In the wake of former coach Adam Krikorian’s departure, the UCLA men’s and women’s water polo programs have begun their reconfiguration.
New women’s coach Brandon Brooks made one of his first personnel moves last week, announcing the hiring of former UCLA standout Molly Cahill as an assistant coach.
Cahill played for the Bruins from 2004 to 2007, was a three-time Academic All-American and a three-time national champion during her collegiate career, and served as an undergraduate assistant coach on the undefeated 2008 Bruin team that won another championship.
“(Cahill’s) knowledge, experience and passion for the game will make her a terrific addition to UCLA women’s water polo,” Brooks said. “She is a hard worker who exemplifies the Bruin spirit that has helped make our program successful.”
The hiring of Cahill represents the beginning of the next phase of personnel moves in the rebuilding of the water polo programs. With assistants being promoted to fill both the men’s and women’s head coaching positions vacated by Krikorian, the athletics department will look to fresh faces like Cahill’s to replenish the coaching ranks.
NOT HANGING ‘EM UP JUST YET: Recently promoted men’s coach Adam Wright may have inherited the reins of an elite college program, but that doesn’t mean his own playing days are over.
It was announced last week that Wright would play for the U.S. National Team in the upcoming Fédération Internationale de Natation World Championships beginning July 20. The competition will be nothing new:Wright, who was named as the successor to the men’s program last month, has participated in every major international tournament since 2001, including the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
In his UCLA playing career that spanned from 1997-2000, Wright was a four-time letterwinner and helped lead the Bruins to national championships in 1999 and 2000.
Wright will be joined on the national team by fellow Bruin alumnus Justin Johnson, who graduated from the UCLA program in 2007 and will be making his debut at the international level at the World Championships.
FOLLOWING THE LEADER: Since being named the new head coach of the U.S. women’s national team, former UCLA coach Adam Krikorian has ensured that the program will have a strong contingent of Bruins.
Krikorian announced last week that a trio of former Bruin standouts ““ Jamie Hipp Komer, Kelly Rulon and recently graduated Tanya Gandy ““ have been named to the national team for the FINA World Championships.
For Gandy, the move is the next in a recent series of impressive accomplishments that began with leading her 2009 squad to a national championship. After tallying a single-season school record of 79 goals in the 2009 season, Gandy was named the Division I Player of the Year and a first-team All-American.