May 20, 2011

CoSIDA Release

Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham University water polo graduate student Ali Arat (Istanbul, Turkey/Sisli Terakki Secondary) was named First Team CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District on the At-Large team in a voting among the district's Sports Information Directors it was announced today. He will now be placed on the national ballot for Capital One Academic All-American® consideration.

The award is the latest for Arat, who received Fordham's Vincent T. Lombardi Award, presented to the Male Athlete of the Year for distinguished athletic achievements in the winning tradition of Vince Lombardi, on May 4th at the annual Block F Awards Dinner.

Arat, a two-year member of the water polo squad, was named Honorable Mention All-American by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) for the second straight season as well as a First Team All-North selection and a Second Team All-East pick. He was among not only the Rams' top scorers all season long, but challenged for the NCAA goal scoring title. In 32 games this season, he tallied a team-high 91 goals and 11 assists for a team-best 102 points, while adding 40 steals, good for second on the team, and 14 blocks. The 91 goals ranks as one of the top scoring seasons in Fordham school history, trailing only Ned Kelly's mark of 112 in 1971.

Nationally, Arat was second in the nation in goals and third in points. He also earned CWPA Northern Division Offensive Player of the Week once this season.

Academically, Arat earned All-Academic honors from the ACWPC and was named to the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Scholar-Athlete Team.