Adam Krikorian
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HEAD COACH THE COACHING STAFF ADAM KRIKORIAN Head Coach • 8th Year • UCLA (‘97) There may not be another head coach in any sport throughout the coun- try who has accomplished more than Adam Krikorian in such a short span.In his 15 years with the UCLA water polo program as both a player and a coach, Krikorian has won an unprecedented 12 national titles, including 11 while coaching both the Bruins’ men’s and women’s teams. Throughout his illustrious coach- ing career, Krikorian has coached 39 All-Americans (selected 69 times) and four Olympians This fall, Krikorian enters his eighth season as head coach of UCLA’s men’s water polo team and sixth alone at the helm. From 1999 to 2000, he shared head coaching duties with Guy Baker, Coach at the start of the 1999 men’s season, after who now serves as the head coach of the U.S. Men’s serving as an assistant for three years. In the spring National Team. of 1999, he served as the interim head coach for the Last season, Krikorian led the men’s squad to a women’s water polo team, while Baker was coaching fifth-place finish in the MPSF Tournament. In the spring the U.S. Women’s National Team. of 2006, Krikorian guided the women’s squad to its During the 1996-97 school year, Krikorian served eighth national championship, the team’s fifth national as a student assistant coach as he completed his THE KRIKORIAN FILE title since he took the reins of the women’s undergraduate studies, assisting Baker in leading program in 1999. The 2006 women’s water both squads to national championships. Krikorian’s Coaching Career polo title marked Krikorian’s third national As a senior captain in 1995, Krikorian helped Men championship since the start of the 2004-05 lead UCLA to its first men’s water polo national Year Overall Conf. Finish school year. championship since 1972. Krikorian scored two 1999 22-3 8-0 NCAA Champs In 2004-2005, Krikorian led both of his goals in the Bruins’ 10-8 win over California in 2000 19-7 6-2 NCAA Champs teams to national-champion status for the the NCAA championship game. During his 2001 16-5 7-1 NCAA Runner up third time in his career as a head coach. His senior season, he registered a team-best 31 2002 15-8 4-4 5th men’s team finished with the best winning goals, including one two-pointer, while earn- ing All-America second team honors and 2003 20-7 7-1 3rd percentage of any UCLA water polo team All-MPSF second team accolades. 2004 25-3 8-0 NCAA Champs since 1972, and his women’s squad com- pleted the second undefeated season in A four-year letterman, Krikorian 2005 21-8 5-3 5th captained the team in 1994 and 1995, Totals 138-41 45-11 3 NCAA Titles NCAA water polo history while running off a record 33-game winning streak. leading the Bruins to the NCAA Tour- Krikorian led the men’s team back nament in each of those seasons. He Women to the top of the rankings in 2004. He finished at UCLA with 76 career goals, Year Overall Conf. Finish guided the Bruins to their first perfect including a pair of two-pointers. Krikorian 1999 24-10 6-3 3rd conference finish since 1999 was named “Most Inspiration Player” 2000 30-5 8-1 National Champs and first NCAA title since win- by his teammates in each of his last 2001 18-4 9-1 NCAA Champs ning back-to-back champion- three seasons. 2002 22-4 10-1 NCAA Runner up ships in 1999 and 2000. The A standout prep athlete at Moun- 2003 24-4 8-2 NCAA Champs 2004 squad also rattled off tain View High School, Krikorian was 2004 22-5 9-2 2nd an 18-game winning streak, a four-year letterman in water polo and 2005 34-0 12-0 NCAA Champs which included capturing the swimming. As a senior, he scored 113 2006 29-4 11-1 NCAA Champs Nor Cal Tournament title and goals and earned honorable mention All-America honors. In 1992, he helped Totals 203-36 73-11 5 Titles (4 NCAA) gaining multiple victories over the nation’s other three top-ranked teams – Stanford, lead his team to the National Junior Olympic championship. AREER IGHLIGHTS California and USC. C H In 2002, Krikorian guided a young Bruin Krikorian’s older brother, Blake, •12 national championships as a player and coach team to a third-place finish in the MPSF was on the UCLA water polo team from 1986-89. •2004 National Men’s Water Polo Coach of the Year Tournament. That team also claimed the Nor Cal Tournament Championship with a Krikorian graduated from UCLA with a •2001 and 2005 National Women’s Water Polo Coach 