BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Recently appointed Brown University head women’s water polo coach Jackie Puccino will serve as an assistant coach on the staff of United States Women’s Junior National Team head coach Ethan Damato for the 2025 World Aquatics Women’s Junior World Championships (U20) next month in Salvador, Brazil.
Damato, Puccino and fellow assistant coach Coralie Simmons will lead 15 of the top up and coming athletes from around the country into action starting on August 10. Team USA was drawn into Group B and will meet Hungary, Greece, and Italy in group play. A champion will be crowned on August 16.
All matches are scheduled to stream live on the World Aquatics YouTube site. Live statistics will be available for every match from MicroPlus Timing Services.
Appointed coach at Brown in June, Puccino served as an assistant coach for the University of Southern California (USC) women’s water polo team in 2025, as the Trojans went 29-5 overall en route to an National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship appearance.
Before USC, Puccino spent six seasons at Harvard University, serving as a coach of both the Crimson women’s and men’s programs. Puccino joined the Crimson staff as an assistant in 2018 and was elevated to associate head coach in 2023. During her time in Cambridge, Harvard teams posted a combined eight 20-win seasons, including the Crimson women’s first-ever Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship game appearance in 2022 and a 2019 Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) Championship/NCAA appearance for the Harvard men.
Puccino began her coaching career with the Palomar College women’s program, earning Pacific Coast Athletic Conference (PCAC) Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2016. She spent a year as the women’s head coach at San Diego Mesa College, winning the 2017 PCAC title and her third PCAC Coach of the Year nod.
As a player, Puccino earned All-America First Team honors at Palomar College before going on to Marist College, where she earned a degree in Psychology in 2012. Puccino also holds a master’s degree in physical education from Azusa Pacific University.
Women’s Junior National Team (Hometown/School/Club)
1. Lauren Steele (Old Greenwich, Conn./University of California-Los Angeles/Lamorinda)
2. Christine Carpenter (Yucaipa, Calif./Stanford University/CHAWP)
3. Sam Hofley (Flower Mound, Texas/Stanford University/Thunder Water Polo)
4. Lily Palma (Walnut Creek, Calif./Las Lomas HS/Lamorinda)
5. Julia Bonaguidi (La Jolla, Calif./University of California/NYAC)
6. Lucy Haaland-Ford (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos HS/Santa Barbara 805)
7. Allison Cohen (Orange, Calif./Stanford University/SET)
8. Quinn Healy (Soquel, Calif./Stanford University/Stanford WPC)
9. Kamryn Barrone (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Stanford University/SET)
10. Charlotte Raisin (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos HS/Santa Barbara 805)
11. Rosalie Hassett (Orinda, Calif./University of California/Diablo Alliance Water Polo)
12. Amber Nowaczek (Shadow Hills, Calif./Stanford University/Santa Barbara 805)
13. Megan McAninch (Orinda, Calif./University of Southern California/Lamorinda)
14. Emily Ausmus (Riverside, Calif./University of Southern California/NYAC)
15. Elektra Urbatsch (Brooklyn, N.Y./University of California-Los Angeles/NYAC)
Staff
Ethan Damato – Head Coach
Coralie Simmons – Assistant Coach
Jackie Puccino – Assistant Coach
Jacob Prill – Team Manager
2025 World Aquatics Women’s Junior World Championships Schedule (subject to change)
August 10 – USA vs Hungary 6:00 p.m. Eastern/3:00 p.m. Pacific
August 11 – USA vs Greece 6:00 p.m. Eastern/3:00 p.m. Pacific
August 12 – USA vs Italy 7:30 p.m. Eastern/4:30 p.m. Pacific
August 13 – TBD (Crossover)
August 14 – TBD (Quarterfinals)
August 15 – TBD (Semifinals)
August 16 – TBD (Finals)
