PROVIDENCE, RI -- Felix Mercado, former head coach of the MIT men's varsity and women's club water polo teams, has been named Head Water Polo Coach at Brown University.

Mercado has spent the past two seasons at the helm of the MIT program after one year as an assistant. Last season, he was named CWPA Division III and CWPA Northern Division Coach of the Year after leading MIT to a second-place finish at the Division III Eastern Championship and the team's third-ever appearance at the Division I Eastern Championship. He posted a 26-34 record in Cambridge, as the Engineers attempted to integrate 12 freshmen into the program in 2006 after a 15-14 record in 2005.

In two years as the coach of the MIT club women's team, Mercado's squads posted a 30-3 record, making back-to-back appearances at the Club National Championships. He was named the North Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year in 2007. Mercado also served as an assistant coach at Hartwick College in the spring, as the Hawks finished fifth at the NCAA Championship.

Mercado has connections with the Brown program, having jointly coached camps with former Brown coach Jason Gall and current assistant coach John McBride. Mercado's MIT teams also routinely scheduled extra regular season games with the Bears.

Before arriving in Cambridge, Mercado spent 11 years coaching national power Ransom Everglades School in Miami, Fla., alma mater of current Bears Nico Fort and Emily Schwartz. During his tenure with the high school juggernaut, Mercado helped guide Ransom Everglades to three Florida State Championships in the boys division and coached the girls program to six straight Final Four finishes. Mercado was also the head coach and founder of the Raider Water Polo Club Foundation, and led the program to six Southeast Zone Championships. He has offered his coaching expertise at numerous national team development camps for USA Water Polo and is the current head coach for the U.S. Water Polo Northeast Junior team.

Mercado earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration Management from American Intercontinental University in 2006. He also has an Associate of Arts degree in Secondary Education from Miami Dade College.