BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) looks back at the outstanding athletes, referees and coaches who have made Hall of Fame caliber marks on the league.
A 2007 inductee to the league’s Hall of Fame, University of Massachusetts men’s water polo and swimming coach Russ Yarworth has given back to his alma mater and the CWPA over the years.
During his time as head coach of the men’s water polo program from 1987-2001, Yarworth posted a 335-131 record, winning eight Eastern championships and four Eastern Coach of the Year awards (1993, 1995, 1998, 1999). In addition, he led the Minutemen to national success, advancing to the national championship tournament seven times, finishing third once (1999) and fourth on four occasions.
Although UMass eliminated the varsity water polo program in 2001, Yarworth has continued to be active and give back to the water polo community as he served as a member of the CWPA Technical Committee to educate and evaluate the officials in the conference.
The head coach of the Massachusetts swimming and diving program from 1979 until his retirement in June 2020, he is among the most successful coaches in the history of the sport. UMass recorded championship streaks of five and six consecutive titles as they won the league crown 11 times during a 12-year run from 2000-2012. The Minutemen picked up five Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Performer honors to go along with six A-10 Most Outstanding Diver awards as UMass claimed 90 individual conference titles under Yarworth’s direction.
Yarworth took over the helm in 1979 and guided the Minutemen to eight consecutive New England Championships from 1985-1993 while picking up his first coach of the year honors after the Minutemen won the championship in 1993. Yarworth led the Minutemen to 16 Atlantic 10 Championships, including the first during the 1995-96 season when he was tabbed the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year for the first time on his way to earning the honors a conference record 14 times in a 20-year span.
A 1978 graduate of Massachusetts with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, Yarworth earned his master’s degree in exercise science from UMass in 1984. As an undergraduate at Massachusetts, he was a four-year member of both the Minutemen swimming and water polo teams, serving as captain of both squads during his senior year. The 1977 and 1978 swim team’s MVP, he received All-New England honors twice in water polo and was a starter on the East team at the 1982 Olympic Festival.
