12:00pm | Scott Butler (men’s water polo/swimming) and Sarah Agopian (women’s water polo) have been named the Long Beach City College male and female athletes of the year for the 2010-11 sports season.
 
The pair was honored on Tuesday at LBCC’s annual Student-Athlete Orientation assembly in front of this season’s athletes, coaches, and athletic department staff inside the Hall of Champions Gym.
 
LBCC head coaches along with a panel of local media selected the winners. This is the fourth year of the athlete of the year award.
 
It was the second straight year members of LBCC water polo teams captured the award.
 
Water polo/swimming & diving head coach Chris Oeding was proud and honored of his athletes’ selection.
 
“I was very privileged to be able to coach these two outstanding individuals,” said Oeding. “They both played big roles towards the success of our programs. I am very proud that they have been able to continue on to the next level.”
 
Last fall in water polo, Butler helped lead the LBCC men’s water polo team to a third-place finish at the State Championships as well as a South Coast Conference championship. Along the way, he was named All-American, All-Southern California, and first-team All-South Coast Conference.
 
In swimming, Butler finished in second place at the SCC Championships in the 100-yard butterfly. He qualified in four events at the State Championships and helped lead the 200-yard freestyle relay team to a fifth-place state finals finish.
 
Butler, originally out of Millikan High School, is set to begin classes next week at California Baptist University in Riverside. Butler will compete for the NAIA nationally-ranked CBU Lancers men’s water polo team.
 
Other nominees for the men’s athlete of the year included: Joe Lent (baseball), Kyle Clark, (basketball), Anthony Fierros (cross country), Fred Rogers (football), Peter Prescott (golf), Jesse Aguirre (soccer), Alex Neckelmann (tennis), Jonathan Sanders (track & field), and Kristopher Johnson (volleyball).
 
Agopian, the female athlete of the year, had another standout season and also helped lead the women’s water polo team to a second-place finish at the State Championships and a South Coast Conference championship.
 
On her way, she earned All-American, All-State Tournament, and All-Southern California honors. Agopian was also named Southern California Most Valuable Player as well as South Coast Conference Co-Player of the Year.
 
Agopian, originally out of Fullerton High School, has already begun fall classes at the University of California (Berkeley). She plans to join the Cal Bears women’s water polo team as a walk-on.
 
Other nominees for the female athlete of the year were: Jocelyn Arce (basketball), Samantha Allen (cross country), Tyller Mahoney (golf), Mary Shank (soccer), Michelle Contreras (softball), Mackenzie Woolvett (swimming & diving), Patricia Escalante (tennis), Ashley Craddock (track & field), and Raegan Heitzig (volleyball).
 
Previous LBCC Athletes of the Year:
2009-10: Dusan Ivanovski (men’s water polo), Kimmy Morrison (women’s water polo)
2008-09: Antwain Aguillard (men’s volleyball), Vanessa Samudio (softball)
2007-08: Vannie Prudhomme (men’s track & field), Sadie Barton (softball)