University of Hawaii water polo players Gonzalez and Lemay-Lavoie earn honors

After leading the University of Hawaii women’s water polo team to its third Big West Championship in five years, senior Irene Gonzalez and junior Elyse Lemay-Lavoie received ACWPC Division I All-America honors Friday.

Gonzalez is the first Rainbow Wahine water polo player to be a four-time All-America selection, and she took her second consecutive first-team honor. Lemay-Lavoie is a first-time All-America choice, securing second-team honors.

Gonzalez, a two-time reigning Big West player of the year, scored 60 goals with 26 assists this season. Lemay-Lavoie set the school’s single-season record for field-goal percentage at 66.3%, totaling 53 goals on 80 attempts.

Ptasnik named as University of Hawaii swimming coach

The University of Hawaii named Elliot Ptasnik as its new men’s and women’s swimming and diving head coach, athletic director David Matlin announced Friday.

Ptasnik served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator during the past three seasons under former head coach Dan Schemmel, who recently accepted the head coaching position with Stanford’s men’s swimming and diving program.

In 2019, UH claimed both a men’s and women’s Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title for the first time in program history.