After four seasons as the starter, senior Kevin Peat departs UC Davis men’s water polo as arguably the best goalkeeper in history.
The Walnut Creek, Calif. native saved his best season for last, finishing the year with a school-record 335 saves. He became just the third Aggie to surpass the 1,000-save milestone, amassing 1,011 stops over the course of his career.
“He is like a coach on the field and calls his own plays,” said head coach Steve Doten. “He is not only reliable in the cage, but in the weight room, the classroom and the locker room. He is a great teammate and leader. Not having the team captain and one of the best goalies in UC Davis history will be the biggest change in 2012.”
Peat’s biggest performance of the season came in the Western Water Polo Association Conference Tournament, against the four-time defending champions, Loyola Marymount. He put the team on his shoulders with a 17-save performance, leading the Aggies to an upset in triple overtime.
“I’m incredibly honored and grateful. I have always been proud to call myself an Aggie and this instance is no exception,” Peat said. “From the successes of Jonathan Peterson to Dayne Quist, Aggie athletes have had great seasons. So to be selected for this award in such a successful year and after a long career is quite meaningful for me.”
Peat’s leadership is not just seen in the water, but in the classroom as well. Peat was named to the WWPA All-Academic team, as well as earning honorable mention for academics from the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-America.
“I will always come back and visit my old teammates and friends,” Peat said. “I could not have asked for better teammates over the last five years, and it will be difficult to watch them go into games and only be able to support them with my voice instead of my play.”
RUSSELL EISENMAN can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.
