Rajchel, Wyckoff & Brigham Among All-America Selections at USA Water Polo National Championships

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- Goalkeepers Brett Rajchel (Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park), Cassie Wyckoff (Los Altos, Calif./Los Altos) and Tara Brigham (Baytown, Texas/Sterling) were among 96 All-America selections at the United States Water Polo National Champinoships held earlier this summer.

Rajchel of the United States Naval Academy earned All-America Honorable Mention accolades at the USA Water Polo men's championship in July for leading Navy AC "A" to a 13th place finish. 

A standout performer for the Navy varsity program, he started all 31 games for the Midshipmen with 248 saves, the sixth most stops in school history, last year.  He recorded double-digit saves 10 different times in 2008, including in all three games of the CWPA???Eastern Championship, as the Midshipmen claimed their third consecutive Eastern title. 

Entering his senior season, he will seek to lead the Midshipmen to their fourth championship in as many years in 2009 as Navy will seek to join the University of Massachusetts (1993-96) and Bucknell University (1977-80) as the only programs to capture four straight crowns.

Brigham, who helped the University of Michigan claim its second consecutive Eastern Championship in her first collegiate campaign this spring, garnered dual All-America Honorable Mention nods for helping Houston place 16th at the Women's National Championship and Women's 20 & Under National Championship Tournaments in Stockton, Calif. in July.

Wyckoff, who enters her sophomore season at Indiana University in 2010, was selected a dual All-America pick as she earned "First Team Spares" honors for helping Stanford Red capture the 2009 USA Water Polo National Championship after recording an Honorable Mention note for helping Stanford White to 13th place at the 20 & Under National Championship.

In the National Championship Tournament on July 24-26 in Stockton, Calif., she teamed with her sister and Hoosiers' teammate Lauren Wyckoff (Los Altos, Calif./Los Altos) to capture the national tite. 

The championship marked the second of the year for the Wyckoffs as Lauren, who completed her sophomore season in 2009, scored one goal for the Stanford Red club team in a thrilling 13-10 overtime victory against the Santa Barbara Water Polo Club on July 23 to earn the USA Water Polo Women's 20-Under National Championship in Stockton, Calif.

Lauren Wyckoff and Stanford Red finished the tournament with a perfect 7-0 record, which included a 12-11 overtime win in the semifinals against the Chino Hills Area Water Polo team.

More information and a listing of the All-America Teams is available on the home of USA Water Polo, www.usawaterpolo.org.