Long Beach State University Athletics
Rafael Real Vergara Repeats As Player Of The Year, Five Honored As Golden Coast Conference Awards Announced
11/16/2022 9:30:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Vergara led the Golden Coast Conference and Long Beach State with 68 goals so far this season.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Rafael Real Vergara was selected as the top player in the Golden Coast Conference for the second year in a row, as the leading scorer for the Beach and for the GCC was named the Golden Coast Conference Player of the Year.
Vergara has scored at least three goals for Long Beach State in each of the team's last seven games including seven goals in a game as the Beach pushed then No. 2 California to overtime. Vergara's 68 total goals through the regular season were the most in the Golden Coast Conference by 13 goals.
Now a two-time Golden Coast Conference Player of the Year, Vergara needs 13 goals throughout the 2022 postseason to become just the fourth player in Long Beach State history to score 200 goals, and would do so in just three full seasons of competition, earning first-team All-GCC honors in all three campaigns.
Vegara was also selected to the seven-player First Team for the conference, joining another Beach stalwart in Garrett Zaan. A senior, Zaan is second on the team for Long Beach State this season with 49 goals, and has tallied 149 in a stellar career for Long Beach State. A first-team selection for the second straight season, Zaan is a four-time all-conference selection.
Earning a second-team nod was goalkeeper Andrej Bosanac. Bosanac recently became the eighth keeper in LBSU history to record 500 saves, and has led the Beach in the cage throughout the season totaling 174 saves this season, including a season-high 15 earlier in the year against UC Davis. The GCC Tournament MVP a season ago, Bosanac repeats as a second-team honoree after being selected a season ago.
Two underclassmen were recognized for their efforts for the Beach this season as well. Sophomore Evan Cain was fourth on the team with 37 goals this season, and was chosen for Honorable Mention after earning All-Freshman honors a year ago.
Earning All-Freshman honors for the current campaign was Aleksandar Timotijevic. A freshman from Belgrade, Sebria, Timotijevic has scored 29 goals this season, and makes it five straight seasons that an LBSU player has been named to the All-Freshman squad.
As co-champions of the Golden Coast Conference, No. 6 Long Beach State earned a bye into the semifinals of this week's upcoming GCC Tournament. The Beach will play the winner of UC Santa Barbara and San Jose State on Saturday, November 19 at 7 p.m.
Vergara has scored at least three goals for Long Beach State in each of the team's last seven games including seven goals in a game as the Beach pushed then No. 2 California to overtime. Vergara's 68 total goals through the regular season were the most in the Golden Coast Conference by 13 goals.
Now a two-time Golden Coast Conference Player of the Year, Vergara needs 13 goals throughout the 2022 postseason to become just the fourth player in Long Beach State history to score 200 goals, and would do so in just three full seasons of competition, earning first-team All-GCC honors in all three campaigns.
Vegara was also selected to the seven-player First Team for the conference, joining another Beach stalwart in Garrett Zaan. A senior, Zaan is second on the team for Long Beach State this season with 49 goals, and has tallied 149 in a stellar career for Long Beach State. A first-team selection for the second straight season, Zaan is a four-time all-conference selection.
Earning a second-team nod was goalkeeper Andrej Bosanac. Bosanac recently became the eighth keeper in LBSU history to record 500 saves, and has led the Beach in the cage throughout the season totaling 174 saves this season, including a season-high 15 earlier in the year against UC Davis. The GCC Tournament MVP a season ago, Bosanac repeats as a second-team honoree after being selected a season ago.
Two underclassmen were recognized for their efforts for the Beach this season as well. Sophomore Evan Cain was fourth on the team with 37 goals this season, and was chosen for Honorable Mention after earning All-Freshman honors a year ago.
Earning All-Freshman honors for the current campaign was Aleksandar Timotijevic. A freshman from Belgrade, Sebria, Timotijevic has scored 29 goals this season, and makes it five straight seasons that an LBSU player has been named to the All-Freshman squad.
As co-champions of the Golden Coast Conference, No. 6 Long Beach State earned a bye into the semifinals of this week's upcoming GCC Tournament. The Beach will play the winner of UC Santa Barbara and San Jose State on Saturday, November 19 at 7 p.m.
Players Mentioned
Goalie
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Attacker
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Attacker
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Utility
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