May 25, 2017
Woodland, Calif.----- For the third consecutive season, nine San Jose State University women's water polo players were named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) All-Academic Scholar-Athletes. Sixty-two (62) student-athletes from the conference's seven teams earned the award this year.
To qualify for MPSF All-Academic Scholar-Athlete honors, a student-athlete must have a 3.00 or higher cumulative grade-point average, be enrolled at the university at least two semesters, have sophomore standing or higher and participate in at least 50 percent of the team's contests.
Of the nine San Jose State honorees, six are multiple MPSF award winners. Seniors Donia Momen from North Vancouver, B.C., and co-captain Cara Robinson from Calgary, Alberta each earned their third MPSF All-Academic Scholar-Athlete award. Goalkeepers Katelynn Thompson (Penryn, Calif/Del Oro HS) and Tayler Peters (Union City, Calif./James Logan HS) and field players Klaudia Paradi from Eger, Hungary and McKenna Yates (San Jose, Calif./St. Francis HS) each earned their second award.
Sophomores Sierra Painter (San Jose, Calif./Leland HS), Carla Toha Vilanova (Barcelona, Spain) and Michelle Taikeff (San Jose, Calif./Pioneer HS) received their first MPSF All-Academic Scholar-Athlete award. Taikeff, a justice studies major, was one of four MPSF women's water polo award winners with a 3.90 or higher cumulative grade-point average.
"They (our award winners) did a great job. It (the award) shows they did a great job. They put a lot of time into their academics, not just into water polo. We are proud of them. It is a big accomplishment and congratulations to them," says San Jose State women's water polo head coach Gabor Sarusi.
Earlier in the semester, the San Jose State University women's water polo program earned a NCAA Public Recognition Award for the second consecutive year for its 1,000 multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) score.
2017 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Women's Water Polo All-Academic Team
San Jose State University selections only
| Name | Class | Position | GPA | Hometown |
| Donia Momen | Senior | Driver | 3.26 | North Vancouver, B.C. |
| Sierra Painter | Sophomore | Driver | 3.54 | San Jose, Calif. |
| Klaudia Paradi | Junior | Driver | 3.31 | Eger, Hungary |
| Tayler Peters | Junior | Goalkeeper | 3.17 | Union City, Calif. |
| Cara Robinson | Senior | Driver | 3.44 | Calgary, Alberta |
| Michelle Taikeff | Sophomore | Driver | 3.91 | San Jose, Calif. |
| Katelynn Thompson | Junior | Goalkeeper | 3.77 | Penryn, Calif. |
| Carla Toha Vilanova | Sophomore | Driver | 3.02 | Barcelona, Spain |
| McKenna Yates | Junior | Driver | 3.41 | San Jose, Calif. |