2010 CWPA All-East selection.

Freshman Danny Ovelar.

Ovelar burst onto the scene for the Blue Jays this season, playing in 23 games and making 278 saves while swiping 81 steals and handing out six assists. He ranked in the top five in the nation, among all divisions, in saves this season and had 10 games with double-digit saves. Ovelar's 81 steals rank third in school history, while his 278 saves are the fourth best. In Hopkins stunning win over then 13th-ranked Princeton on September 23, Ovelar made a five-meter save with 26 seconds left in a tie game before sophomore Stephen Kingery went on to score the game-winner with one second on the clock. It was one of 14 five-meter saves the rookie had this season. The 2011 CWPA Southern Division Rookie of the Year, he earned Second Team CWPA All-South and All-East honors.

HopkinsSports.com Men's Water Polo

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