March 21, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - In addition to its success in the water, the LMU men's water polo program once again rated among the best in the nation in the classroom as well as the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches released the 2010 Men's All-Academic Awards on Monday.

As a team, the Lions were among 20 programs to earn Team All-Academic honors with a combined GPA of 2.970, ranking 15th in the nation. In addition, five Lions earned individual honors.

Pushing the Lions to that team award were Edgaras Asajavicius, Tibor Forai, Charlie Horton, Derek Milligan and Albert Samuels, who earned All-Academic honors. ACWPC honors three teams based on GPA and performance in the 2010 season.

The first-team earns "Outstanding" honors and is for those with a GPA between 3.71 and 4.0. Second-team earns "Superior" honors for a GPA between 3.41 and 3.70. Third-team earns "Excellent" honors for a GPA between 3.20 and 3.40.

The 2010 Men's All-Academic Awards:
Edgaras Asajavicius - Outstanding
Tibor Forai - Superior
Derek Milligan - Superior
Albert Samuels - Excellent
Charles Horton - Excellent

Earning first-team honors ws Asajavicius with a 3.79 GPA as an International Business major. The senior Forai enters his final semester at LMU with a with a 3.64 GPA as a Pre-Medicine major, and Milligan with a 3.44 GPA as a Business major. Horton, a Marketing major with a 3.25 GPA, and Samuels, an International Business major with a 3.30 GPA, earned Excellent honors.

The group was part of a Lions squad that won the Western Water Polo Association for the fourth consecutive year and for the eighth time in 10 years. They 20-9 overall and ranked seventh nationally.