Princeton head men's and women's water polo coach Luis Nicolao was voted the 2012 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Sportsman of the Year via a poll on the league's website.

The recipient of 47 percent of the vote to outdistance 2012 CWPA Eastern Championship Most Valuable Players Katie Rigler of Princeton's women's team (28 percent) and Marko Gencic of St. Francis College (3 percent), along with Mercyhurst head coach Curtis Robinette (13 percent), Maryland head coach Carl Salyer (4 percent) and Division III Eastern Championship Most Valuable Player Chelsea Johnson of Grove City College (2 percent), Nicolao has guided the Tigers' men's and women's water polo programs to league championship caliber heights.

Nicolao currently is in his 15th season at the helm of both the men's and women's programs. During his tenure with both teams, the men have a 294-133 overall record and the women are 320-122 all-time for a combined record of 614-255 (.685).

The 2004 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches Men's National Coach of the Year, he has guided the men to six Southern and three Eastern titles, and the women to six southern championships and one Eastern crown.