STOCKTON, Calif. – Graduate student Stefan Vavic and fifth-year senior Rene Peralta were named ACWPC Men's Water Polo All-America Honorable Mention selections, the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches announced Thursday.
 
"I'm extremely happy for Rene and Stefan to be recognized for their excellent play this year," said Pacific head coach James Graham. "They were elite at both ends of the pool and were fantastic leaders. Congrats to Rene and Stefan. They truly deserve it."
 
The ACWPC All-America award is a prestigious honor that recognizes athletes nationally and throughout all collegiate divisions. This award is presented to water polo athletes who exhibit immense talent in the pool, provide leadership, and have helped build and advance the sport. Recipients are selected by ACWPC member coaches. 
 
Vavic and Peralta were key catalysts for the offense of the Tigers, who were nationally ranked the entire campaign as part of their inaugural season in the West Coast Conference.
 
Vavic carried the torch offensively, leading the Tigers with 36 assists and 86 points through all 26 games. The native of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., tallied 1.9 goals-per-game, which ranked in a tie for seventh in the conference. While Vavic's 3.3 points-per-game mark placed him seventh in the conference, his 1.4 assists-per-game ratio also placed among the top ten within the conference standings.
 
Defensively, Vavic's 42 steals were tied for second among WCC qualifiers alongside Air Force's Ian Christie. His 1.6 steals-per-game led the WCC.
 
Peralta was a persistent presence and scoring threat around the perimeter all season, scoring 47 goals and dishing out 35 assists. Along with junior Gil Gvishi, Peralta earned at least a point in every contest this season. The native of Miami, Fla., collected five hat tricks and 20 multi-point performances, including a career-high six-assist, eight-point display against Harvard on October 20.
 
Peralta's 3.2 points-per-game ratio earned him a spot right behind Vavic on the conference leaderboards in eighth while his 1.3 assists-per-game ratio rounded out his placement in the top ten of the WCC.
 
Called upon for their fast-swimming abilities, Vavic and Peralta also earned 18 and 15 sprint wins, respectively, which both secured them spots among the top ten in the category for the conference standings.
 
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