Women's Water Polo
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
The UCLA women's water polo team has hired Dusty Litvak as assistant coach, head coach Adam Wright announced on Aug. 10, 2017. Litvak previously served under Wright in the same role for the men's team during 2013 and 2014 and worked in a volunteer capacity with the women's team each of the past two seasons.
In Litvak's four seasons assisting the two programs, Bruin teams have reached title games at a pair of NCAA Championships and won UCLA's 112th NCAA title with a 9-8 victory over USC in 2014. The men's team assembled a combined record of 57-7 across his two seasons under Wright, while the women's team went 50-7 in 2016 and 2017. The UCLA women's water polo team is coming off a 24-2 campaign that included a 6-0 mark in regular-season MPSF action.
"I am very excited about the opportunity to work with Dusty again here at UCLA," Wright said. "He has run one of the most successful high school, as well as club water polo teams in Southern California for a long time. He has also established himself on the international level working with various national teams."
Litvak has also held an assortment of roles with USA Water Polo, most recently aiding the Men's Youth National Team, which won gold at the UANA Youth Pan American Championships in July. He previously guided the same team of 18-and-under players in 2013, as it prepped for the FINA Junior Water Polo Championships.
The Malibu, Calif. native has been a prominent face in the Southern California water polo community since graduating from Pepperdine in 2001. Litvak began his head-coaching career leading the boys' water polo team at his alma mater, Agoura High School—a role that he held until 2013 before returning to the post in 2015. The Chargers collected the first CIF championship in school history (2007) and added three more (2010-12) along the way. He was also named the Marmonte League Coach of the Year 10 times and his teams won eight league championships. Other accolades awarded during his tenure include four CIF Division 4 Coach of the Year honors and eight Los Angeles Daily News Coach of the Year designations.
Litvak was the technical director of the Los Angeles Water Polo Club from 2012-17. He guided the LAWPC 16-and-under team to gold medals at the 2010 U.S. Club Championships and the 2010 California Cup.
"What I believe is most important is Dusty's ability to connect with student-athletes and teach them the necessary fundamentals to be successful in our game," Wright added. "He will be a great asset to our women's program and will help enhance our culture as we move forward."
