VALLEJO, Calif. — The California State University Maritime Academy Department of Athletics and Physical Education announced their inaugural Associate Director of Athletics for Development in Steve Doten, who will also be the Keelhaulers’ men’s and women’s water polo head coach.
Doten’s responsibilities will include supporting the management and development of advancement initiatives for the Department of Athletics and Physical Education. He will coach the women’s and men’s water polo teams, supervise the athletics facilities and home events, assist on a variety of administrative goals, and serve on campus committees.
“We are thrilled to announce Steve Doten as the Director of Athletics for Development and lead our Women’s and Men’s Water Polo programs,” said Director of Athletics and Physical Education Karen Yoder.
“Steve has a proven record and a dedication to the sport of Water Polo that will position our teams to prosper under his direction, and has he championed the development of alumni relations and endowments at his previous institution that will prove vital to our department.”
Doten brings over 25-years of experience in higher education and athletics to Cal Maritime. He served in various leadership roles over the years as a teacher, coach and administrator. He has been the Commissioner of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) since 2017 and has had a 20-year tenure as a faculty member at the University of California-Davis in physical education, where he taught a variety of classes in aquatics, health and sport sociology.
“I want to express my gratitude to Karen Yoder and the entire search committee for being awarded the privilege to join the Cal Maritime team,” said Doten. “My career has been dedicated to working in higher education, the development of athletic programs, and empowering student-athletes. Positively contributing to the collegiate athletic experience and student-athlete’s success puts a smile on my face every day. Cal Maritime has a great tradition and spirit, and I cannot wait to meet the university community.”
At UC Davis, Doten served 12 seasons (2001-2012) as the head coach of the varsity men’s water polo team, compiling a 126-54 (.700) mark in WWPA play. Doten was instrumental in saving the men’s water polo program in 2010 and established himself as a successful fundraiser by starting the first endowment in athletics. In 2007, Doten led the Aggies to a 14-0 mark in conference play. UC Davis finished among the top 15 in the final national polls in eight of his 12 seasons – including ranking as high as No. 6 in the country in 2006.
A two-time WWPA Coach of the year, Doten was also named the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) and USA Water Polo Coach of the Year in 2001, while earning the USA Water Polo’s Elite Zone Award in 2003. He was also selected to be a member of the coaching staff at the USA Water Polo Holiday Camp in 2009, an annual event for the Olympic Development Program (ODP).
His student-athletes also enjoyed a parade of accolades during his career, with 13 players earning ACWPC All-America honors, 31 All-WWPA award winners, and six named to the WWPA’s All-Freshman Team. In the classroom, additional honors were bestowed as his teams earned a total of 38 WWPA All-Academic honors, 35 ACWPC All-Academic awards, and a Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District team selection in 2006.
In addition to his work with the Aggies, Doten has been actively involved as a coach and club director within USA Water Polo over the years. He started a men’s open team for the Davis Water Polo Club in 2001, winning the bronze medal at the 20U national championships in 2005, and placed eighth in the senior national championships in 2008 – its highest finish ever. Doten also helped the Alumni Water Polo Club get started in 2013 by serving as an associate head coach and led the alumni team to its first national championship as the head coach at the 2017 USAWP National League Championships.
Before he arrived at UC Davis, Doten helped start the varsity women’s water polo team at the University of California in 1995. He served as the assistant coach from 1995-1999 and helped guide the Golden Bears to three straight appearances in the Collegiate Water Polo National Championship game, finishing second in 1996, 1997 and 1998. During his time in Berkeley, he also served as a coach for the Golden Bear Water Polo Club Team, helping lead the club to two USA Water Polo national championships in 1998 and 1999.
As a player, Doten spent three seasons (1986-1988) under legendary head coaches Pete Cutino and Steve Heaston, helping Cal to back-to-back National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) titles in 1987 and 1988. He graduated in 1990 with a degree in Sports Sociology and earned his Master’s in Kinesiology and Physical Education from California State University-East Hayward in 1994.
He and his wife, Lisa, have three children – daughters Kendall and Brooke, and son Trey – and the family resides in Davis, Calif.
Release courtesy California State University Maritime Academy Athletics Communications
