BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Virginia Military Institute (VMI) head women’s water polo coach Danielle Montenegro discusses “Drives” in the 10th “Coaches Corner” webinar presented by the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA).
The presentation has a purpose to help club teams have the resources & confidence to run productive practices and manage their programs throughout their season.
All presentations are open for collegiate club, varsity, fans, officials and the general public to view at no cost.
Formerly the head mentor at Urbana University (Ohio), Montenegro was hired in July of 2020 as the head coach of the VMI women’s water polo team.
In her first season, she led the Keydets to the first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship game in program history, and VMI trailed by just one goal with three minutes to play against Marist College in the finals. In her second season, Montenegro had six of her 11 players earn All-MAAC Academic Team honors.
Montenegro, a native of Rowland Heights, California, came to Urbana during the 2000-2021 academic year after serving as head coach of the water polo program at Crafton Hills College. She also spent three years as assistant coach at Mt. San Antonio College.
Montenegro coached and instructed at various high schools and clubs in Southern California, including Kennedy High School, Diamond Bar High School, Rowland and Nogales High School, Rose Bowl Aquatics and Rancho Tsunami Water Polo Club.
A standout water polo athlete, Montenegro earned Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) Division III All-America status all four years at Occidental College (Calif.). She was named the team’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) as a sophomore and was twice voted a team captain. Prior to college, Montenegro led Rowland high school team to a pair of league championships while earning league MVP and Player of the Year awards. She was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Montenegro earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Occidental and obtained her master’s degree from Concordia University in applied exercise science, with an emphasis in strength and conditioning. She’s also a certified strength and conditioning specialist and certified physical therapist assistant.
