By Keith Dunlap on SwimSwam
One of the most legendary water polo players ever is returning to her alma mater in a coaching role.
Stanford director of women’s water polo John Tanner announced on Wednesday the hiring of Brenda Villa as associate head coach.
Villa returns to Palo Alto more than two decades after being a three-time All-American for Stanford’s water polo program, helping guide the Cardinal to the 2002 NCAA title.
“Returning to Stanford is incredibly special to me,” said Villa, who retired from professional water polo in 2012, in a release from Stanford. “Being part of the first NCAA championship team here wasn’t just about winning — it was about laying the foundation for what this program could become. As one of the early athletes to help shape that era, I feel honored to now give back as a coach and help lead the next generation of student-athletes who will carry that legacy forward.”
Villa most recently served as the head coach at Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, California, where she’s worked since 2022. She has also spent time as an assistant coach at Cerritos College, the head coach at Castilleja School in Palo Alto and the head coach of Team USA’s under-16 team. In 2018, she was inducted into both the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
“Brenda is an icon in the water polo world, as one of our sport’s greatest ever athletes, as a global ambassador for the sport, and as an extraordinary coach who engenders belief, self-reliance and resilience in her athletes and teams,” said Tanner, who his about to enter his 29th year at the helm of the program. “Brenda’s path to Stanford was exceptional, a journey made possible by the City of Commerce, her family, teachers, coaches and her own relentless drive. Brenda’s journey since graduating has been equally remarkable.”
Villa is a four-time Olympic medalist (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012) and was named the Female Water Polo Player of the Decade (2000-09) by FINA Aquatics Magazine.
She also serves on the USA Water Polo Board of Directors and co-founded Project 2020, a nonprofit organization that helps provide aquatic opportunities for those in disadvantaged communities.
In May, Stanford won its third national championship in four years and 10th overall with an 11-7 win over USC in the final.
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