6-3 victory over USC in the title game. In psychology degree and a business ad- of the Year the spring of 2003, Krikorian led UCLA’s ministration emphasis in June 1997. •Tied for first among active men’s water polo coaches women’s water polo team to a national cham- In May of 2001, Krikorian married in NCAA Championships won pionship, his fifth title as a head coach. Anicia Mendez, a four-year Bruin In 2000, Krikorian led the men to their letterwinner in tennis who is com- NCAA MEN’S TITLES fourth NCAA title in six years and second in pleting her MBA at UCLA. Adam a row. He also led the UCLA women to the and Anicia reside in Manhattan (won by active head coaches) inaugural NCAA championship. The 2001 Beach, Calif., with their son Jack •Adam Krikorian, UCLA (3) - 1999, 2000, 2004 women’s squad finished the season with an (born July 2006). •Jovan Vavic, USC (3) - 1998, 2003, 2005 18-4 overall mark, including a 9-1 MPSF re- Krikorian was born on July •Terry Schroeder, Pepperdine (1) - 1997 cord, and won its second consecutive national 22, 1974. •John Vargas, Stanford (1) - 2002 championship. Krikorian was promoted to Co-Head UCLA BRUINS 2006 MEN’S WATER POLO 2006 MEN’S WATER POLO THE COACHING STAFF ASSISTANT COACHES Ethnikos-Pireaus in 2003 and 2004. All-America status as a junior in 2001 Flesher also served as an assistant after pouring in 24 goals, good for third coach at Corona Del Mar High School in on the squad. MATT FLESHER 2004 and helped lead the SeaKings to a As a senior in 2002, Flesher was again CIF Division I Semifinal appearance. awarded third-team All-America honors Assistant Coach • 2nd Year • UCLA (‘02) While with the National Team, Flesher after notching 17 goals and serving as Matt Flesher enters his second sea- competed in the World University Games in UCLA’s emotional leader and co-captain. son serving as an assistant coach on the 2003 and helped guide the United States His most noted offensive performance of UCLA men’s water polo team. Flesher, a to its qualification for the Water Polo World that season came in the third-place match three-time All-America selection at UCLA Championships in 2005. of the MPSF Tournament, when he led all from 1999-2002, helped guide the Bruins Flesher enjoyed his finest playing scorers with three goals to lead UCLA over to a 21-8 overall mark in his first year on season at UCLA as a sophomore in 2000, top-ranked Stanford. the coaching staff. tallying a career-high 32 goals while add- Flesher was awarded UCLA’s Jack In his four-year career as a Bruin, ing 14 assists and 16 steals. During that Bariteau “Most Inspirational Player” Award Flesher led UCLA to back-to-back national campaign, which earned Flesher honor- following the 2002 season. championships (1999 and 2000), was able mention All-America status, he helped He earned his degree in Political Sci- twice honored as an All-MPSF athlete lead UCLA to its second consecutive ence from UCLA in 2002 and currently and finished his collegiate career with 81 national title. One of that season’s defining competes for the New York Athletic Club goals scored. moments emerged with Flesher scoring Water Polo team. Prior to returning to Westwood in 2005, the game-winning goal against Cal in the Flesher was born on April 28, 1980 in Flesher kept busy within the international MPSF Tournament title game. Lakewood, Calif. water polo ranks. He spent three seasons In 1999 as a newcomer to Westwood, as a full-time member of the U.S. National the Diamond Bar native added eight Team in 2002, 2003 and 2005 and also goals to UCLA’s 22-3 national champion- competed for professional Greek team ship team. Flesher earned third-team USA in the Olympic Games in Athens, seventh-place all-time school history. Greece. One year earlier, the Honolulu, Coming off back-to-back national Hawaii, native provided stellar defense as championships at the start of the 2001 BRANDON BROOKS goalkeeper for the U.S. National Team at season, Brooks led UCLA to a No. 5 final the FINA World Championships in Bar- national ranking as a junior. His 5.96 goals Assistant Coach • 2nd Year • UCLA (‘02) celona, Spain. against average that season stands as the Following the 2003 World Champion- fifth-best mark in school history. Brooks Brandon Brooks enters his second ships, Brooks manned the net at the Pan- recorded 165 saves in 78 quarters as the year as an assistant coach on the water American Games, where Team USA took Bruins finished the season 16-5.