BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Washington & Jefferson College men’s and women’s water polo coach Nikola Malezanov was recently elected chairman of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Water Polo Rules Committee for the 2022-23 academic year.
Malezanov replaces Harvard University men’s and women’s water polo coach Ted Minnis as chair of the committee.
Appointed to the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Committee in May 2020 to represent Division III and the East Region on the committee, Nikola Malezanov has served as the head coach for the W&J men’s and women’s water polo programs since the the Fall of 2017.
The native of Nis, Serbia, arrived at W&J following a successful tenure as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Water Polo Club and North Allegheny High School, where he won Pennsylvania state titles in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
Malezanov gained experience in the collegiate ranks as a graduate assistant for swimming and water polo at Salem University (W.Va.) from 2007-2009. He then moved on to the United States Naval Academy as a coach with the club water polo team, eventually earning a spot on the varsity coaching staff in 2010 and 2011.
He joined the W&J staff during the Spring of 2016 as head coach of the women’s team and led the Presidents’ to a 16-6 finish with a runner-up finish at the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship hosted by Connecticut College.
Following a year off, he returned as the men’s and women’s head coach in the Fall of 2017.
He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Physical Education at the University of Nis and later received his Master’s in Education, Coaching and Exercise Science from Salem.
