Water Polo Rules Committee Welcomes New Members

Eric Lefebvre - Section 3: Lefebvre has been involved in water polo for more than three decades, and his experience spans many different levels of the sport. He played for four years at Miami Springs Senior High School before continuing with his collegiate career, first with the club team at Villanova University and then as an NCAA Division I player at Loyola Marymount University. Lefebvre’s career came full circle when he returned to his alma mater to start coaching and teaching. For the past 18 years, he’s been a teacher and water polo coach at Ransom Everglades School. Lefebvre’s diverse background as a player and as a coach at both public and independent schools has given him a deep understanding of the game, and he is eager to contribute to the NFHS. His term on the NFHS Water Polo Rules Committee ends in 2031.

Beth Sauser - Section 4: Sauser is an assistant executive director in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), serving the organization for 21 years. She participated in basketball and track & field while in high school. Her school’s high school basketball team won a state title in 1985 and placed third in 1986. At DePaul University, Sauser played basketball for four years and was the captain of the women's team from 1988-91. She then joined the staff at River Forest (Trinity) High School as athletic director and head basketball coach. Sauser’s career at the IHSA began in 1999 and she was responsible for the sports of swimming, soccer and tennis. In 2001, her responsibilities shifted to soccer, basketball and water polo. Sauser’s term on the NFHS Water Polo Rules Committee ends in 2031.

Grace McDowell - Section 6: McDowell is in her third year as an assistant athletic director for the Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) where she administers water polo, swimming and diving, basketball and softball. For the two years prior to joining the UIL Staff, McDowell served as the athletic director for Frisco Independent School District supporting more than 600 coaches and 12,000 athletes. She also served as an assistant athletic director, assistant principal, assistant athletic coordinator, teacher and coach during her 32-year career. During her nine years as an athletic administrator, she supported volleyball, tennis, swimming and diving, basketball, track, softball, and football operations. During her 19 years of coaching, she coached softball, volleyball, basketball, and track at the high school level, as well as basketball at the college level. McDowell earned her master’s degrees in both exercise science and educational administration and is in the process of finishing her PhD in sports management. She played basketball and ran track in high school, and participated in basketball, cross country, and track in college. McDowell’s term on the NFHS Water Polo Rules Committee ends in 2028.

Catherine “Cat” Arroyo - Section 7: Arroyo has been involved in water polo since she was 12 years old. The sport has given her so much, and she could not imagine what her life would be like without it. Born in Annapolis, Maryland, where there were few opportunities for girls to play water polo, she began her career competing alongside the boys. Her passion and talent for the game led her to be recruited to play at UCLA, where she became a four-time NCAA champion and later represented the United States on the national team. She went on to make history as the first American woman to play professionally in Italy. A 2010 UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Arroyo has since transitioned her experience and leadership into a highly successful coaching career. She currently serves as the head coach for Diablo Alliance and Carondelet High School, where she continues to develop young athletes and inspire the next generation of players. Her coaching experience also includes roles at every level of the game — from high school and college programs to national development teams. Arroyo’s term on the NFHS Water Polo Rules Committee ends in 2032.

Alex Bennett - NFHS Coaches Association: Bennett is the head boys and girls water polo coach at Lake Nona High School in Orlando, Florida. Bennett has also been a teacher at the same school since it opened in 2009. He currently teaches Academic Research and works with students on their graduation requirements. Bennett played water polo at Long Beach City College for Hank Vallekamp and then went on to graduate from Florida International University. He has been coaching high school water polo since 1997 when he helped start the first team at Gulliver Prep School in Miami, Florida. Bennett’s term on the NFHS Water Polo Rules Committee ends in 2032.

Dillon Bankston - NFHS Officials Association: Bankston is the Sports Officials Coordinator for the University Interscholastic League (UIL) in Texas. He is starting his seventh year in this position at UIL after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a major in sport management in 2019. The UIL serves approximately 1,600 high schools and 17,000 sports officials in Texas. Bankston coordinates the UIL’s Sports Officials Committee (SOC) and is an active member of the Texas High School Athletic Director Association’s (THSADA) Officials Committee. Bankston’s term on the NFHS Water Polo Rules Committee ends in 2033.