Stanford junior driver Bret Bonanni was named MPSF/Kap7 Player of the Week in men’s water polo for his performance in the Cardinal’s weekend victory against No. 5 Long Beach State, the conference announced Monday.
Bonanni tied his season high with five goals in Stanford’s 14-12 win over the 49ers at Avery Aquatic Center on Saturday afternoon.
His first of the day came on a penalty shot after LBSU’s Milos Vrzic was whistled for an infraction. When the junior slipped it past the 49ers’ Pavo Ljepopio is was the 236th goal of his career, moving him past James Bergeson (1979-82) and alone into second place on Stanford’s career goals list.
The science, technology and society major is now at 240, which is 10th in MPSF history. At Stanford, he only trails the 332 Tony Azevedo scored during his time on The Farm (2001-04).
Bonanni has scored in all of the Cardinal’s 22 games this year and registered multi-goal efforts in 20. He’s tallied 70 goals (3.18 goals per game) and is within reach of the 80-goal mark in a season for the second time in his career. Azevedo is the only other Cardinal to hit the mark multiple times. He scored 95 in 2002, 89 in 2003 and 80 in 2004.
Bonanni previously earned a weekly award twice as a freshman in 2012 (Oct. 15 & 29).
It’s Stanford’s third such honor this season. Sophomore goalkeeper Drew Holland earned recognition on Oct. 6 and Oct. 20.
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics