Adam Wright Position: Head Coach Experience: 3rd year Alma Mater: UCLA '01

Adam Wright begins his third season as UCLA's head men's water polo coach in 2011. A former standout in the pool at UCLA and on the U.S. Olympic Team, Wright helped lead the Bruins to the championship game of the 2009 NCAA Tournament in his first season as the program's head coach.

Wright was named the fourth head coach in program history on June 3, 2009.

In two seasons as UCLA's head coach, Wright has led the Bruins to a 42-13 record, including an 11-5 mark in conference action. In 2009, UCLA won the MPSF Tournament title and advanced to the title match of the NCAA Tournament. In 2010, the Bruins finished in a tie for second place in the MPSF regular-season standings and posted a fourth-place finish at the MPSF Tournament.

Under Wright's guidance, Ben Hohl has twice secured ACWPC All-America (2009, 2010). In 2009, Scott Davidson became the first UCLA men's water polo player to secure MPSF Player of the Year honors since 2000 (Sean Kern). Davidson and Hohl finished their careers ranking fifth and seventh, respectively, on the Bruins' all-time goals scored list. In addition, goalkeeper Chay Lapin became UCLA's all-time saves leader in 2009, totaling 719 stops in four seasons.

UCLA's path to the NCAA Tournament in Wright's first season as head coach came as a result of hard work, discipline and a strong finish at the MPSF Tournament, culminating in the Bruins' first conference tournament title since 2000. After opening MPSF play with consecutive losses in October, Wright knew that the Bruins would have to win the MPSF Tournament to have any chance at playing for a national title. He adjusted the team's practice and conditioning regimen, preparing the Bruins for the three-day tournament setting.

After finishing fourth in the MPSF regular-season standings, UCLA surged in the conference tournament. The Bruins opened with an 8-5 win over No. 5-seed Pepperdine and downed No. 1-seed and tournament host USC, 10-6, the following day. UCLA claimed the tournament title with a 10-7 win over No. 3-seed California, which was fresh off an upset of No. 2-seed Stanford.

Prior to his tenure as head coach, Wright was a four-year letterwinner at UCLA from 1997-2000, helping lead the Bruins to back-to-back NCAA titles in 1999 and 2000. Following his collegiate career, he served as a key member on the U.S. National Team, participating in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. He helped lead Team USA to a seventh-place finish in 2004 (Athens) and to the silver medal in 2008 (Beijing).

Wright served as an assistant coach with the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams during the 2008-09 school year. He helped guide the women's program to an unprecedented fifth consecutive NCAA championship in May 2009. Following the 2008 men's water polo season, Wright played an integral role in securing the top men's recruiting class in the nation.

In addition, Wright served as an assistant coach with the varsity boys and girls water polo programs at Wilson High School (Long Beach, Calif.) from 2001-04. He helped coach the boys program to four consecutive CIF Division I championships and Moore League titles. Wright coached the girls team to two Moore League titles and two CIF Division I quarterfinal playoff appearances.

As a senior at UCLA in 2000, Wright scored 39 goals before earning honorable mention All-America acclaim and second-team All-MPSF honors. In 1999, he secured third-team All-America and second-team All-MPSF honors. That season, Wright led UCLA in assists (27) and was second in total points (48) and steals (39).

In his first two seasons, he scored 43 goals - 26 as a freshman and 27 as a sophomore. He gained second-team All-America honors in 1998 and was an honorable mention All-America and All-MPSF selection as a freshman in 1997.

Wright graduated from UCLA in 2001 with degrees in history and sociology.

Following his collegiate career, Wright competed in the European League (Italy and Russia) for Bissolati Cremona, Civitavecchia SNC, Nuoto Catania and Dynamo Moscow from 2004-08. He has competed for the U.S. National Team in all major tournaments from 2001-11, helping lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2003 and 2007 Pan American Games as well as the 2005 ASUA Cup (Mexico City).

Wright, 33, is married to Kerry Norris, a former UCLA women's soccer player. He and his wife reside with their one-year old daughter, Rome, in Los Angeles.