MERCED, Calif. – University of California, Merced women's water polo senior center Claudette Asenjo was named All-WWPA Second Team and freshman goalkeeper Makenzie Royal received All-WWPA Freshman Team honors, the conference office announced today.

Asenjo and Royal are the first WWPA award winners in program history.

Asenjo led the Bobcats with 31 goals this season and the Merced, Calif., native added a career-high 18 steals, four assists, and a field block on the year. She had a season-high four goals in the Bobcats win over Redlands and had two more hat tricks, including against NCAA Division One opponent Villanova and conference foe Fresno Pacific. She scored multiple points in eleven matches overall. Asenjo also led the Bobcats drawing 26 exclusions. The program's all-time leading goal scorer has 99 career goals.

Royal started 14 games in goal as a freshman and recorded 132 saves. She tallied double figure saves in five consecutive matches, including the first four WWPA contests. The San Diego, Calif., native stopped a career-high 15 shots in the season-finale against Fresno Pacific, which also marked the most all-time by any Bobcat in a WWPA match. Royal also set the program's freshman record with 29 steals and contributed offensively with three assists and a goal.

UC Merced will compete in exhibition matches at the WWPA Championships April 10-12 at William Woolett Jr. Aquatics Center in Irvine, Calif. The Bobcats will play their first exhibition on Friday, April 10 at 9:00am against WWPA West winner Concordia University Irvine.