Princeton University Athletics
Derek Ellingson
Photo by: Sideline Photos, LLC
Ellingson Earns US Water Polo Coaching Award
April 05, 2024 | Women's Water Polo
PRINCETON – Derek Ellingson has earned the Sandy Nitta Distinguished Coaching National Award, US Water Polo announced.
Established in 2010, the annual awards have each been named in honor of a person or people who have made an extraordinary contribution to the sport of water polo. Winners were chosen through a zone nomination process and then reviewed by a national selection panel. See below for a complete list of winners and their accomplishments. Awards will be presented to recipients during the upcoming Junior Olympics and Masters Nationals Championship.
Ellingson's crew is 16-6 this season and 5-0 in the CWPA. Seven of the team's 16 victories have been against ranked foes. The Tigers can clinch the No. 1 seed in the CWPA Tournament if they sweep the weekend and Harvard loses once (The Crimson play Bucknell, Michigan and St. Francis).
In the spring of 2023, the women's team won its conference title for the first time since 2015 with a 12-8 victory over Harvard. The Tigers finished 30-4 overall becoming just the third team in program history record at least 30 victories (2014, 2015). Princeton reached the national semifinals for the first time ever and became the first non-West Coast to get to the Final Four since 2016. The Tigers also had four All-Americans in Jovana Sekulic, Lindsey Lucas, Kayla Yelensky and Laura Larkin, for the first time in Princeton history.
Since becoming head coach of the women's program in 2019, Ellingson has produced a 96-32 record for a .750 winning percentage, which is currently the best mark in program history. The women's head coach has also been an assistant for the men's team for 19 years helping them to eight NCAA Tournaments during his tenure. Also assisting with the women's side prior to be named head coach, he helped lead the Tigers to nationals in 2012, 2013, 2015.
Established in 2010, the annual awards have each been named in honor of a person or people who have made an extraordinary contribution to the sport of water polo. Winners were chosen through a zone nomination process and then reviewed by a national selection panel. See below for a complete list of winners and their accomplishments. Awards will be presented to recipients during the upcoming Junior Olympics and Masters Nationals Championship.
Ellingson's crew is 16-6 this season and 5-0 in the CWPA. Seven of the team's 16 victories have been against ranked foes. The Tigers can clinch the No. 1 seed in the CWPA Tournament if they sweep the weekend and Harvard loses once (The Crimson play Bucknell, Michigan and St. Francis).
In the spring of 2023, the women's team won its conference title for the first time since 2015 with a 12-8 victory over Harvard. The Tigers finished 30-4 overall becoming just the third team in program history record at least 30 victories (2014, 2015). Princeton reached the national semifinals for the first time ever and became the first non-West Coast to get to the Final Four since 2016. The Tigers also had four All-Americans in Jovana Sekulic, Lindsey Lucas, Kayla Yelensky and Laura Larkin, for the first time in Princeton history.
Since becoming head coach of the women's program in 2019, Ellingson has produced a 96-32 record for a .750 winning percentage, which is currently the best mark in program history. The women's head coach has also been an assistant for the men's team for 19 years helping them to eight NCAA Tournaments during his tenure. Also assisting with the women's side prior to be named head coach, he helped lead the Tigers to nationals in 2012, 2013, 2015.
Players Mentioned
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