BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — It has come to the league’s attention that United States Naval Academy head coach/Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Hall of Fame member Luis Nicolao is closing in on a historic milestone – 1,000 combined coaching wins during his time at both Princeton University and Navy.
Nicolao – who now has 146 wins at Navy and 402 men’s wins at Navy for a combined total of 548 victories – also posted 442 W’s at Princeton in women’s competition. His combined total of 990 makes him the active wins leader for an individual who has coached both genders.
Where does he stand all-time? Only former University of Southern California men’s and women’s head coach Jovan Vavic (575 men, 571 women=1,146 total wins) tops him on the all-time leader board for coaches who have lead both men’s and women’s programs. Current Stanford women’s head coach John Tanner (681) leads the all-time women’s victory leaderboard.
In men’s competition, Nicolao stands as the active leader in victories and fifth all-time behind former University of California-San Diego head coach Denny Harper (697), former Navy head coach/fellow CWPA Hall of Fame member Mike Schofield (630), former University of California-Irvine head coach Ted Newland (575) and Vavic (575). Former University of California head coach Pete Cutino (519) is sixth.
So when does NIcolao break 1,000 career wins? Potentially this year as the No. 15-nationally ranked Midshipmen have 12 regular season games remaining and three contests at the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) Championship guaranteed in 2026 (and potentially one-to-three games at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship if Navy wins the MAWPC Championship).
