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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.

Among the premier women’s water polo players of her generation, Leslie Entwistle competed at Slippery Rock University from 1976-80 earning All-America honors following her sophomore, junior and senior seasons while leading “The Rock” to second place finishes at the National Collegiate Championship twice during those years.

In addition to her water polo prowess, she earned All-America honors in swimming during all four-seasons at Slippery Rock.

She gained notice throughout the country for her level of play to earn an invitation to try out for the first-ever Women’s National Team in Anaheim, California in 1978.  She competed at the 1978 World Aquatic Games in West Berlin, Germany.  She garnered two more selections to the National Team to compete at the first-ever 1979 World Cup in Fresno, California and the 1981 World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

Following her five-year playing career, she has devoted her time, energy and experience to coaching programs around the country at all age levels.  She served as an assistant coach for the Southwest Women’s Team in the 1983 National Sports Festival, followed by a three stint with high school boys and girls in San Antonio, Texas, to a head varsity coach for a fledgling women’s program at California State University, Hayward (now known as California State University, East Bay), leading the program into the NCAA Division III Top 10 national rankings for the first time.

In 2018, The St. James located in Springfield, Va., announced the launch of its water polo program, offering athletes across the Greater Washington region the area’s most comprehensive water polo development program.  The program is led by Entwistle who provides session training tailored to all ages and skill levels as well as private and group lessons, water polo-specific strength and conditioning, camps, clinics, leagues and tournaments in a 450,000 sq. ft. complex.

Prior to arriving at the St. James, she served as head club coach and program director at Capital DC Water Polo Club, where she led the development of a full-scale youth water polo program and collaborated with national club directors to build National Junior Olympic Championships teams annually.  Entwistle also previously served as girls head coach and developmental boys coach for USA Water Polo’s Olympic Development Program Northeast Zone (NEZ).  During her time there, she coached teams to national victories, including a third place win by her NEZ Girls 14 & Under team at the Olympic Development Program National Championships in 2016 and 2012 and 2013 wins for the NEZ Boys 8th Grade & Under team at the East vs. West Zone Championships.  She was named Olympic Development Program East USA / West USA Developmental Boys Co-Coach of the Year in 2013.

Before joining USA Water Polo, Entwistle was an assistant age group water polo coach at the Naval Academy Aquatics Club, where she helped coach 14-under teams to multiple Top 10 national titles and was named USA Water Polo Development Coach of the Year in 2010.

Collegiate Water Polo Association