U of R Men’s Water Polo Gains Quartet of All-Conference Recipients

U of R Men’s Water Polo Gains Quartet of All-Conference Recipients
Posted: Nov 30, 2015

After the University of Redlands men's water polo team notched a third-place finish in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), the Bulldogs saw three players receive All-SCIAC recognition for their contributions to the team's 8-3 conference record. Junior goalkeeper Chris Sekula (LaGrange, IL) and senior center John Koning (Poway, CA) earned First-Team honors, while junior center-defender Mark Zikov (La Quinta, CA) landed on the Second-Team list. Furthermore, senior center-defender Jake Funk (Fremont, CA) represents Redlands on the All-SCIAC Sportsmanship Team.

Sekula hauls in his second-consecutive All-SCIAC honor and inaugural First-Team nod after serving as one of the most elite goalkeepers in the conference. While taking on SCIAC foes, he collected a career-high 134 saves, improving his saves total by 34 from the previous season. Of his 134 saves, he managed to stop 16 potential goals on opposing team's power plays and denied two penalty shots. Furthermore, he pocketed 13 steals and notched one assist.

Koning caps off his three-year career with the Bulldogs by earning his inaugural All-SCIAC honor. During the 2015 campaign, he led the Maroon and Gray with 17 goals in conference action, proving his dynamic ability to put points on the board. In addition to his scoring ability, Koning dished out four assists and nabbed five steals.

Following a breakout season that featured solid overall offensive production, Zikov hauls in his first-career All-SCIAC recognition. He earns this honor after firing home 11 goals against conference opponents. Among those, he cashed in one score on a penalty shot. In addition to his offensive skills, he facilitated five goals with assists and swooped up six steals.

While competing in his last season with the Maroon and Gray, Funk served as a solid defensive cog by notching seven steals and drawing 13 ejections. He also scored five goals for the Bulldogs. His solid leadership and excellent character set the tone for the team as well.

Redlands completed the 2015 season with a 17-14 overall record and an 8-3 mark in SCIAC to place third in the standings.

To view the complete list of All-SCIAC recipients, please visit the SCIAC web site.