ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan water polo program and head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi announced the addition of Jessica Gaudreault to the coaching staff for the upcoming 2022 campaign.
“We are very excited to add Jessica to our coaching staff,” said Leonardi. “She is passionate about the game and brings a strong work ethic. She also brings with her a wealth of experience and success playing goalie both internationally for Team Canada and as a student-athlete. She will provide a significant boost to our goalie training sessions, game tactics and recruiting. While coaching at Michigan, Jessica will also continue training with Team Canada to make a run for Paris in 2024.
A 2019 graduate of Indiana University, Gaudreault joins the Wolverines after most recently serving on the coaching staff for Capital Wave Swim and Water Polo club in her native Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
“I am honored to be joining the University of Michigan Women’s water polo team,” said Gaudreault. “I want to thank Coach Leonardi for this opportunity to work with the staff and with hard-working, dedicated student-athletes. The facilities and resources here at Michigan are some of the top I’ve seen. I can not wait to add to this program to bring us to our highest level of competition in the NCAA. Go Blue!”
Gaudreault has competed at an elite international level, including multiple World Championships and Pan Am games for Team Canada, and served as an alternate for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Gaudreault earned the title of Most Valuable Goalkeeper at the 2017 World League Super Final, and was captain of the team during the 2019 circuit that included the World League Super Final in Budapest, Hungary, the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, and the Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.
The Canadian had a decorated career with the Hoosiers, graduating with the second-most saves (995) and shots faced (2,182) in program history. Gaudreault was an honorable mention Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) All-America as a senior as well as a four-time Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) All-Conference First Team member.
Release courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications
