BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Ivan Zivojinovic and Ognjen Cerkez join the water polo coaching staff of Mount St. Mary’s University head coach Justin Vink for the 2025-26 academic year.
A native of Belgrade, Serbia, and a graduate of Nikola Tesla High School of Electrical Engineering, Zivojinovic joins the Mountaineers from Salem University following a four-year playing tenure in West Virginia. A utility player and varsity swimmer during his days competing for the Tigers, he graduated from Salem with a Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science (June 2024) prior to completing a Masters Degree in Data Analytics (April 2025).
A team captain for the last threes seasons, Zivojinovic began competing at Salem during the COVID-19 impacted winter 2020/21 season.Â
A member of the 2022 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division II Championship team which later placed fourth at the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) Championship, he concluded his time in West Virginia as part of the institution’s 2024 Western Water Poo Association (WWPA) Championship team that advanced to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship tournament.
An Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) Division II All-America selection in 2021 and 2022 he claimed WWPA All-Conference recognition in 2023 and 2024. Part of the 2023 WWPA All-Tournament Team, Zivojinovic was named to the MAWPC-West All-Conference team during the Winter 2021 and 2021 seasons prior to the Salem joining the WWPA.
A CWPA Division II Championship All-Tournament Team pick in 2021, he claimed ACWPC All-Academic status during his five years of intercollegiate competiiton.Â
Zivojinovic stands among Salem’s all-time leaders in career goals (320, second), assists (115, 7th), steals (69, 17th), earned ejections (152, fourth) and field blocks (36, third).
“I can’t be more proud of him and am excited to see Ivan reunite with Coach Vink,” noted Salem head coach Rob Bullion . “Justin coached him for one year during COVID. Ivan’s water polo mind and ability to motivate will greatly help the Mount program.”
Also a native of Belgrade, Cerkez arrives in Emmitsburg, Md., after competing at Ottawa University in Arizona as a goalkeeper.
Prior to arriving in America, he played in the Serbian Junior League and won a championship. Cerkez then was promoted to the Serbian Super League.
He competed for (September 2017-to-September 2020) in the VK Stari Grad (September 2020-August 221) in the Serbian Super League – Serbia’s .
Part of Water Polo Club Partizan (September 2009-to-September 2017) in Belgrade, Cerkez was a
He emigrated to the United States and took over as water polo coach for the North Irvine Water Polo Club in Irvine, Calif., for the period of September 2021-to-August 2023. During his tenure, he served as goalkeepers coach for the program and theÂ
The co-founder of Water Polo Roster – Cerkez attended Westcliff University (2021-22) and Cypress College (2023-24). During his time at Cypress, he accounted for five assists in 22 matches. Last year, he helped the Ottawa Spirit finish 4-8 and claim a runner-up finish at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Championship prior to graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
